The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-06

any moneys that had been honestly
earned or were justly due them. On the
contrary, he WAS forced to do SO 1n
order to protect the city. its employees and
himself; the city, by testing the legality OF
system of employment which he believed
has been pretext for wasteful and ex-
travagant outlay of the CITY 8
moneys its employees by protect
ing them from gprecarious employment
by municipal boards with a prospect OF
never being paid. and from being classed
with men who did no work, himselr-oy
keeping faith with the people by putting
stop to all waste and extravagance, and
by refusing to sanction the payment OF
city moneys to individuals for labor. the
legality of whose employment was IN
question, The wisdom of this action was
fully endorsed by Judge LippincoBt on
February IL, 1898, in decision rendered by
him in the cases of Noonan, Burke and Cor
coran-three ex-employes of the Street
and Water Board, whose claims had been
vetoed by the Mayor on the ground that
they were Committee appointments
and who had brought suit for
the same. In his decision, Judge
Lippincott, in speaking of the
Mayors action In vetoing the claims,
says:-''His (the Msyor's) opinions upon
the subject appear in his veto message OF
uu6 *, lOSS, duQ tACy nRpIoi w uot DOSN
prepared after legal inquiry into the
principles OF law which should govern
the subject matter. He was in such veto
message in the undoubted exercise OF his
legal powers, and in support OF a policy,
leading to just and economical admins
traulon of the affairs and expendi-
lures of the city," Ihis decision sus-
tanned the Mayor at every point and was
a complete and indlsputable Vlndlcatloh
of the policy he has pursued in this mat
ter since he became Mayor
OUTSIDE BoSsISM.
s1Tne stand taken by the Mayor was
stand which should have been taken by
the Board to protect itself from political
leaders not connected with the Board,
who, because of influence over
superintendents and foremen compelled
the putting of men on the working lists
and then compelled the passage Of pay
rolls in their interest When Mayor
Wapser became Mayor the Street and
Water Commissioners reported on water
account sixty-tive men and sixty
nine on street account as
not appointed by resolution.
The contest on this matter was settled In
fifty-fve (55) men by resolution as the
force on the water account working on
street work to take the place OF
men irregularly employed, and by going
over the list of employees at the
Belleville and High Service pumping
stations aud properly employing them
AS the license money had not been set
aside for street work, the laborers in
that department. ceased to have any con-
nection with the city. So that
for several months no pay
rolls for work done since August
have been presented to the Mayor except
the persons named had been appointed by
resolution. The practical effect of the
contest was obtained in August; Judge
Lippincott's decision reinforced it. Now
there will be orderly methods; there
should be prompt payments to employees
and a consequent lessening of the number
of brokers who edemaud a ruinous dis
count from the employees because pay
ment for their services has been doubtful
and long delayed. This contest, unfort-
unately. was largely made at the
expense of some laborers who
withstanding the irregularity of their
and some way will I'M
be found to have them paid.
Then this whole matter will be con-
sidered as an adjusted matter. and con-
test for the right of the real workmen as
we'll as for the city's good.
WORK WITHOUT CONTRACT.
"Section 159, page IS of the City Charter
prohibits the expenditure by any munlci-
pal board of sum exceeding $500 for
work or materials without contract
being entered into. The Street and Water
Board had fallen into the habit of
evading the law by paying for work done
without contract in sums of less than the
$500 as limit. This matter furnished
material for another communication
which effectually ended such evasions
for the future. Mayor Wanser
called attention to the fact that the board
in this way had paid 81 ,872.00 for the
connecting of Public School No. 90 with
a neighboring sewer: $3.782.5 so to accom-
piish the same result with Public School
No. "a; and for excavating at Pub
lie School No. 25, S3, ,534 had been expend-
ed, The work was paid for in each case
in sums of 1915, S490 and $495 and similar
amounts. In a like manner, the Board
ordered tagging and curbing done at
Bellevllle to the extent of S2,25 80
but The Mayor refused to sanction pay
ment for the same. How far this evasion
has been carried on can be seen by an ex-
animation of the record, showing the
way the license money was expended last
year.
SCANDALOUs INSTANCES.
"Railroad avenue was repaired at an
expense of SO, 1925 without a contract
being entered into. and payment was
ordered in sums of $469.S0 and 1886. and
similar amounts.
"Grove street was paved by contract at
a cost of S37 900, ana was short time
later repaired at a cost of over SIS, 500, with
out the formalty of a contract, and paid
for in sums of $469.05. Eleven payments
of that amount Were ordered at one meet
ing of the Board.
York street was repaved at a cost of
nearly $1,000 and paid for in sums Of
S4S9 70, S475 55 and $4S5 55
Fifth street was repayed at a cost of
over 81, 900. and pay yment rendered in eight
sums or $495 and and one of 1926. 60.
Warren street was improved at a cost
of almost 50, 800, and payment ordered in
sums as high as $497.25.
"Washington street was repaved and
improved at a cost of over 81, 500, and paid
for In amounts very much in excess of
S400
bay Street-For labor and material,
cost over Sc, 700, and four payments were
made in sums of S499 so, six in sums of
$495 and balance in amounts almost as
large. -
"For the repaving of Provost street over
81, 900 was expended and paid for in a
like manner with the rest.
washington place was improved at
cost Of 81, 306.
"Greene street wras repaved at cost
exceeding $4,000. and paid for in sums of
S495 principally.
''It cost s., ,297 to repave East Hamilton
place, and it was paid for IN sums of
S49S.
''And so it goes on all through the list.
hardly a contract was made. but there
was clear evasion of the law in almost
every case. The purpose of. this evasion
was to favor certain contractors who
might not have got the work by bidding
regularly for it.