The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-16
delay was by the request of citizens. He
thought about three months were lost by this
DELAY AT MEETINGs

| DELAY AT MEETINGS.
Charge No 3, that the board has so con-
Quoted the public meetings of this board as
to practically exclude the public therefrom,
was next taken up, and Mr.. Bouton said that
by the rules of the board Monday, at ten A.
| NJ, was the time fixed for meetings But of
late they seldom met before noon except
| when advertised hearings were to take place.
| He could only recall one occasion when peo-
pie to attend a hearing had had to wait.
| On cross examination by Mr.. Thompson
Mr.. Bouton said that people often hung
around the meeting room who had no busi-
ness. He had known the meetings to be de-
layed by the absence of the Corporation
Counsel and by people wanting to be heard
| in committee.
To Mr.. Douglass Mr.. Bouton said that the
Board passed resolution requesting the
| Corporation Counsel, Chief Engineer and
| superintendent of Roads to be present at
such meeting, but he knew of no law to COM
| pei them to be present.
| SUPERINTENDENT SNYDER TETSIFIES.
Henry Snyder, City Superintendent of
Public Schools was the next witness and he
testified School No. 25 on Columbia avenue
and Zabriskie street is not ready for occu-
pancy yet. 1t lacks the furniture. The
school has been ready for its furni-
ture for two months or since the
latter part of September. The Board of
Education, he said, had leased building
known as No. Annex, since December, 1892,
at .66 per month, to accommodate chill
dren in the neighborhood of No. 25.
He said that shchool buildings like Nos 6,
and 10 and No. Annex in that neighbor-
| hood are overcrowded. tt
| The board has refused, since the opening of
the schools in the fall of 1892, very large
number of applications of children to attend
school. In November the number of appli-
cants refused was 130, but that is for the
whole city"
| Yes, and New York has $4,000 waiting
for school," put in Mayor Wanser. 81
merely mention this to show how far ahead
we are of New York in some things"
| CROSS-EXAMINED.
Cross-examined by Mr. Chas. D. Thomp-
son, Mr.. Snyder said that the primary de-
partment of Annex No. s is overcrowded.
The Board of Education had made prepara-
tions to accommodate 900 children, which num-
ber would be the probable amount of child
rem attending No. 25 School when ready.
HUGH LESLIE ON THE STAND.
Hugh Leslie one of those who made the
charges presented today was the next wit
ness. He began by saying he had resided in
this city for thirty-four years, and had done
business in Pearl street for twenty years.
Pearl street was formerly known as Wayne
street.
'Is any part of the street used by rail-
roads," asked Judge Douglass.
my business has been ruined ever since the
srailroad company closed Green street." was
the quick reply.
Witness said that before the tracks were
laid he could get heavy boiler up or down
the street, but since he could not. He has
repeatedly complained to and begged of the
Street and Water Commissioners to take
some action in regard to the closing of the
street, but they paid no attention to his de-
mands
"After many delays the board gave me a
hearing, but they never got down to answers
until after twelve o'clock. 1 suppose the
Commissioners went out in the country and
had no time to attend to public affairs" a
piece OF satire which evoked hearty laugh
from every one.
When Mr.. Thompson began to cross-ex-
anime, Mr.. Leslie boiled up and in answer to
a question if he did not block up Pearl street
as well as the railroad company, snapped
this reply.
"Of course, if the Pennsylvania, or foreign
corporation does that l have more right
than them since 1 pay ten times more than
that rascally company"
Have you objected to the railroad COM
pany obstructing that streetY asked Mr..
Thompson.
''Objected, objected" said Mr.. Leslie in
to the people of Hudson County and the
Pennsylvania Company has stolen the
street,
Then after pause Mr.. Leslie fired this
additional remark at the accused commits
sioners counsel
IF you don't know how many streets the
railroad has stolen from the people, I'll tell
you"
'tNever mind" said Mr.. Thompson
Witness, continuing, said that the street
is in a horrible condition. After rain
storm there is ''young lake. / call it the
Pennsylvania Lake" [Laughter.]
EXPLAINED THE MAP.
Chief Engineer w. w. Ruggles, next
sworn, testified as to the location on Man
gins Map of Wayne street, from Warren
street to Hudson street. That portion of the
street has since been changed in name to
Pearl street. The Pennsylvania Railroad
has blocked up the street at Washington
street nearly the full width. At Green
street the street is very narrow. The side
walks in Pearl street are fifteen feet in
width
A small part of the sidewalk is occupied
by the railroad at Washington street.
Mr.. Douglass said he desired expert
measurement made of Pearl street SO as to
show the encroachment of the Railroad
Company.
Mr.. Ruggles said there was such map
Mr.. Douglass then produced a map by
Mangin made in 1904, which shows that the
street was 80 feet wide. 3
Mr.. Thompson objected to its being taken
that the street was 60 feet wide.
Mr.. Ruggles said the map was taken bv
surveyors as an authentic copy of the or
iginal, and Mayor Wanser admitted it. Mr.
Ruggles said that there was ALWAYS water in
the Washington street depression after the
Pennsylvania's embankment under every
rain. He thought that means could be de-
vised for doing away with the water. Since
Green street had been closed the Washing
ton street traffic had greatly increased.
CROSs-ExAMINED.
Cross-examined he said the sewer was
about foot or a foot and half below the
street at that point. At a high
tide the water would come over
the sewer. He thought if the
ever connecting with the Bay street sewer
was cleaned out the difficulty could be RENE
died. Bay street is about 215 feet higher
than Washington street. He could not tell
the difference in the levels of the sewers
Washington street sewer drained several
streets in that section of the city. The BAY
street sewets drain all that area south Of
First street to Newark avenue on the south
side as far as Barrow street. The Bav street
sewer is much larger than the Washington
and if the Bay street sewer was cleaned out
the water in Washington street would prob
ably flow out.
To Mr.. Thompson he said he knew the
sewer was stopped up, because he saw a man
hole opened. The Washington street spot
under the railroad bridge, was the lowest
point in that neighborhood The Mangin
map showed ditch very near that point.
Mr.. Douglass admitted that there was
contract between the city and the Pennsyl-
I 1-.1 f<1-. w.