The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-22
LA BAW AND BROOME.
PUBLIC BOARDS DEADLOCKED
OYER THE NEW PRISON.

Street and Water Board.
La Baw or Broome, which, The erec-
tion of the new Police Headquarters
rather, its prompt building depends alb
solutely on the selection. of either of the
two men named. Both are architects;
both are competent men. No reflection is
cast upon the ability or either But they
have become the bone of contention, and
nothing will be done toward building the
new police station until one of two City
Boards weakens.
The Legislature empowered the city to
put up a building in place of that miser-
able patched-up structure on Gregory
street, in which the Gregory street police
and the Headquarters officials transact
the city business.
BRACED AGAINST A FALL.
1t is oaly q few months ago that City
Hall place was closed and marked as mo
thoroughfare," by timbers stretching
across the street to save the
ancient building from falling while
repairs were being made. The
police officials are courageous, but they
would naturally feel more valiant IL the
walls about them were solid and sound.
They secured the passage of the law
authorizing the construction of the new
building. The act was so drawn that the
police authorities were to designate what
kind of building they desired. 1t could
not be built too quickly. They knew the
Board of Public Works, now the Board
of Street and Water Commissioners, is
slow and they consulted the Board OF
Finance.
Some model police stations are being
put up in Brooklyn and they concluded to
study the plans of these.
MR. LA BAw AND HIS PLANS.
The Board of Finance has well
founded prejudice against the Board of
Works. They advised the Police Com
missioners to go on and not only seek in
formation but secure a sketch or plan of
the proper model. They recommended
that clever architect be engaged to do
the sketching or drawing of plans. The
Police Commissioners, acting on the sug-
gestion, employed Architect George
La Baw. He accompanied them to Brook
lyn and drafted the plan of the perfect
Station they found. The plans were rati-
fed by the Police Commissioners. At the
last meeting the Police Commissioners
decided to send a committee to the Board
of Street and Water Commissioners to
ask them to adopt the plans. They anticl-
pated no opposition and were surprised to
find when they waited on that Board that
they had an objection.
These are the resolutions that the Police
Commissioners presented. They had been
introduced by Commissioner Kelly and
adopted
Whereas. the Legislature at it's last session
passed an act authorizing the erection of station
houses in this city; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Street and Water Com
missioners be requested to erect building for
Police Headquarters and First precinct station,
on the site now used for that purpose, and be 1t
further
Resolved, That the Street and Water Com
missioners be requested to adopt the plans here
with presented the plans for the said buildings
Resolved, That this Board as a Committee OF
the Whole carry these resolutions and plans to
the Street and Water Commissioners at their
next meeting
THE PLANS ONLY SUGGESTIONS.
The new Board of Works referred them
to committee. The committee sent for
Architect Broome, and, handing TO him
the plans of Architect La Baw, said,
ssI'hese suggest what the Police Commits
sioners want. Examine them and ascer-
tain what they need"
Architect Broome took the plans and is
drafting new plans based upon the sug-
gestions. This was q queer proceeding.
After an architect has drawn pans he Is
supposed to supervise personally the con-
struction of a building under the plans
he has prepared, and it looked like bare
faced effort to crowd out Architect La
Baw.
A NEWS reporter was sent out to inter
view the interested parties.
The first man seen was Architect LIE
Baw, who said
~ was not aware of the fact that there
was any hitch until l met an official at the
dinner table. / guess it will be properly
adjusted. 1t is u rule among architects
that the one who draws the plans super
intends the erection of the building, as it
is natural supposition that the man who
prepares the plans best knows how to
carry them out. | don't think Mr.
Broome will undertake to build under my
plans. I know / would not under his
plans am satisfied it will be arranged
albright"
BRoosfE DRAWS NEW PLANS.
Architect Lewis III. Broome, who was
next called upon, said:-
81 was summoned by Commissioner
Somers, who gave me these plans. asked
him what was to be done with them, aud
he said they were merely suggestion of
what the police require for their new
building. | was instructed to proceed
and consult Chief Murphy to ascertain ex-
actly what the department needed and
prepare plans to conform with the ideas
of Chief Murphy a NJ other police officials.
do not intend using the plans which re-
gard as defective, unless directed to do
So"
Colonel Robinson, Clerk of the Police
Board, when interviewed said the Board
desired something tangible on which to
base their demand and procured the plans
for that purpose. He could not recollect
that any resolution had been passed au-
thorizing the Police Commissioners to
engage an architect.
Chief Murphy declared that there was
no hitch and held that the Board of Street
and Water Commissioners had full au-
tnority in the premises.
WORD FOR THE STREET BOARD.
Commissioner Somers, of the Street and
Water Board averred that no differences
existed. The Police Commissioners had
only employed an architect to make a
draft of the Brooklyn Police station and
his sketch had been submitted. This
Board had sole control and all were fa-
yorable to Architect BroOme.
THE POLICE BOARD VIEW.
Police Commissioner Kelly declal ed that
the services OF practical architect ia
Baw) had been secured by the advice OF
the Finance Board. He wanted nothing
said, as they wanted the police station
built and desired no controversy over it.
The Police Commissioners, he claimed,
under the act had authority to designate
the kind of building they desired. which
means they have power to fix the plans.
The Board of Street and Water Commis.
sioners held that while you can determine
what YOU want, our Board only has the
authority to put up the building. Com
missioner Kelly said the dispute arose on
this point, whether the Street aud Water
Commissioners or the Police Board has
authority to have the plans drawn. He
and his colleagues are convinced that they
should have the plans drafted and the
Board of Street and Water Commission
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