The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-04-19
.MR. PFINGS7EN DENIES.
He Indignantly Repudiates
the Charges of Wrong
Doing.
AND ACCUSES IN TURN
Intimates That He Knows Who Is
Interested in Selecting a
School Site.

In order TO properly understand the
merits Of the question at issue, relative
to the selection of a public school build
ing site in the Fourth district. a subject
which has caused SO much feeling among
the residents of the section, and will be
fully discussed at the meeting to be held
this evening at Kessler's Hall, inter
viewed Director Charles A. Pfngsten
this morning.
After the director had expressed him
self as being pleased with having an OPP
portunity to define his action in THE
JERSEY CITY NEWS, said to him:--''Is
there any truth in the statement publicly
made tnat you are either personally in
terested in the purchase of the proposed
site on Milton avenue, or that you have
acted in the matter in the interest of pri-
yate Individuals"
That statement wish to stamp as an
Infamous falsehood. have not the re-
motest personal interest in the site ac-
cepted by the Board of Education or in
any other site within the limits of the
Fourth district, replied Mr. Pfingsten.
sIthink no one would dare co make
such charge against me openly, but I
can well imagine from what source such
tive prompting them.
This leads me to say that she state
ment contained in recent newspaper
article that there is a large sized nigger
in Mr.. Pfngsten's wood pile is entirely
without warrant or justification. On the
large sized Niger is hidden in the wood
pile of some OF the gentlemen who have
been and are most instrumental in STIR
ring up this contention"
"Were there not other sites suggested
and recommended was my next In
quiry.
number of locations were recommended
and urged by citizens in different portions
of the district. Some of the sites suggest
ed were, am free to admit, in many re-
spects equally adaptable to the purpose,
but the great objections raised by the
officials charged with the duty of settling
the question was the utter lack of facili-
ties for drainage and sewerage. To this
objection / was of course obliged to sub
NIT"
What have you to say relative to the
statement that the lots on the selected
site have suddenly jumped in value from
$3.50 per lot year ago to 5000 or 81 900 at
the present timer"
As to The price per lot desire to state
that none has as yet been named or even
intinated. The purchasing power In
sueh cases is with The Board of Streel
and Water Commissioners exclusively.
That body has not yet concurred in the
selection of the site, 10 say nothing of
agreeing upon the price. The Board Of
Education has nothing whatever to do
with thai matter. incidentally, how
ever, | desire to say that the
disparity in figures, as given in
the newspaper article referred to,
is entirely without foundation. I
have made diligent enquiry of well in
formed parties, and find that no lots have
been sold for the last two years in that
block for less than 500 each, and that the
lots Immediately adjoinining the selected
site were recently purchased for building
purposes by private individuals for 5000
each. / have no doubI that the great
body of the people who are agitated on
the subject are sincere in their belief that
there is something wrong in the trans
action, but have every reason to believe
the agitation is caused by parties who are
directly interested i'll the selection of a
certain other site. In the performance of
my official duties / have ever been
prompted and guided by desire to hon.
estly and fearlessly discharge such duties,
and TO merit the continued confidence of
my constituents. +"
In reply to my question as to his attend
ing the meeting this evening, he said: :
II have not been invited to do so, but
shall certainly be present, and If an op-
portunity is given me / shall appear be-
fore the citizens to meet any charges
made and to vindicate my action"