The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-19
REID HITS AT CLAYTON.
Says the Hoboken Contractor
Laughed at Him-A Dirt
Scandal.


Trustee John Reid sent asomewhat pointed
n caustic communication to the Hoboken
Board of Education last evening at its
meeting, concerning certain statements
made by Contractor A. w. Clayton before
the board at a previous meeting. Contractor
Clayton, during a discussion that occurred
between Trustee Reid and himself, made a
fat contradiction of one of the trus-
tees accusations. Respecting the excava-
ton at No. 6 school, Mr.. Reid made utter
ance that the contractor had promised him
to dispose of the dirt in filling a sunken lot
Clayton denied it. and maintained
that Mr.. Reid had never talked
with him about the matter, but
that it was an instance of Mr.. Reid's own
fabrication. Mr., Reid made an explanation
in his communication, e~ndeayoring to set
himself right before the board. He said
Clayton several times agreed to place the
dirt in the lot mex to No. 2 School. On
more than one occasion he and Clayton talk
ed over the matter. One day he asked Clay
ton if the dirt was being disposed of as had
been arranged. Clayton laughingly said he
guessed not. Contractor Farrell was present
atthe time. The trio stood at Tenth and
Washington streets, Farrell and Clayton
laughed considerably. Then Reid became
iTritated and gave expression to some hard
things, more particularly relative to Skin"
contractors, inferring Clayton as one.
REID SECOND LETTER.
In another communication Trustee Reid
let himself out a bit more. He stated that
when CLAYTON made a denial of Reds state
ments before the board in alleging that he
had never talked with Clayton, Reid felt
much humiliation, and had he not been
crippled he would nave impressed Clayton
with his opinion of him. He styled Clayton's
denial az impeachment on Reds honesty.
He spoke OF people with a pull, contractors,
for instance, and remarked how shabbily
they performed their work. He said he gave
away to convey to his own uses.
He said there was a mutual
understanding that Clayton should
place the dirt in a hole next to No. 2 School.
For Clayton to make any equivocation of
that fact was dishonest and would not admit
of examination. He stated that the bill had
been ordered paid. but that would not make
the city a party to any conspiracy that Clay
ton was involved in to defraud the city.
Perhaps the Committee on Repairs that
sanctioned the bill was liable to Indictment.
The work was plainly faulty. Mr.. Reid ex-
pressed himself as favorable to more extern
sive competition in awarding contracts and
not combining the giving to contractors with
a pull. Clayton did not, asserted Reid, do
any sneaky business, but came right out
boldly and unostentatiously in lying. Com
munication referred.
Kate Ebetts of No. 2 School asked for re-
pairs to her school room to make it lighter
during school hours. Referred.
The High School, Class of A94, asked per-
mission to give an entertainment Granted
Future fire drills were abolished.
OBJECT TO THE
A petition will be drawn up protesting
against the proposed trolley on First street.
Trustee Cannon said the road would endan-
ger the lives of children going to No. 5
School on Second street. A request was
granted the County Superintendent, allow
ing him the use of No. 6 School for the first
Friday and Saturday in February to con-
duct the teachers county examination. The
request was granted on condition that no
classes be dismissed.
The Committee on Examination and
School Census reported that the following
had passed the required examination for adj
mission to the Normal SCHOOL,
Mary Magrane, special, 50 1-2, general.
81 SIG; Lizzie Connolly, So, 81 PIG; Bessie
McCague, 81 IA, Sc 12-l6: Hettie Seyd, "a,
Sc 11-16: Nellie Rice, 80 "a, IS sic; Pauline
Hour. so, so 1916; Dora Strotthoff, so 1-2,
10 416; Beatrice Frost, 81 1-2, II 1916; Lizzie
Toohey, 81 IA, II 1916; Julia Hauser, 81, rs
GIG; Julia Werkless, so "a, IS GIG.
The Committee recommended that an ex-
animation be granted Lizzie Fearis, Lulu
Greenbaum and Maud johnson, in studies in
which they have failed.