The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-09-25
,ient horses to do the work at as cheap a price as

c1ent horses TO DO the WORK at RS cheap prize as
possible.
This report was received, and, on motion, the
Committee on Streets and Sewers was given fuli
power to do the said work until the lexecutlon OF
the contract (page 1886 of manual.
For some reason the Board of Finance refused
to concur in awarding the contract to Mr.. Dunn
Thereupon the Board of Public Works, on De
cember 10, readvertised for bids, which were re-
ceived December "a, 1888, and on December III,
1888, the contract was awarded to Henry Byrnes
by the Board of Public Works, and on January
10, 1880. this action was concurred in by the
Board of Finance and Taxation, and meanwhile
the Board of Public Works, through its Commit,
tee on Streets and Sewers, caused the ashes ana
garbage to be removed by days. work.
Thes contractor, Henry Byrne, signed the con-
tract on January %, 1899, and by direction OF the
Board of Public Works proceeded to carry out
the provisions at once, although 1t was not ON
cialiy executed by the city until about the mid.
die of February, when it was sent TO the Chle1
Engineer by Judge Blair, then corporation coun-
sci, with a letter of explanation, winch VIII pc
found on page 1856 of the journal of the Board OF
Works for last year. The question now arises as
to the scope of Byrnes' contract and whether
the city can deduct from his bid the cost OF re-
moving the ashes and garbage from December
/ to January rs. The specifications on which
proposals were asked are headed as follows:-
Specifications for sweeping, cleaning and re-
moving all dirt, ashes and garbage from the
streets of Jersey City from date of contract to
December 1, 1859, while in the body thereof it
is provided thus: -"Ashes and garbage and rub
Dish shall be collected and removed from all the
streets of Jersey City from date Of contract to
the first day of December, 1889, twice in each and
every week"
The contract follows the specifications. and is
dated January 25, 1889; the consideration for
removing ashes and garbage is a large sum, six
teen thousand two hundred and fifty dollars for
the term. On the face OF the papers, the con-
tractor, Henry Byrnes, is entitled to receive the
whole of this sum for removing ashes and gar
bage from January rs to December ], 1883. am
moreover informed by the Corporation Attorney
that Byrnes, at the time of signing the contract,
insisted upon this construction, and refused to
execute the contract until he had been assured
of it by the then law officers of the city. The
Chief Engineer, in making up his estimate from
time to time, acted upon the advice of Judge
Blair. as contained in his letter above referred
to, and gave Byrnes certificates based upon the
idea that as from January % to December !,
1889, there were 1903 days, Byrne was entitled to
nos part of the contract prices for each day as
it passed. Warrants based upon these estimates
have been paid without question.
I herewith enclose letter from Chief Engineer
showing the method in which these estimates
were made. l also enclose the original contract
with Byrnes, which should be returned to the
Comptroller. It would, therefore, seem clear
that no part of the cost of removing the ashes
and garbage from December l, 1888, to January
25, 1889, can be deducted from Byrnes. l have
collected the claims presented for this extra
work and find them to be as follows:-
Henry Byrnes (use of horses and carts).
No. 48-Dec. 3 TO Dec. 1915 90
No. 68-Dec. 10 to 10 Az so
No. 67-Dec. 20 to 4T2 so
No. 69-Dec. 81 to Jan. 9.................. 472 so
No. 10-Jan. 10 to 10 472 so
No. &C. Jan, p to 315 90
Total. 49, $40 90
Horses and carts charged for at $3.50 per day,
including driver, all of which were passed by
the Board of Public Works, and are now in your
hands awaiting action. Miscellaneous bills for
horses and CARTS
No. 274, B. McGuinness. S24
No. 275, John McCrea. ~
No. VI, John hllroy IL
No. 1870, Mary Cummings. ................. "a
No. So, Patrick Byrnes. "a
No. 104 Patrick WEIGH IL
No. so, Thomas Harrington. 9
No. on, Michael Kilroy. 6
sir
All for horses and carts at So per day, for
Dec. 8, 4 and s.
Dec. 3to Dec. Is, laborers loading carts
with ashes. 800. 1856 90
Dec: II to Dec. 20, laborers loading carts
with ashes 286 90
Dec, 81 to Jan. Il, laborers loading carts
Wild aSneS.. 036 w
Jan. ID to Jan. 20, laborers loading carts
with ashes. ......... 1853 90
S1,34s 90
In above pay-rolls the foreman Mullery was
allowed US per week and the workInen ~ per
day. All the above claims were ordered paid by
the Board of Public Works and now await your
action. Iherewith send you all the original bills
and papers for investigation, also the manual of
the old Board of Public Works, with marked
references to everything pertaining to this sub
ject. l am of the opinion that the above claims,
if found correct and reasonable, should be paid
out of the unexpended balance of the appropria-
ton for 1859 for cleaning and removing garb-
age. A sufficient balance remains for this pur-
pose, as l am informed by the Comptroller. Of
course l have not investigated as to the correct
ness or reasonableness of the claims themselves.
Respectfully submitted,