The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-03-24
REPUBLICANS WILL FIGHT
The ConstitutiOnaIity Of Newarks
Board Of Works Bill TO Be
Tested in Court.


NEWARK, March "a. 1S91.-Repubiicaus
in the Common Council aud Water Board
here have been consulting upon the new
Board Of Works bill. and are preparing to
nave it tested by the courts. Just how
they will proceed is not vet decided, but
they believe the bill could not stand a
legal suit. Should sucli a suit be brought,
it is probable that counsel will be en-
ployed and that the expense viii be borne
BY the contestants individually. No inal
decision has yet been reached. Under the
law, the case could b. given preference by
the courts. and there would be no great
delay caused by the proceedings.
Colonel E. l. Price said yesterday that
Governor Albeit would not sign the
Board Of Public Works Dill until he has
first examined the other bills passed by
the Legislature. The reason for this de-
lay IS, he ex planned, That in these other
hills there mas be provisions waich con-
fict with those Of the Newark bill, II il
the latter is signed last IL will not be al
fected BY the others.
The bill gives to the Board Of Public
Works the control of public school,
houses, police stations and engine houses,
and therefore the appointments of j~nnit)rs
for the school houses. 1t says In section
Il AatA NNAG z 1SNAAA 9AAANA - $3.50 49,
with the erection, construction. I'M
pruvement, repair. maintenance, control
and management Of all public buildings
or real estate owned, rented, used or oc-
cupied by or under the corporate author.
ity Of such city and not used exclusively
for city hall or public markets, hospital or
poor aud aims and reformatory purposes"
This plainly gives tho boaru the mau-
OF all city buildings except the
City Hall, the markets, hospital, Aims
house and City Home. But there Is an
other provisO. as follows:-"Provided,
however, that the construction, furnish
ing and rep firing of public school houses.
police and fire buildings shall remain IN
der the control of the board or boards
now or hereafter entrusted with the
same" But this simply provides that tle
present boards shall build, furnish and
repair the school buildings, engine houses
and police stations, and still leaves the
maintenance and control of them with the
new Commissioners.
Colonel Price was asked If it was the
purpose of the trainers of the bill to give
the latter Commissioners THESE duties.
He replied that it was not, and he thought
their intent was plain enough. This was
to leave with the Board of Education and
the police and fire commissioners full
control of the buildings In their respec-
tive departments. In Jersey City, he added,
the Board of Works has had charge of
public school buildings, aud he and
Comptroller Connolly. in their conference
with the Jersey City officials on the bill,
had to labor hard to induce them to con-
sent to rave this changed by the new act.
He added that he had no doubt the COM
missioners of the Newark Board would
cousLrue the act according to IT'S plain in
tent, whatever IN y De Its verbal defects,
and not interfere with the Board OF Edu-
cation and the Police and Fire Commits
siouers in the management Of their de-
par