The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-07-09
ARE They AFTER O'NEILL
The Salary Grab in the
Board Of Aldermen.
$3.50 MORE FOR THE TAx'LEYY.l
Mr.. O'Neill Won't Take the Pay, and !
the Board Of Finance May Not
Grant It---Routine Busi-
ness Of the Board.

| At the meeting of the Board OF Alder
men last night, Alderman Smith offered
resolution asking the Finance Board to
provide in the tax levy for the payment
| of the Aldermen an annual salary of
$3.50, payable monthly. Heretofore the
Aldermen have received no pay for their
| services. A bill was engineered through
the last legislature in the interest OF the
Newark Alder IN, whose duties are far
in excess of the A25f Jersey City's Board,
liking $3.50 as the annual salary of Alder
men in certain first-class cities. Mr. Null
lone and our other representatives fought
the measure, but were assured that the
law would not apply to Jersey City. Cor
poration Counsel Edwards warned the
Jersey City representatives that
either purposely or unwittingly. they, our
representatives, supported the measure.
MONEY OR GORE?
Precisely what Mr.. Smiths object was
in offering the resolution last night was
not made apparent during the discussion
which followed. While some things said
indicate that the Repu blicans are schem-
ing to oust President Allen and Mr..
OsNeill, both of whom are occupying
other more lucrative positions under the
city government-for, it is alleged. the
law will not allow one man to accept the
salaries of two offices-it Is generally be-
leved that almost unanimous support
which the Republicans gave the measure
Is an effort at salary grabbing President
Allen aud Mr.. O'Neil1 can refuse to ac-
cept the salary even it the recently en-
acted law be so construed as to apply to
the Jersey City Board.
Alderman Jordan strenuously opposed
the resolution. He said the Newark
Board OF Aldermen had to work hard for
their salaries, while Jersey City's Board
had absolutely nothing to do but meet
and pass upon few claims and enact
| few ordinances. He asked the other mem
bers to go slow. and not make asses Of
| themselves
the Board was not entitled to such con-
| sideration as Mr.. Smith proposed. He
knew there were several members per-
| sonally interested in the defeat OF the res
| olution; but he couldn't see why other
| members rights should be trampled upon
| If any member did not want the salary
| let him give it to some charitable institu-
| ton. he was not prime mover in the.
| matter, but saw no reason why it should
not prevail. He had consulted other law
| yers about 1t, and they agreed with him
that the law applied to Jersey City as
well as to Newark. Mr. Salinger moved
| that the matter be referred to the Cor
| poration Counsel.
NO MONEY FOR o'NEILI.
| Mr.. O'Neiu said he would not vote to
1
| thought did not apply to Jersey City. He
4 was sure that Mr. Mullone and the other
/ representatives had not allowed the New
ark delegation to pull the wool over their
eyes. 1t was matter of s., 400 Il year,
| and the Board OF Finance would not pay
| it. Besides, if an attempt was made TO
| pay 1t, the matter would be certioried and
| kept In the courts for number of years.
| An effort was made to have the matter
indefinitely postponed, but the resolution
| 5oC fYtu w o(n Trf1
| Jordan and Macarthur alone dissenting.
| Corporation Counsel Edwards was subse-
| Quently interviewed by JERSEY CITY
| NEWS reporter as to the legality of the
resolution. Mr.. Edwards would not al
| low the reporter to anticipate his legal
| opinion, should 1t be called for by the
| Board of Finance. but Mr.. Edwards
| language led the reporter to believe that
his opinion is that the matter is legal.
Else why his warning to Mr.. Mullone
| when the bill was before the Legislature.
| TAX BOARD QUARTERS.
The question of providing suitable
| quarters for the Tax Commissioners pre-
| cipitated another lengthy discussion. Mr.
| Smith presented q resolution referring
| the matter to the Board of Finance. and
| asking that Board to provide suitable
! quarters for the Tax Board as soon as
| possible. The present quarters were no
! better than den for sheep at the stock
| yards.
Mr.. Salinger wanted the matter re-
| ferred to the Corporation Counsel as TO
| who was obliged to furnish the Tax Com
missioners with quarters.
! Mr.. Smith said it was a question be-
tween the Board of Finance and the
Board of Taxation. The Board of FL
| nance could furnish the Tax Board with
| quarters outside the City Hall, If neces-
sary, within twenty-four hours.
Mr.. O'Neill said the Finance Board
could do no such thing. There wasn't a
| vacant store along the avenue. He
! maintained that it was the Board of Al
dermens' place to provide the necessary
quarters. Did it not select the quarters
for the First District Court2 and was it
not paying even now for the gas used by
the Committee of Fifty?
The matter was finally referred to the
Corporation Counsel.
Alderman Salinger introduced q reso-
luton, which was adopted, requesting the
| City Clerk at the next regular meeting to,
furnish the Board list of unpaid bills
for printing ordinances, passed by the
different Boards of Aldermen for private
individuals and CORPORATIONS in and dur
ing the years 1886. 'S7, 'S8, '89 and 100, as
| well as the Noncompliance with any or
all obligations incumbent upon such in
dividuals and corp orations
! A NEW sIDEWASK ORDINANCE.
Alderman Schermerhorn introduced an
amendment to an ordinance regulating
| the use Of sidewalks, providing that no
one shall abstruct such after complaint
has been made; and further providing
| penalty of $50 and $40 additional for each
subsequent day after a notice of five days
shall have been served upon the offender.
Failure to remove the obstruction will
render the offender liable also to expense
of removal on the part Of the city.
Building Inspector Clark made his reg
ular monthly report.
The attention of the Board was called
by the Building Inspector to an act passed
last winter authorizing the Board of Al
dermen to pass ordinances limiting the
thickness of buildings walls and the erec-
| tion of fire escapes. The matter was re-
ferred to the Committee on Laws and
| Ordinances. The Building Inspector also
| asked the Board to furnish him with a
| conveyance for making his rounds of in
| spection.
Twelve new liquor licenses were
/ granted.
weather Indications.