The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-04-30
A GAS RETORT,
Awful Explosion in Mayor
C1eI Glands Office This
Morning.
BRILLIANT HOPES WRECKED
A Flaw in the Five Year Con-
tract Law Which Invali-
dates the Whole Pro-
eeedings.
How the "Contracts" We're Signed
and Signed Again and
Must Now Be Re-
signed.
BRILLIANT HOPES WRECKED

There is Grape on the door leading to
Mayor Cleveland's lair today. "Bob"
Elllott's hair has turned gray, and citizens
and taxpayers will rejoice to Know that
tie cause of all this Is the clean knockout
of Mayor Cleveland's gas contract
The public spirited efforts of citizens to
knock this scheme on the head, have been
crowned with success. The hackers OF
the iniquity, in their efforts to rush
through the Legislature their bill,
legalizing the making of gas contract
for a perid of ten years. neglected
to do one thing, and this oversight
knocks the bottom out of the legality OF
the contracts entered into by the Street
and Water Commissioners with Robert
ElliottS companies at the instiRation OF
Orestes Cleveland.
JUST SIX WORDS.
The law as rushed through the Leglsla,,
ture. empowers the Street and
Water Commissioners to make
contract with any gas or. electric
Light Company for period OF ten years.
part of the scheme was all well enough,
but unfortunately the maker of the law
neglected to add to the foregoing named
provisions the proviso that
This LAW SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMME'
DATELY."
The bill without this sentence en-
bodied was presented to Governor Albeit
for bis approval or rejection. Governor
Albeit signed the bill on March H. and
under the laws of the United States no
provision, "Tnis law shall take effect I'M
mediately," embodied In 1t, until the
Fourth of July next following the date Of
the approval OF the law by the Gov
SIMPLY HEARTBRoKEN.
How NJ ,yor Cleveland and his associ-
ates like this bitter pill is realized by
their heartbroken appearance. Mayor
Cleveland and Mr.. Elliott were closeted
for more than an hour this morning,
tearing sections out of the, laws Of
1891, endeavoring to find some
little loop hole through which the con-
tracts might be drawn into legality.
Finally the Mayor discovered what he
thought was life saver IL appears in
Section No. IA of the laws Of 1891 on page
making of contracts by the Street
aud Water Board with any concern
for q term of five years with the consent
OF the Mayor. This was a forlorn hope,
but it was eagerly grasped. II will per-
haps be pleasant information for the
Mayor to know that in Section No. II the
law, In referring to the making of 'gas
contracts" states clearly and distinctly
that the Street and Water Commissioners
may enter into contract with gas
company for a term OF five years, but
later on In the same chapter it Says
"But such contract must be concurred In
by such Board as shall each year adopt
the tax levy of such CITY," Such Board
In this city is the Board OF Finance and
the concurrence Of that body, In the gas
contracts Is luxury impossible to attain.
STILL MORE LAWS,
Arain in Section No. 20 of the Laws of
1891 it is clearly defined that the concur
renee of the Board OF Finance is not uis-
pensed in the making Of gas contracts by
the Street rhsss sna s.csioes Msser ,DxoIi Com
date the contracts made by the
Street and Water Commissioners
and the burden destined to be fastened
upon Jersey City taxpayers has been
Mayor Cleveland left his Office before
noon today and visited several lawyers
with the hope OF finding one who could
see some way in which the contracts
might be made hold good.
LIVELY HUSTLISG.
The exposure by The JERSEY CITY
NEWS of the Juggling Of the contracts all
day yesterday led to the disclosure of
many interesting features last night. It
was learned that the gas contract had
been signed-well signed--and the ques-
Hon Honor that the s.rsss asw puadinFw snd wasss
Commissioners and Robert Elliott is
care they not signed too muchp
A most peculiar and complicated state
of affairs exists. Not only does the law
invalidate the contracts. but the actions
of the sIgners alone would tend to knock
them nut
The resolutions awarding the contracts
to Mr. Elliott's companies were passed
last Wednesday morning while Commis-
sioner Somers was President OF the
~ ha
Board recognized by electlng
Commissioner Madden, President. The
resolutions were hastily prepared by
Clerk Bouton. and presented for the
signature of Mr.; Somers. The latter
gentleman signed the resolutions without
Inc slightest hesitancy. aud Messenger
Fallon was hurried of to the Office OF
Mayor Cleveland. The Mayor attached
his signature at once, but subsequently
discovered what he considered serious
defect in the proceedings. He became
possessed OF the idea that the resolutions
should have been signed by President
Madden. The complicated state Of affairs
was explained to him, and he was asked
to make the matter binding BY attaching
his slrnature. Mr.. Madden. who believes
that inasmuch as the five year contracts
nre, on their face, a saving Of $4,000 70
the city they should 60. signed tae reso-
lut.ons.
THEY SMILED.
Mnyor Cleveland felt happier when he
had accomplished this point and he sum
m )ned Mr.. Elliott to his side. Hand shakes
and hearty congratulations were the or.
der nf tee day and they were indulged in
a. lef 9Th. While this part Of the perfor'
nance was in progress City Attorney
Euispeth was preparing unconsciously
anolner pitfaIl for Cleveland aud
his associates. Having prepar-
I'd the contracts by the order
o. the Board OF Street and Water Com
rassioners he submitted them 10 Mayor
Cleveland. The Mayor. in his modes
way, dispatched messenger with th 6
pe.ious documents 10 Mr. Elliott Tia.
gentleman signed them first and without
delay. Fearing The messenger boy might
81 astray he personally delivered the
papers to the Mayor. More
CONGRATULATIONS were INDUCED In
land then the documents were
shippei to the Office OF the Street
raJ Tater commissioners. Yesterday