The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-25
A VERY GOOD BUDGET
Nearly Every One is Pleased
With the Board of FL
nance's Work.
Mr.. EDELSTEIN EXPLAINS
Old Liabilities Cleared Off,
Rigidly Exact Calculations
the Bases Of Appro-
priations.
Mr.. EDELSTEIN EXPLAINS
LIBRARY TRUSTEES WILL SUE.
Queer S. & W. Figures-Teachers'
Salaries-The Railway Tax.

Nothing was talked about In Jersey
City yesterday but the Budget prepared
By the Board of Finance and given to the
public by The JERSEY CITY NEWS. All
its features were analyzed and criticized
from every point Of view. and some
points which were not understood were
the subject of endless speculation.
In order that all obscurities might be
cleared up. corps of NEWS reporters
went TO work last evening to interview
every one who could throw any light on
the intricacies of the Budget. Naturally,
President John Edelstein OF the Finance
Board was the first person approached.
He is always plumb full Of information,
and in a few words he cleared mp about
half of the items which had not prev
ionsly been understood.
First Of all, he was asked wh ether the
Finance Board felt justified in estimatin z
the state railway tax money at s295, 900.
he replied that the members considered
tney were quite safe In putting 1t at that
figure. The amount actually paid for the
state Tor the current year was 5000 900
and since the valuation on which that
sum was raised was made. all the roads
had been buying Jersey City property to
an enormous extent. He was confident
all the figures OF the Board were conser-
vatiye this year, and the event would JUS
tify them.
In speaking of the increase of about
$4,000 In the salary item of the Police
Board appropriation. Mr. Edelstein said
that 1t was to meet the
salaries OF the men who were
appointed last year, and who appear this
year on the regular pay roll. Among
these there were one superintendent,
twentyone new policemen and some SER
geants and detectives. The reason for
the large difference between the estimate
and the appropriation 10 the salary item
of the Board Of Education, he said. was
due to. the opinion OF the Corporation
Counsel, that whens the time arrived to
secure an additional corps of teachers for
the new schools the Boasd OF Finance had
J the power to authorize the Board of Edu-
cation to employ an additional corps OF
teachers. sand provide the money by bor-
rowing on temporary funds.
- 8. w. CUTS.
The Board Of Street and Water Com
missicners received the hardesE treat
mens at the hands of the Ffnanciers. All
their estimates were knocked into q
cooked hat and some were wiped out en-
tirely. In speaking of this Mr.. Edelstein
explained that the Board had carefully
considered this portion Of the Budget and
fixed the various appropriations after each
had been thoroughly discussed ALI the
salaries the Finauciers could figure out
amounted to s14500, so they placed the
salary item at that amount instead Of at
sis 600 as requested. The reason for cutting
ouI the requisiMon for $4,000 for a public
bath was that the only place at which
such an establishment could be placed
was at the Morgan Street dock. The
Finance Board had been inform ed that
the wharf there was in such bad repair
that they feared that some of the little
N nd ha hat h fafz af
fall through and get injured. The cut
of 10000 in the street cleaning item was
explained on the ground that the Board
thought that the contract could be let to
some one for 1000. There are no more
unpaved streets to be kept In repair this
Board concluded that il the
work was done for 5000 last
year there was no necessity for pay
ing $4,000 for 1t this year. The
Street and Water Commissioners took
good care of the sewers with $1,000 las t
year, and the Financiers thought they
could do as well with the same amount
this year, which accounts for the cut In
the $4,000 asked for the item of the re-
construction of sewers The Board could
not see why the Commissioners asked for
$4,000 for rentals for the District Courts,
as 8, 800 was all that the item required.
All the other expenses were covered by
the fees of the Court and other approprla-
tions, so q, 800 was all that was allowed.
The only item in which the Aldermen
suffered materially was that OF elections.
They asked for s35, 600 and received SO, ,0OG.
This amount the Board of Finance fixed
after carefully figuring the various items
OF election expenses. They had arrived
at the conclusion that $26 COO would be
sufficient to cover everything.
THE CITYis DEAD HORSE.
In the appropriation for the Board OF
A. =.
December l, 1891, s109, ,005 O8. This is
made up entirely of temporary bonds
issued for loans to cover difficulties in
former budgets. Eighteen thousand
dollars is for q deficiency in last years
street cleaning account; 81, ,663.04 is to
pay the Judgment for Aldermen's
salaries; $3.50 for the increase in
Atty Clerk Scott's salary; S., zoo is
eor furniture for the new Fourth precinct
police station; $1,000 is for printing
blank licenses and for advertising Incl
dentals thereto; S22. 500 is for repairs to
public school buildings; $500 was paid for
furnishing the new Seventh precinct sta
tion house; 800 was incurred in connect
ing School No 10 with the main sewer;
S2,694 OF is for a judgment against the
city; So, 900 is for a deficiency 10 the cleo
tion account; 4o0s and $500 were bor-
rowed fors.School No. %.
In addition, there is deficiency of
LOCO IN the license account of 1S99-1S90;
$500 in the street cleaning and of
$500 in the sewer cleaning appropria-
tions of the same year; all of which
should have been included in the last
budget.
LIBRARY TRUSTEES MAY SUE.
Dr. Leonard J. Gordon, President of
the Board of Free Public Library Trus-
tees, was next seen. He was asked VIII at
the Trustees proposed to do about the
$4,000 appropriation for the Free Public
Library.
Il have no right TO speak for the
Board. he said, ''but. speaking for my
self, II want the full $25, 600 the law
allows ms. and think all The trustees
will demand the same. don't think we
Will accept the $4,000 The probability is
strong that another suit to recover the mil
amount will be instituted.
Il shall certainly advocate such course
No, sir. There Is no agreement between
the Trustees and the ffnanciers to the
effect that If we accept the $4,000 appro-
priateu this year we shall have the bal
ance due us inserted In next years appro-
priation-
EDucATIONALIsTs DlsPLEAsED,
The Directors OF the Board of Educa-
tion liHd some fault with the appropria-