The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-04-27
MADDEN is KING.
This Mornings Little Rev.
Olution in the Street
and Water Board.
SOMERS "TURNED DOWN."
But Dugan Seems to Keep His
Grip-Yoe and Cook
Happy.
SIGNIFICANT WATER TALK.
The New Presidents Speech Sounds
Like the Utteranca of an
Oracle.
SOMERS TURNED DOWN"
SIGNIFICANT WATER TALK.

the Board of Street and Water Commis-
sioners for the ensuing year. The Board
reorganized this morning at the minute
of twelve o'clock. Commissioner Yoe
was selected temporary Chairman, and
on motion of Commissioner Cook Mr..
Madden was nominated for permanent
Chairman and unanimously elected.
The newly elected Chairman was es-
corted to his seat by Commissioners Du-
gan and Cook. After thanking his
colleagues for the honor conferred upon
him. Mr.. Madden said:-
"GENTLEMEN--Wh / am fully con-
scious of the high honor that has been ac-
corded me by my selecting as President
of the Board, am also fully aware OF the
tach to the office. trust to be able to
show my appreciation of your confidence
by pains-taking care of the interests en-
trusted tc me.
I'VE will have many problems to face
during the coming year and some OF them
will require earnest study before their
solution will become apparent. From the
outset we find ourselves hampered in the
conduct of the City's Water Department
by the legacy of debt that was piled up
in the past which this and future Boards
must devise means OF meeting. For
Finance to advance sums OF money from
the General Account to the Water Ac-
count which had run behind for long
time. This sort of thing went along until
the day of reckoning came. Then 1t was
found that the Water Account owed the
General Fund no less than S414. .000 1t
was proposed to issue bonds for this
amount, and had it been done we would
have started out afresh, knowing exactly
where we stood. But the Legislature
saw fit to limit the issue to $3.50, 600,
while at thu same time making it com
square up at once. 1t was also demanded
Ibat the Water Account should provide
for the interest upon its bonds before pay
ing a dollar for fuel, labor or materials
of any kind. The result was that we
.cund ourselves in quandry, and have
not been able, as yet, to see our way
clear.
ut was suggested that the General Ac-
count should again be called upon for a
loan, but the Corporation Counsel, un-
derstand, advised against our request for
the reason that he could find no law au-
thorising such loan AS President of
this Board will favor a renewal of the
appeal to the Board of Finance. Should
they come to our relief we will gladly
make proper terms for repayment. and at
the same time will strive to cut down ex-
penses and insist upon a businessliSe
management of our several departments
We all realize that the present state of
affairs works serious injustice to em-
pioyes and hurts the city's credit with
those furnishing supplies. Few private
firms could survive long II they were un-
able to pay bills, no matter how just or
nesessary, for months at time,
LOSING GAME.
"The city is also undoubtedly required
to pay more than it would be asked, If
the cash was forthcoming within u rea-
sonable time. AT any rate candid dis
cussion of the situation with the Board
of Finance can do no harm. One of the
first thing we could urge is the unfairness
of recurring the Water Department to
nav for water pumped for fire and other
pubic uses Newark, l understand, al
lows her Water Account S35.O0O annually
for such things. Our city allows nothing.
The city should also make provision for
the work of extending street mains which
are now paid for out Of the current re-
ceipts. Let US meet the Finance Board
fairly and arrange matters, like business
men, with business men,.
"a review Of these features OF the
Water Department naturally leads up to
the question of our city's water supply.
At the present time am not prepared to
fully commit myself TO any of the many
projects that have been before us, al
though l am satisfied that Jersey Clty's
best interests would be conserved by
gravity supply. Whether we change our
source of supply or not, in The near fut-
ure we must make provision for increased
carrying facilities. The cement main on
the Hackensack meadows is about played
out and its breakage may mean the ruin
of the mains alongside of it. All the
mains rest on foundations SO frail that
they would give way in the washout of
large break in the cement main. What
the city needs is first-class steel or iron
main laid at safe distance from those
now in use.
SEWERS AND STREETS.
Aside from the water department we
have had comparatively little trouble. al
though we could have shown better re-
suits with larger appropriations. This is es-
pecially true in the Street and
Sewer Cleaning Department We have
ever. in both of these with
the small appropriations allowed by the
Board OF Finance. IL is q well known
fact that for years the sewers OF the city
received little or no attention under the
contract system. IL would LAKE at least
$50. 600 to clean the sewers properly, en-
tire. at the present time. With the small
annual appropriation of 81. 900 annually
for sewers more has been accomplished
by days labor in the past three years in
cleaning them. than had been done in
decade, under the contract system.
Attention has recently been called,
however to bad break in the Railroad
avenue sewer, which should be repaired
at once. l believe that the building of
heavy railroad embankments has caused
the present trouble there. and II such is
the case, there is no doubt that the Penn
sylvania Company should foot the bill.
III the city has to pay for the work, how
ever, the money will have to be borrowed,
as the meagre appropriation made is
practically used up already"
Mr.. Madden reviewed seriatum the
various public Improvements that have
been made. dwelling upon the construc-
tion of school building and the repairs 60
fire engine houses. He concluded as fol-
lows:-
"The needs of our few public parks
were never more apparent. Partial pro-
vision was made in the present tax levy
by the appropriation of $4,000 for asphalt
This sum has been found totally in
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