The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-09-01
MORE RETRHNCHMEN4.
Street and Water Commits
sioners' Axe at
Work.
WHAT WAS DONE TODAY.
People Who Drive Motors by Water
Will be Compelled to Pay
for What They Use.

The entire force of laborers and men
employed In making repairs over water
pipes now number eleven. including
Forman Carroll. The screws were tight
tened again this morning. and for more
than two hours the Street and
Water Commissioners caucused behind
closed doors. The caucus had
evidently been lively one. and the
Commissioners appeared excited. BILLY"
Cooks forehead was covered with per-
spiration. but behind it all that" "Are-you-
on2" smile of his loomed up in great
form. The caucus cost ninety-one labor
ers their heads, and the fight was over
the selection of ten men who were re-
tanned to repair breaks in pipes.
The Commissioners each selected two
men and then the slaughter began. This
reduces the pay rolls about two thousand
dollars month, with the men who were
discharged previously and reported.
Even this is not enough to satisfy the
Finance Commissioners. and several cler-
ical heads will fall before the next meet
ing of the latter, September 8. Ii the pay
rolls OF the Water Department are suffic-
by that time pay rolls and claims, which
have been pigeon-holed for months will
go through with rush. The discharged
laborers hung about the .off1ce
in groups of five and ten, and
the Commissioners were buttonholed one
after the other as they emerged from the
meeting at one O'Clock. They had very
little to say. however, and no encourage
ment was given any OF the men.
TO INCREASE REVENUES.
After chopping off the heads Of so
many employees with view to reducing
the pay rolls, the Commissioners took
another step to increase the revenues OF
the Water Department.
A resolution wgs unanimously adopted
directing Water Purveyor' Coar to
place metres in all buildings where
there are elevators and other mo-
tors operated BY water water power; we: i:
In great many Of the buildings In the
are propelled. and in restaurants and
saloons all over the city, fans are worked
by water power. The consumption OF
water costs the city many dollars
annually, many consumers pay for less
than quarter Of what they use.
ANOTHER INCREASE OF EXPENSE.
This reform, however, was offset by the
appointment of Howard Val
ehtine as City Surveyor at
a salary of $4,000 per year,
Mr. Valentine succeeds Oliver String
ham.
1t was decided to keep the engines at
Bellevilie running night and day till FUR
ther notice, SO as to Keep the hlgn service
reservoir well filled.
The pay rolls of laborers and employees
at Belleville and High Service for j uiy.
which have been kept under cover,
were resurrected this morning and
passed. For the past month about
twenty laborers who were appointed as
firemen to do duty at Belleville, have
been kicking about acting as coal passers.
The Commissioners put stop to further
trouble in that line by passing resolution
designating twenty-one firemen to act as
coal passers, when called upon to do SO.
Some of these men threaten to resign.
Messrs. James Hunt, James Tumnlty
and James Davis were reappointed Com
missioners of Assessment for the ensuing
year.
The Street Commissioners partially
prepared list of the property to be
turned over to the City Hall Commission
ers to be sold.
The property turned over this morning
consisted of the engine house on Palisade
avenue, the truck house on Erie street
between Fifth and Sixth streets, old
school site on Tonnele avenue, and the
engine house property adjoining. and the
balance of the old hospital property at
the foot of Washington street
Corporation Counsel Edwards notified
the Board that this latter property is still
owned by the city. and is worth at least
S25. 900.
On petition submitted by the Colgate
estate, the grade of Mercer street, be-
teen Colgate and Merseles streets Will be
changed, under the supervision OF Chief
Engineer Ruggles.
Chief Engineer Ruggle's was directed
to make list of all furniture required
for public schools Nos. 23. and "a.
To John Nolan was awarded the con-
tract for the improvement of North
street, and to Patrick Ryan the i'm
proyement of Kensington avenue.
The Committee on Public Grounds
and buildings was authorized to purchase
a suitable clock to be placed in the Gu
pola of the new Second Precinct Station
House on Seventh street.
The ordinance for the relief of the
Jersey City and Bergen Railway, to lay
tracks on Fifty-third street and Avenue
G, was unanimously adopted.