The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-11-19

street fayln& anu raise E~couoAflys
A short while ago The JERSEY CITY
NEWS criticized the Street and Water
Board on the ground OF the street
repairs made under its direction
since it came into Office. The ground
we took was that no adequate results
had been secured for the money ex-
pended, because an injudicious plan
of operations had been adopted. We
said that the money had been frittered
utility, while it ought to have been
concentrated for the radical recon
struetion of important thorough
fares, oneeafter another.
Mayor Cleveland, it appears, diff
fered in opinion from THE JERSEY
CITY NEWS, and in a conversation a
day or two ago with a member of our
staff played the part OF apologist
for the Street Board. So high is our
regard for His Honor's power of advo-
cacy that we believe, if there had been
any room for argument, he would
have made us appeal to be in the
wrong. The fact that he made such
a lame defence for the work that has
been done is the most conclusive proof
that it was indefensibly bad and inju-
dieious.
In the first place, of course, he
-11aa1a1 thn IavPn otnnr1nf of maui
that had been done, and quoted
Montgomery street in illustration.
Our reporter Immediately asked him
ii it was not true that all that had
been done had since been undone
again by the natural operation of
travel and the elements, and that
such undoing had followed upon the
heels OF the doing within six short
months. The Mayor admitted this
was true, and promptly shifted his
position for the purpose OF explaining
the poor temporary character of the
work.
In doing this, we submit, he in
plain terms admitted the truth of
THE JERSEY CITY's charges in their
fullest extent. He asserted two
things -
First, That the PAYERS employed
by the city were paid only $3.50 per
day, while competent paviors could
not be had under SO.
Second, That the trap blocks used
were not adapted to the purpose.
They We're, he said, not broad enough
nor deep enough, and being rough
hewn, they did not rest firmly against
each other, and so soon tipped over,
causing ruts and holes. Besides, they
were smooth on top. New York and
Brooklyn were abolishing them alto
gether in favor of granite.
Well. perhaps Mayor Cleveland
thinks this presentation Of the case
puts the Street and Water Commits
sioners in an improved light. Per-
haps he thinks the public will regard
them as frugal dispensers of the pub
lie money, will praise them for their
economy.
II Mayor Cleveland were going to
build a new City Hall, would he EN-
ploy day laborers to do the masonry
because they can be got at half the
wage of masons? Would he use mud
instead of mortar because it calls for
a much smaller outlay?
1t appears to us that the Mayor pre-
SCENTS an Indictment against the Com
missioners such as we had not vent
ured on If they conducted their
private business on the same princi-
piles they would be accused, not of
incompetence, but of imbecility.
When they manage public business
that way, the busy tongue of criticism
very soon passes the rumor of incom-
petence, and since nobody can suspect
the gentlemen Of imbecility, the whis-
pei of jobbery fills the air.
II Mayor Cleveland is interested in