The morning call., 1893-09-03
AN OFFICIAL WAR.
Attack Upon the Street
Superintendent.
EXCEEDED HIS ALLOWANCE.
Ackerson Defies the Supervisors and
Tells Them He Is Running
His Department.

lCilS AuCh tAC ID NhhAAAS
His Department.
A merry war opened between the Board
of Supervisors and the Superintendent OF
Streets yesterday. Ever since the first OF
the year there has been considerable feel
ing between the parties. which has grown
as the months flew by. until now it Is a
contest to the knife. 1t has gone so lar
that even i'm parchment is talked of
The trouble originally arose over the
dis .ribution of patronage. both AckerSon
and the Supervisors claiming the power
to appoint the park gardeners. Then the
Street superintendent failure to file
monthly reports aroused the ire OF the
City Fathers, who claimed that they could
not tell anything about the expenditures
of the Street Department. When Acker-
son asked for million dollars before the
making of the tax levy the Supervisors cut
him down to less than the usual approDri-
alton. The Supervisors next complained
that Ackerson was running the Democratic
party by his conduct and large expendi-
lures, overdraWing his accounts cOntlnu-
ally.
Ackerson laughed at his opponents, went
men he pleased.
Then the Supervisors, acting under the
consolidation act. limited the force OF men
in the Street Department outside OF regu-
lar deputies to 100.
This for a while was a checkmate to the
Street Superintendent. but he thought
good deal, When the Supervisors were
away on their vacation AckersOn received
a request from the Health Officer to clean
the sewers. This was his chance.
brilliant idea struck him, and he put over
100 men more than his allowance on the
sewers. The compensation is 81 day.
This was during August aud unknown TO
the Supervisors.
On Friday the Finance Committee dis
covered what had been done, and the MEM
bers were Mortified. After consultation
they decided not to sign any of the bills.
A special meeting Of the board was held
yesterday and the question again came up.
After the usual batch of bills had been
read Chairman James Of the Finance
Committee arose and said that the Street
Department demands were not included.
I'VE ind that that department." he said,
has gone beyond the allowance. The
Street Superintendent was limited to 100
men aud he sends in demands for go, with
probably more to hear from."
supervisor Denman arose and moved
that Superintendent Ackerson be directed
to select 100 demands out of the $50 which
lie pIcIeIIeu 10 nave DaU.
I'VE have got to d. something for the
finances" he said. THE indications are
that If We 60 Oh at the present rate we will
be sWamped. 1t is time for this thing to
stop The Street Superintendent has bills
for $4,000 for labor alone this month,
overdrawing his appropriation. When
The Democratic party took power it was
said that there were going to be reforms
In The Street Department Our fight was
partly made on that proposition. Where
are the reforms?" asked the Supervisor
weariy. Il have seen no reforms
Gentlemen, we cannot go on at this
rate. for there is heavy deficit ahead
of US"
Supervisor Dundon-a motion of this
kind Is of no earthly use. 1t is useless to
request Mr.. Ackerson to do anything for
lie will pay no attention to you. We will
have to take him into court and have him
impeached. That Is the only way TO
treat him.
Mayor Ellert stated that the motion did
not request" but directed the Street
Superintendent to select 100 demands to
be signed. He suggested that the motion
was proper one and 1t was unanimously
carried.
After this business Supervisor Dun
don asked leave to introduce a reso-
luton. The permission was granted aud
he introduced the following, which was
signed by all the members present:
Resolved, That his Honor, The Mayor, call a
speclai meeting OF The Board of Supervisors ON
Wednesday. September 6, 1898. at 10 A. NJ.
for the purpose OF devising and suggesting ways
and means by which aid IN the way OF employ
ment can De afforded 10 greater number OF
our unemployed citizens who are permanent
residents OF this city aud county, and thai the
board report on the same at the next regular
meeting.
P. f. Dundon. W. NJ. Hinton. j. G. James,
James Denman, Sands W. FOrman Christian
Refs, 7. j. Kennedy, Daniel Rogers, M. Good
win.
The resolution appears to be beacon of
hope to the unemployed, but in reality it
Is said to mean nothing more than an 10
yestgatlon into the methods of the Street
Department. There is no money to be
used in special improvements and none is
intended
"Fhe object of the resolution" said
Supervisor James. sis to see if we cannot
get more men employed in the Street De-
partment. We ant TO give more than 100
men, but don't want to pay toe much. For
instance, there are many men getting 81
day. III these got 81 90 more could be EN-
ployed. We want to see what can be done
Ia this way; that Is all our meeting is
called for. No special Improvements are
contemplated. as we have no money!
Superintendent of Streets Ackerson was
not one lot disturbed when ne learned OF
the proceedings of the hoard.
They can't make a clerk out of me, I'm
running the Street Department, though
they have tried to do it. If l gave them
patronage. why. they would drop this
thing right away"
Ackerson contended that the Super-
visors did not know anything about the
streets. He said he had been instructed
oy Inc health authorities to clean the
sewers and he did so. II the Supervisors
ala not sign the warrants he could n OF helm
M -