The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-03
WANSER SAYS WAR,
His Campaign Against the
Democratic Boards
Opens BrisklY.
PAY ROLL THROWN OUT.
A Difference of Opinion as to the
Size and Pay Of "Tony"
Conk's Lamp Gang.
TAX BOARD CALLED DOWN.
Fire Clerks Must Walk the Plank
Black Eye for GreenvilIe
Station House.
AK BOARD CALLED DOWN.

lion yesterday DV attacking tne Lamp
Inspectors Bureau, which comes under
the control of the Board of Street and
Water Commissioners. 1t was about
half past three O'Clock in the afternoon
when Messenger Fallon entered Mayor
Wanser's Office and presented for his sig
nature the resolution book Of that board,
and a pay roll of Lamp Inspector Conk's
force. Mayor Wanser took the articles
preferred and directed Messenger Fallon
to be seated outside. Fifteen minutes
later Falion was summoned inside and
requested to leave the question book in
the Office for examination. Fallon re-
piled that 1t was necessary for him to re-
turn the book to the office of the Board OF
Street and Water Commissioners.
We'll" replied the Mayor, "be seated
outside then, until / look through It,"
Fallon did as directed and half an hour
later, had the resolution book returned
TO him, Mayor Wanser directing him to
explain to Clerk Bouton that the resolu-
tion awarding to Patrick ]. Condor the
contract for the erection of the new Fifth
Precinct station house was returned with
out the Mayors signature
TONY CONK's GUARDS.
The next matter 10 attract Mayor
Wanser's attention was '"Tony" Conk's
pay roll He expressed considerable sur
prise when he found that eight men,
whose salaries aggregate 1887 per month,
were employed to drive about. the city and
straighten up gas lamps.
The pay roll was returned to the Street
and Water Commissioners. with direc-
tions that Mr. ConB or some other equally
well posted official be requested to ex-
plain the duties Of the eight men and
show how much work they were called
upon to do.
Fallon returned to the Street and Water
Commissioners ana reported the action OF
the Mayor. The greatest excitement en-
sued and In short order it became whis-
pered about that when the payroll from
the Water Department was presented TO
the new Mayor for his signature, not over
one-third of the Clerks would be enabled
to draw warrants.
THE TAX BOARDS CLERKS.
Mayor Wanser. after disposing of these
two matters, summoned President Cor
man of the Board of Tax Commission ers
TO his office.
"Mr. Gorman." said his Honor, ''you
must dispense with the services of some
of your clerks. You have too many
clerks by five, and that many must go. l
prefer accomplishing reductions i'll the
pay rolls quietly, If l will be permitted to
do so: but ii it Is to be war am prepared
to enter into it. Your Board must dis
charge the number of men require or /
will refuse to sigu their warrants"
President German replied that the re-
quired reductions would be made. He
reported his interview with the Mayor to
his colleagues. and conference was at
once held. Just whose heads will fall is
not known, but five clerks must go, and
it is stated on good authority that the
older clerks will be the unfortunate ones
HE WANTS TO LOOK INTO 1T.
Having taken these steps in The line of
hostilities which he has mapped out for
himself, Mayor Wanser left his Office and
repaired to his real estate office on Mont
gomery street. His Honor was reclining
in an easy chair when / entered. In re-
Spouse to question as to why he had re-
fused to sign the resolution awarding to
p. j. Condor the contract for the erection
of the new station house, Mayor Wanser
said:-
''rhat resolution was passed in this
mornings meeting of the Board of Street
and Water Commissioners. 1t may be all
right and it may be all wrong. At any
rate the members Of the various Boards
must understand one thing, and that is,
that / will not sign resolutions or pay
rolls until have gone over each and
every one carefully and know just
what each thing provides for
names appear on the pay rolls. / have
read great deal about The new station
house for Greenville, but not having
looked into the specifications and other
minor details, do not yet feel Justified
in warrantiug the expenditure of $4,000.
When understand the matter, l will
probably sign the resolution because
have no intention whatever of blocking
public improvements"
"Why did you refuse to sign Conk's
paw roll?" asked.
"Well, because I can remember time
when one man used to do the same work
that these eight men are being paid for
now. When one man did it he was COM
PEELED to work about Two weeks in every
month. and l cannot understand what
eight men find to do. / have discovered
already, however, that the eight men use
horse and wagon in doing this work,
aud further. that the driver comes under
the head Of clerk and Is paid S75 per
month. will not sign that pay roll. If
anyone can show me chat am wrong in my
conjecture that the services of these men
are unnecessary, may reconsider my de-,
cision. The pay rolls In the departments
must be cut down-some of them to one
half what they are at present and others
more. do not want to enter into any
any controversy with the city officials, and
we'll"
MILDLY IN ERROR.
Subsequent Developments in the hitch
over '1opy" Conk's ray roll 60 to show
that Mayor Wanser Is somewhat in error
In his statements concerning the number
of men employed under Conk and their
respective duties.
Conk's force consists at present of
five laborers. One recently resigned,
aud a clerk who keeps a record
of all the work done in the department
has desk in the Office of the Street and
Water Commissioners. The laborers are
John Ryan William Reen, j. Roche,
Thomas Walsh and sydney O'DonEel.
Until the past week Mr.. Sycamore was
sixth on the force. but sickness COM
pelled him to stop work William Reen
is the foreman over these men and he is
paid SIS per month. He is the driver of
the wagon used by the men in the per-
formance of their duties. The laborers
Instead of being paid stated salary. re-
eeive So per day for every day they actu-
al work.
The clerk, Mr.. Decker, who is supposed
he most overworked employees Of the
sity. Decker's duties keep him at his
baak all day. Every morning reports are