The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-11-09
SENSATIONS ON TAP
Board of Finance Furnishes
Food for Municipal
Gossips.
MR.. SIMPSON KNOWS Law.
Secretary Mccullough Of the Old
New York Acqueduct Board
Pays the Commissioners a
Mysterious Visit.

| STONED with age and walked with the
assistance of a long, heavy cane. His
| eyesight has to an extent deserted him
| and he presented an appearance which
! commanded respect and attention as he
entered the meeting room, leaning on the
arm of Commissioner H~ardenbergh. The
Finance Commissioners at once went IN
to Executive session. The report quickly
spread that the old gentleman had come
from Boonton, where this city proposes
procuring its new supply of water 10
present to the Finance Commissioners
\ some startling and sensational informa-
ton, which would raise howl about
| the ears of certain officials directly in
terested in the acquisition of a new sup
ply of water. 9
The mysterious visitor proved to be
Mr.. James Mccullough of Englewood, N.
]. His appearance at the Finance Board
was to disclose information n what he.
impaired made each individual hair OF
Reuben Simpsons head take a strange
| stand; made Mr.. Detwiller twist uneasi-
ly in his chair and caused the lustre OF
the big diamond which adorns Mr.. Bal
ley's shirt front to fade. Mr.. James Nc
Cullough was at one time Secretary Of
the New York City Acqueduct Commits
sion. He was appointed at the same
| time as Benjamin Church, the Engineer,
| who has been selected as one of the dis
interested expert engineers to inspect
the specifications under which proposals
for water are to be advertised for. Just
what Mr.. Mccullough told the Commits
sioners is not to be made public at this
time but when l asked President Jones if
what MIR. Mccullough had said about
| Engineer Church was complimentary
and warranted to inspire confidence IN
his selection as a disinterested person
| and his reports as to what kline of speci-
h~cations would best conserve the inter
ests of Jersey aCtty in making water
contract, he smiled and in a long, drawn
Mr.. Hardenbergh4 made a similar re-
Will what Mr.. Mccullough has dis
ing ,engaged?', l asked Mr.. Harden,
COMBINE NERVOUS.
Detwiller, Bailey and Simpson, seemed
nervous even when the meeting was
thrown open to the public. 1t is known
tina some surprising information was
submitted in relation to Engineer Church
which, when made public will probably
nave a chilling effect upon the Street
and Water Commissioners. who are re-
sponsibie for his appointment. But
President Jones proposes keeping what
he knows a secret until he can explode
/ 1t with erect upon the CITY OlHC1dlS VIII
rave to act upon the water question,
and incidentally upon the community.
Mr.. Mccullough entertained the Finance
Commissioners, who concurred in the
appointment of Mr.. Church. for two
| hours. fy nm.
When the meeting. was thrown open
the combine had an inning. Mr. Simp-
son arose with ALI the grace of a Celery
Willie. and announced that he had
| discovered that the honorable board of
which he had the honor of being a mem
-. ~ -1oaa ~ III n f A1Of Or n n o
entirely out of order" In a few words
it was permitting the minority report
of the Committee of the Whole which
| dealt with the water situation in which
President Jones and Commissioner Har-i
denbergh charged bad faith on the part {
of the other officials interested in the
water question, to be spread in full on
the minutes. The report it will be re
membered, gave an account of every
conference held on the water subject,
and contained to- an extent sensational
| disclosures which opened the eyes of tax
payers to what was going on and ere
ated g. stir in official circles. In arguing
to have the resolution proxiding Tor the
MIR. Simpson surprised everyone by show
| Ing himself to be a stickler for parlia-7
mentary law. He said
we were out of order to receive the min
GRITTY report. There was no meeting of
the Committee of the Whole and mas
much as that committee presented no
report, b. what right was a minority re-
port received. A minority report can
not be entertained. Why, if we should
allow the report to appear in our min
utes, in after years our successors would
laugh at US and say that we didn't know
/ our business"
siMr. Simpson is mistaken when he
| says there was no meeting of the Com
| mittee of the Whole" said President
| jones' "a meeting was held immedi-
ately before the public session. The ma
| iority Of the members were asked to
make a report upon a matter which
| had been referred and which demanded
immediate attention. Failing to present
a report the minority members took the
Mr.. SIMPSON DIFFERS.
81 beg to differ on that point" inter-
| the Committee Of the Whole, parliament
| tary law compels us to elect a Chair
man and a Secretary, and that was not
| done" Mr.. Simpson smiled alone.
TT is strange quietly remarked MI.
| Hardenbergh, that When the Committee
of the Whole met to prepare the tax
budget, that parliamentary law was not
thought of, and these trifling ~technicali-
| ties enforced. Those meetings in one
sense of the word demanded the same
| attention as the all important topic now
| before us demands.
1T was out of order, anyhow SAID
| Mr.. Simpson in reply to this hot shot.
spreading that report on orr minutes
| only increases the a~ntagQnlsm between
| the Mayor and Street and Water Board"
said Mr.. Detwiller to everyone's sur
l Prise, anu SQCA lAliiSS oilOuIO AO Ca
| fst. To an extent three members of
this board (meaning the combine) were
| ignored in making up that report and
| it is only fair to rescind the resolution
| ordering 1t printed in full"
you gentlemen were given every OPP
| ~portunity to enter this protest at the
| time of its presentation" said Mr.. Har-
| denbergh, "and it is rather a late hour
to make objections
Argument was useless as the members
| of the combine stood shoulder to should
| er and carried their points against the
votes of President Jones and Commits
| sioner Hardenbergh. AS a result tax
| PAYERS will not be given another oppor-
tunity to digest the report which ex-
| planned the true condition of water af-
fairs. Mr.. Simpson presented and Sc
| cured the adoption by the vote of the
| combine, of a resolution which had been
| prepared by some one of a sarcastic
turn of mind. 1t provided that the mi
nority report on water affairs, purport-
ing to come from the Committee of the
| Whole, be returned to Messrs. Jones
and Hardenbergh.
Before adjourning the board CONQUERED
in contracts awarded to M. L. Connolly
to construct a main sewer in West Side
avenue, the Barber Asphalt Company to
nave Park street and to the Standard
! Oil Company to furnish the Street and
Water Commissioners with all the oil
necessary.
0m0 r7run Aarn n rrryN TATD