The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-21
WATER ROBBERY.
A Sample of Ring Villainy
Annually Increasing
Deficiency.
From the Ne,e York WorIa Of Today

FROM Tue NSJC 1OFN UOftU " 1VteUf
If the comparisons the World has
already made between the school systems
of Jersey City and Newark ave shown
that Jersey City does not know how to
keep school, a comparison between the
water departments of the two cities must
convince any one that she at least
how to keep books with such skill that no
expert can uncover the secrets they con
ceal. 1t has long been said OF the Jersey
City Water Department that 1t is the part
of the municipal system whose mysteries
are past finding out. A World reporter
paid q visit to Newark a day or Two ago
to find out how it is there. Superinten-
lent Gray was out of town, d secretary
Greathead, On request, handed out apam-
phlet laying all the details of the admin
~istration of the city's water service bare.
This pamphlet gives in detail the sources
of income and, per contra, the channels
Of expenditure, the total output IN items
and a full explanation OF what mas been
lone with the money. So circumstantlal
indeed is it in its financial revelations,
that even such an expenditure as tWenty-
five cents for ''sundry expenses" in the
repair of hydrants, and another Tor NJ
teen cents for hardware required N re-
pairing a stop-cock appear in 1t; and fifty
items are distributed through the &C
counts showing the expenditure OF less,
in each instance, thar S.. This detailed
list accounts for every cent of the $685.
600 collected by the department last year.
Prior to the incoming of the new Char
ter Jersey City was furnished once a year
with something like a report of the work
ings of its Water department, too. 1t IS
a notable fact that since the new charter
Ring officials took hold no statement has
been given to the public showing what
money the department has had or what
it has spent, or for what purpose. Two
reports should have been given to the
public within that time. Water Regis
trar Healey told the World reporter that
he was preparing one, which Will pc
ready in a few days, but Chief Engineer
Ruggles, whose assistance will be needed
in its preparation. was sceptlcal about lts
ever making its appearance. Mean
while it is current gossip that the water
moneys are being diverted from the pur-
poses to which they should go; that they
are used to piece out appropriations for
other departments, to pay heelers whom
the Ring would keep out OF the pubic
view and to keep down the tax rate; that
the seclusion of the accounts is part OF
a settled purpose on the part OF
the Ring managers to conceal their eX-
travagances and corruption and that, be-
cause of it all, the Il department. OF the
local government which should be hand
somely self-supporting turns up with a
marked deficiency at the end OF every
fiscal year. That's about all that is really
known among the people of Jersey City
concerning the management of this i'm
portant branch of the public service. 1t
goes short about $4,000 a year.. while
Newark, after paying her interest and
making betterments everywhere, yields
a profit to the city of over 1884, 600 q year.
And yet the Jersey City water PATRONAGE
is so large that a syndicate of capitalists
some time ago offered to put In o new
supply, build a new plant, pay the inter
est on the old debt and furnish the peo-
| pie with water that can be drunk with
safety to health, for the city water rents.
These spectators must have seen oppor-
tunities for rich dividends in economical
management that the city is throwing
away on Ring heelers and s~inecurists.
Water Registrar Healey consented yes
terday to anticipate his coming report by
supplying the World reporter with q
statement of the receipts and expendl'
lures of the department. for the year end
ing April 30 last, and the first information
on the subject given to the people in two
years is embraced in the following
table,