The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-10
FACED THE WRONG MAN
Mayor Wanser Positively
Declines to Sign the
Syen'te Contract.
FAyoRs rAylNG OCEAN AVENUE.
His Com pliments to the Greenyille
Citizens and the Street and
Water Commissioners.
FAyoRs rAylNG OCEAN AVENUE.

This morning at half past eleven O'Clock
Msssrs. Lsmbeck, Simpson. Cogan, Dodd
and Schultz met in Mayor Wanser's s
Office to discuss the proposed paving OF
Ocean avenue with syenite. President
Madden and Commis.fone Dugan and
Corporation Counsel Edwards were pres
ent Mayor Wanser was prepared for
his visitors. and after listening to their
respective versions of the scandal, he
turned to Mr.. Cogan aud askea:-
Would you ask me to sign this con-
tractf"
mo; I would not, and do not" was the
reply.
Would any of you gentlemen. sup
posed to be business men, insult me and
insult yourselves uy asking me 60 become
rarty to this affair by signing the con-
tract"
TACKLED THE WRONG MAN, LEMBECK.
81 would" interrupted Mr. Lemoeck.
well then,D replied Mayor Wan+er
hotly. :" il You are SO greedy as TO want
that avenue paved regardless of conse-
Querces, ] simply want to wan you that
you have tackled the wrong man
to draw into such scheme. will not
sign that contract under the present cir
cumstauces, aud the only way that can
be compelled to do so Is by decision
from Judge Lippincott. / respect his
rulings, and II he says j must, Will"
When the conference began to deRen>
crate into the uSe of personalities halt
was called aud everybody concerned
went off on a safer and different tack.
The Mayor was in no amfable mood.
ana he Is sore ON everybody aud every'
thing connected with Hyenite Mr..
Cogan. who wss chairman of the Green,
vile delegation. told Mayor Wanser that
the people wanted Ocean avenue paved.
They did not care what kind OF block
was used as loug as it was substantial.
They are anxious to get something rs
soon as possible.
do you want me Co condone this
pavement job?" asked Mayor Wanser.
"Do you want nae to sign contract that
will compel the city to pay fancy price
for trade marked stone called syenits
which is only trap rock and admitted TO
be such?"
1--WE don's come here to ask you to
sign the contract," replied MIR. Cog IN.
Eve want you TO straighten this matter
out. Whoever gets the contract Tor paw
ing Ocean avenue. can use the macadam
there now and greatly improve Old Ber.
gen road. There Is a way around this
MISUNDERSTANDING. and VS.. as business
men, believe you should be able to ad-
just it,"
..As a matter of fact" said Mr..
granite don't theyf aud ii they can't get
thar, they wanted some good rock ust so
long as the avenue IL paved"
SIMPSONS OPINION.
THAT is our case exactly" said Mr..
Simpson. I'VE had G meeting Saturday
night and discussed this matter. We
did not ask for syeaite. We ouly want
ic rir r fpca n ine M
that af ter what has been said about this
| matter, that although sixned tue rsso-
luton for syenite, when was acting as
Mayor, now | would not sign the eou-
tract given TO Harrington. The avenue
is almost impassabls now and it promises
| to become worse
II will not, gentleman. be a party TO
any scheme looking toward organizing
! or furthering monopoly" nut In Mayor
Wanser, I'VE may As well understand
| one another at once"
"Syenite is better than trap rock. %
insisted Mr.. Simpson. "and Think it
| makes splendid pavement"
Il did not vote to give Mr.. Harrington
| this contract" said Mr.. Dugan. "out /
like the stone for paving purposes. I
know that Harrington secured control of
| the output of the Staten Island quarry
| for $45 per thousand, with the agreement
with the owners that no blocks should
ever be put on the market at less. than
| $50 per Thousand"
WON'T SIGN THE CONTRACT.
"Other contractors had to buy from
him. didn't theyw asked Mayor Wanser,
''and il he is not enjoying q monopoly
| what else do you callis. I said when l
| received an analysis of this rock that
| would not sign the contract. That
| remark holds good. We can come to no
understanding about syeuite. ! sm not
l 80 hnsr,
| You ought to have a good
pavement; but before any work Is
done in this city things
will have TO be called by their proper
names. want specification blocks laid
on our streets. Ii we get trap rock
want to pay for trap rock. Let the Street
| and Water Board rescind the resolution
| making the award, and / will assure
them now that / am In earnest about
having the Improvement made and will
hold back the money with which it was
| to be done until the matter Ia gone
about in q business like way. when
| the advertisements is proper, and when
| all contractors are given an equal show
| l will never change my position In this
matter. know what this so called SVEN
ite is. aud / will not aid the job along"
~ Well, than, We may as we'll sell our
Hoparty and get out" exclaimed Mr..
Lembeck.
1 do as you please about that" said
| Mayor Wanser, "but will not do any
thing to injure myself. Contracts are
| given out promiscuousy, and
only yesterday the Street anu
Water Board gave out more, aud where
| the money is to come from | do not
know. am looking out for the interests
| of the city, not individuals. | will not
| pick up stick that is tarred."
| WON'T TAKE A BACK TRACK.
| rob inn n, onl-
in this matter" said Mr.. Madden.
LAW suits will result, /" introposed Mr.
Dugan.
LET them come" said Mayor Wanser
defantly. They will aid us to dig
| deeper iuto this matter.o
II asked Prosecutor Winfield to indie!
u.s." interrupted Mr.. Dugan. "Ws
would dig deep. We all want an investi-
| CATION. and | guess II will result Ia these
| cries of fraud being stopped. ("
| This concluded the conference, and the
matter now rests with the Street aud
Water Board. II they will rescind the
award and readvertisa and make
another. award all will be well. II they
refuse, Ocean avenue is destined to re!
main as 1t is for years mud the none,
set rside for repair will be tied al
| indefinitely.
DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF SEWERS
| County Clerk Mclaughlin is kicking about the
deploraDle and dangerous condition OF the
/ Ninth street sewer, which is stopped UP 10 such
an extent that cellars In the street are hooded