The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-05
CITIZENS WHO PROTEST.
THE STREET AND WATER BOARD
HEARS MANY COMPLAINTS.

Sewers That Are just Completed and Are
Crying for Repairs-The Commission
ers Say They Are Investigating and
win Call Upon the Contractor.
The Board of Street and Water Com
missioners met as a Board of Adjudica-
tion today and listened to protests against
assessments for improvements. The first
matter considered was the filing of the
final assessment map of the Palisade ave-
nue. improvement, from South street to
the Paterson Plank Road.
Thomas E. Nash objected to the assess
ment of 800 per lot in communication
in which he said that a clerk in the
Boards office declared that that price
was extrayagant and exorbitant. Mr..
Nash also declared that he could have
had the work done for $50 per lot, and
laid the increased cost to the new charter.
Clerk Bouton said that he had written
Mr.. Nash a letter informing him that the
old Board of Works was responsible for
the improvement and asking him for the
name of the clerk who had told him that
its cost was eXorbitant. Mr. Nash re-
fused to tell
MANY DIRECTORS.
A number of property owners objected
to the final assessment for the branch
sewer in Brown place on the ground that
the property is on a slope running from
the sewer and can therefore receive no
benefit therefrom. The assessment for the
branch sewer in Garfield and other ave-
nueS was objected to by byHenryLembeck on
the ground that his property is not bene-
fitted thereby, and that the final assess
ment is greatly in excess of the prelimin-
ary estimate.
Also that the sewer is so defective in
construction that even at this early day
it is in need of repairs.
The call for objections to the main
branch sewer in Avenue r brought out a
long remonstrance signed by Reuben
Simpson and others, owners of 5000 feet
of the property affected.
This declared that the sewer had not
been built according to contract, and is so
deficient in many parts that the rock pro-
trudes through its sides, and has already
caved in in many places. 1t is obstructed
by timbers and planks, which have al
most choked it here and there. The man
holes are above grade, and the receiving
basins are full of sand and debris and so
poorly constructed that bricks can be
taken out with the hand.
The proper connections have not been
made as called for in the contracts, and
the collector has charged several persons
for making the connection. The remon-
STRANGE also declares that much larger
area should have been assessed for the
improvement.
Lawyer James Erwin. in behalf of the
signers of the objections, emphasized the
objections, condemned the old Board and
'taffied" the new Board, on the era of
reform which the Street and Water Com
missioners are popnlarly supposed to be
be about to introduce.
EVIDENCES OF REFORM.
Mr.. Van Keuren said that the officials
of the department were now investigating
the sewer, and if there is any defect in its
construction he thought Mr. o'Neill, the
contractor, could be compelled to rem
edy it.
The Board will listen further to Mr..
Erwin and consider his proofs on Friday
evening.
The Commission then met as the Street
and Water Board and received number
of official communications from the Board
of Finance and applications of various
kinds
Seven bids were opened for the improve
ment of Halliday street, between John
son and Communipaw avenues, and the
Board of Finance was requested to appro-
pirate $500 for a new furnace for School
No. g.
A resolution was adopted requiring all
Inspectors of Improvements appointed by
the Board to be at their work from seven
q. IN. to six p. M, and declaring that they
shall receive no pay for the time they alb
sent themselves without permission
1t was also resolved to require inspectors
of improvements to furnish bonds for the
faithful performance of their duties.