Passaic City record., 1893-07-22

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(~-~ef ~ slss asaes " New Jersey - and
~ sse rrdg q she Coga9T q Passasc
~~44e~e Tze ts15s Gs~za6 Inquess after
re1e5vacz the charge q the C1trr 81 re-
o<s~6 70 gf1s nsssser, made a Dro1FacTsf
examination of me transactions ot TIE
DoarG IF Ckoser FresholdeyS ~ the
efsntv lf Passa5c daring TIE lsss two aF
sarss years. Seecfas aeteltso1 was zfFs7s
r. sae recent purchase of assSS for Few
e1tsneg CSurs Eoese, tie conseFIscslon cf
re,s1s tfsrouzfogs the county the o'ssLd~
fs1< n brfIl@s and culVeTts. the if2neisiz
II The roads with electricity. the oEsi~
neas. r5e4bsls Of tie county E1aFc Fl
rass511 and the expenGi1Z the pGDiic
raomees srs6 the auditing Of 083!s for
o0r.~x df.ee and materials furnished. The
md feznenss whsea are herewith present
~ N, nse C<f<rf indicate fhS range of the
favesfsuaesor. and illustrate the most fis-
zrans crimes Of which sufficient proof
has been obtained IN regard 70 many
matters where this Grand Inquest mas
been led 70 believe that crime had been
committed sufficient proof was not OBJ
tanned 70 Justify the presentation Of m
dictments, and this Grand Inquest would
urgently recommend that these matters
be father investigated by the next Grand
Tgry. This Grand Inquest has come 70
the conclusion that the business OF the
County Board especially ~ the disDtrse-
rnent Of public money, has been gen
eratly infected By Illegally, corruption
and fraud and that large Sums of money
have thas been wasted. ernbezzied or
gnisappiied. Many methods Of business
pursued by the Board Of Freenoiders IN
fhe Judgment Of this Grand Inquest
= 4 81
ices. The transferring Of moneys from
one appropriation t. another WHICH
seems h, be allowed by law, we regard
AZ a dangerous method Of transactfng
snch public business. wholly Incompatible
with an honest administration of public
affairs and affording easy opportunities
for fraud. Claims against the county,
especially in relation 70 bridges ard cul-
verts, have been audited IN most neg
tigent manner, many Of which have been
fictitious or grossly IN excess OF the
amount Justly due. The uniform practice,
we find. has been to have the minutes OF
the meeting Of the Board hastily adopted,
before adjournment, thus preventing the
members from knowing the final form
OF their official action, This acton de-
rrfves honest members of the Board of
their due influence and enables designing
persons 10 materially change the record
of the action which has been taken. we
find that power of the Board involving
the expenditures Of large sums have
been exercised absolutely by mere COM
mittees. without any report being made
to the Board. The contract for the cleo
tric lighting Of the roads was consummat-
ed il that way. The reports Of the com
rnittceg Of the Board have often been
read and approved before any report has
been signed or members Of the committee
have been aware Of what was thus done.
We find also that contracts for construct
ing roads have been made, calling for
large sums Of money, without limitation
as to the amount Of work to be none .leav-
ing a committee the power to continue
the work indefinitely. In some cases the
courses Of the roads has been changed
so as To construct them over private pro-
perty for the benefit Of private land own
crs without regard to the public welfare.
Large amounts Of money have also been
borrowed in anticipation Of taxes beyond
the requirements Of the current expenses,
and obligations of the county in the shape
Of notes have been carried along from
year to year in fragrant violation of the
law. An issue of $4,000 FIVE per cent
road bonds fell due in October, 1892.
and were not paid, the money
lawfully appropriated to that
purpose having been diverted, and this
Indebtedness is now outstanding at six
per cent. interest, which the taxpayers Of
this county must pay as the price of a
system Of finance ruinous to any private
person We also find that inspectors of
masonry and other work for the county
have been appointed who had no special
knowledge Of the class of work being
done, and in some instances the disquali-
fication Of the inspector has been SO man.
ifest that the inference OF gross negli-
gence or corruption seems unavoidable.
In regard to the construction of roads.
we also find that the legal rule requiring
the bid to be given to the lowest bidder,
even when accompanied by the best of
security for the performance of the con-
tract in the best manner, has been per-
sistently disregarded, and 1t would see m
that oftentimes honest competition has
been suppressed. During the past two
years several unnecessary offices have
been created by the Board of Chosen
Freeholders. with substantial salaries
attached, and incompetent men have
been appointed to fill them. We also find
that officers of the Board, including the
Clerk, Counsel and County Engineer,
have received at irregular periods large
sums of money 70. their services, instead
Of being paid definite salaries. In some
instances the amount thus received has
been four or five times the amount of the
regular salary, and the excess thus COL
lected, being distributed through a.large
mass Of vouchers, is practically conceal
cd from the public even when published
in the printed reports of the Board, We
belived that the public do not object to
The payment t fair salaries, but thev
have the right to know the mount thus
paid. In addition to the outstanding
county road bonds. we find large mass Of
unpaid claims and bills against the coun-
ty, aggregating over $4,000. These
claims are largely for bridges and road
work. and we recommend that these
claims be carefully examined before they
are paid. This Grand Inquest find that
large majority of the members of the
Board of Chosen Freeholders of this
county during the last few years have
been grossly deficient in the qualifica
tions of intelligence honesty and respon