The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-08-10
AN OLD BOARDS BAD JOB.
GREENVILLE'S PROTEST AGAINST
A DEFECTIVE SEWER.

Before the Commissioners of Streets
and Water-It Was Paid for After
the Citizens Had Entered a Complaint.
One of the jobs of the old Board of
Works was the Linden avenue sewer
The work is defective and has collapsed,
and the receiving basins are useless. The
Improvement" has been accepted and
the contractor paid.
The property owners interested pro-
tested before the contractor was paid, but
their protest was ignored. They have not
ceased protesting, and have brought the
matter before the new Board of Street
and Water Commissioners.
The Board met last night to hear the
complaint. Twenty indignant property
owners were present. They submitted
two affidavits, one made by Mr.. Henry
Smith, a practical plumber; the other by
Mr.. Ford, q boss mason. They described
the faulty Construction of the sewer. The
contractor had paid no heed to the specifi-
cations. The sewer had bulged.
The connections were neglected, and,
when made, old pipe was used. The tim
bers had not been taken out; the receiv-
ing basins are improperly built; the brick
is loose and can be removed by hand; the
QedQ STONES are lalQ III only one place; tu6
basins had not been sealed and are filled
with surplus sand, and the head OF the
sewer is over the grade.
Mr.. Charles Van Keuren, who was sent
to make an examination by the Board,
stated that at the places he was directed d
to inspect there were two breaks in the
sewer where it had spread. There was a
hole near Avenue E,a natural settlement.
Mr.. Smith remarked that the street had
given way through the break, and the
sand was being washed into the sewer.
This break was caused by improper filing.
LAYING IT TO THE OLD BOARD.
Contractor O'Neill, who built the sewer,
was called. He explained that the trouble
was caused by the interference OF the
Board of Works. Mr.. Washburn was al
lowed to put in connection against his
advice; and, instead of putting in a bend,
straight pipe was used.
81 told the Commissioners that if they
allowed the connection to be made that
way that would have nothing more to
do with the job" SAID he. "After q
terrible storm on New Years Day. which
carried away the stone walls of the Mr..
Washburn's house, six feet of the sewer
was knocked out by this wash from the
connection. If it had not been a good
sewer more of it would have gone. 1t
was not my duty to do SO, but | built q
stone wall and put in flag where the
burst two years ago last March and the
men put in planks to support the pipe"
FAULTY CONNECTIONS.
Commissioner Van keuren-Whata about
those connections?
81 don't know. / wasn't there all the
time The ground is sandy, and the re.
ceiving basins fill up in night | did not
build fifty feet of the sewer that Mr..
Simpson did not see except when he was
away in California. He personally super.
intended the construction. He will tel
you that it was good job and | used
good materials. / have nothing to do with
the sewer now. | only desired to make
this explanation"
The contractor had referred to a con
nection made for Mr.. Lembeck, and left
the impression that it was piece of un
warranted interference on the part of the
Board of Works. Mr.. Lembeck took hin
to task, and declared that O'Neill had put
in the connection himself and had beer
paid for it.
President Somers said to O'Neill:-'Yor
left some surplus dirt there?"
Maybe / did. think these people
would hang me-"
Mr.. Simpson said the work was defect
i've. Where the pipe had burst it had not
been shored up. He had not seen 6
put in receiving basin. The basins
should be perfectly water tight; they are
now useless. The bricks can be taken out
at any place.
IT WAS PAID FOR TOO SOON.
Commissioner Van Keuren stated that
the sewer was cheap one, as it cost only
So 25 per foot, and the tax was light on the
property owners. If anything is done
now it will have to be at the expense Of
the city
Mr. Simpson said the property owners
did not object to the amount, and would
gladly pay if the sewer and receiving
basins were put in proper condition anc
the dirt removed from the street.
Commissioner Van Keuren stated thai
when the protest was entered before the
contractor had received the retained per
centage he had urged the old Board tC
withhold payment. In his absence the
Board ordered the amount paid to the
| contractor. 1t is bad policy, he said
when objection is made not to withhold
payment.
The Commissioners are satisfied that the
property owners have just cause for com
| plant and will have the sewer repaired.