The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-09-04
THAT IRONSTONE JOB.
THE STREET BOARD WEAKENS ON
THE GROVE STREET PAYING.


The Price Asked Was Outrageously High
How Property Owners May BE Com
PEELED to Repair Sidewalks and Curbs
Routine DoIngs.
The Board of Street and Water Com
missioners held an adjourned meeting
last evening. October was fixed as the
day for hearing objections to the proposed
improvement of Monticello avenue be-
tween Belmont and Fairmount avenues;
OF Halliday street between John and
Communipaw avenues; and to the con-
struction of sewer in Hancock avenue
between Bower and Hutton streets.
The matter of the awards for the prop
erty taken for the improvement of Mont
gornery street from Bergen avenue to
West Side avenue was referred to the
Board of Assessors for the purpose of as
certain1ng the original cost of the
property.
The resolutions authorizing the repave-
ment of Montgomery street between Jer-
sey avenue and Colgate street and the
requirement. of Grove street from Newark
avenue to the HoboSen line were
resclnded, and all bids received were re-
Jected. A long preamble setting forth
that this action was for the best interests
OF the city prefaced each resolution. The
reason assigned by the members of the
Board tor this action is that the repaving
OF these two streets will exhaust the ap-
preparation for repaving streets for the
year and there will be no more money to
spend upon the city's thoroughfares.
THE BIG GROVE STREET JOB.
1t is said that to repair Grove street
under the specifications will take at least
SlO5,00 The Board will probably have
specifications prepared and repair Grove
street from Newark avenue to Pavonia
avenue. Montgomery street will prob
ably have to wait. A communication was
received from Corporation Counsel Ed
wards in reference to the new law con-
cerning the repair of curbs and sidewalks
by the owner of the property. Mr.. Ed
wards stated that under the new law the
Board has the authority to make the
repairs If the owner refuses to do so The
law, however, requires that before this is
done the Board must adopt a uniform
specification, which must be served upon
The delinquent owner, together with a
notice directing him to have his sidewalk
and curb repaired. If after a reasonable
time has elapsed the owner still refuses
to do the work, another notice shall be
served, and if the owner still refuses the
Board shall have the work done, and the
cost thereof will become a lien against
the property.
The communication was referred to the
Committee on Streets with the recon-
mendation that they have the specifica-
tions prepared Immediately.
VERY PECULIAR.
When the Board adjourned / met a
gentleman who is thoroughly conyersant
with the matter of the iron stone blocks.
The action of the Board" said he, Sin
resembling their action in regard to the
pavement of Montgomery and Grove
streets has ruined d neat little job, but
who was interested in the transaction |
am not at liberty to state. There were
three bidders for the Grove street i'm
proyement-Condon, who bid So 81 per
square yard; Harrington, who bid 81 80
per square yard, and Holmes, who bid
$l.S0 q square yard.
The first two were to use this new
ironstone block and the latter bid for trap
rock
Condor and Harrington both brought
their specimens, securely concealed from
view, and did not disclose them until the
time came for opening the bids. AS
people seemed to know little or nothing
about the new pavement became q little
curious. Accordingly / went down to
Constable Hook to see Mr.. Chadwick, of
the chemical works, who, understand,
is the agent for this ironstone.
II learned that the stone is made Of a
composition of iron Stag, fused with sui
pher It Is so brittle that if you struck
two blocks together they would crack
like bricks.
But what surprised me most was the
fact that the cost of the stones was so low
that could have bid at least twenty-five
per cent. below either Harrington or
Condor, and made handsome profit on
the job"