The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-22
THE CITY'S FINANCE
Pretty Legacy from the Old
Street and Water
Board.
APPROPRIATIONS ANTICIPATED.
Thousands in Unpaid Bills Laid
0yer-Estimates for 1S94-5.

The Finance Commissioners held con-
ference last night with the Street and Water
Commissioners All the members of the
latter board were present Corporation
Counsel Blair and Comptroller Hough were
also on hand
When the new Street and Water Comnlis-
sioners entered upon their duties, they found
an immense batch of claims, aggregating
several thousand dollars, left unpaid by their
predecessors. They found that it had been
the custom of the old board to pass claims,
no matter whether there was money
on hand or not to pay them. The
old Board used to pay claims con-
tracted in 1892 out of the funds of 1898,
and SO on. In this way they were constantly
running behind, as it required the moneys OF
the current year to meet claims of the pre-
ceding year. This course had been pursued
to such an extent that when the new Com
nnissioners took office, they found the mass
of unpaid claims confronting them would
seriously embarass them if they attempted to
pay them. The new board, however, was
anxious to clear up all the old accounts and
proceeded to do SO by passing as many as
possible.
HALT CALLED.
The Finance Commissioners and Comp
trolier Hough looked into the matter and
arrived at the conclusion that to pay the
bills of the old board would in a short time
put the new commissioners in the same fix
that their predecessors had been in--that is,
compel them, before their terms expired, to
draw upon the 1896 revenues to meet
claims of 1S9f95.
Mayor Wanser was consulted and he de-
c1or rod hot in, IN hp
sioners they should be asked to pay only such
bills as they contract
The matter was fully discussed last night,
and it was decided that the old bills, left I'M
paid by the old board, should remain un-
paid until some provision can be made for
them.
TO MAKE WATER PAY.
The new commissioners are determined to
make the Water Department pay margin
to the city if possible. AT any rate they do
not propose allowing it to run behind. In
future records of balances of appropria-
tions will be kept every month by the clerk
of the board and the Comptroller If there
is $4,000 available for certain month pay
rolls and claims to that amount will
be passed No bills will be
contracted unless there is money at hand TO
nav them. In this wav the commissioners
hope to be able TO know just where they
stand at ali times. There will be no more
contracting bills for $4,000, when there is
$40, 900 with which to pay them. Thus by
care and economy, the board hopes not only
to meet the current expenses promptly, but
also, little by little. pay of some of the old
hung up claims of their predecessors. The
effect of this move will be that people to
whom the old board was indebted will
have to wait several weeks, perhaps months
for their money.
BELLEyILLE REDUCTIONS
leo, tod
to know of the Street and Water Commits
sioners when the Bellevile force was to be
reduced. Up to the present time no reduc-
tions have been made. Commissioner Hooker
volunteered the information that in the
course of week a number of diSmlssals
would be made and no one appointed to the
vacant places. Commissioner Hooker hopes
to do away with at least one-third Of the
ilt1n hours of duty. At High Service
only one reduction has been made. That is
Engineer Yoe. Daniel Carpenter, who was
the supervisor of tho High Service station,
has been compelled to take Yoe's place, still
retaining his position as supervisor.
Machinist Hooker has been promoted to
engineer. He will also perform as machin-
ist. The High Service force will be reduced
next week.
THAT BIG ESTIMATE.
The commissioners also discussed the esti-
mate OF the Street and Water Board. Last
year the board received S193, 400. This year
s263. 800 is asked for. The increase is made
up. of $4,000 additional for lamps, $4,000
for signs in street lamps $500 for steps at
Laidlaw avenue $4,000 for the reconstruc-
ton of the Bay street sewer, to which atten-
ton was called in THE NEWS, and $2,0 900 for
the reconstruction of the York street
sewer It is probable that the approprla-
tions will be made the same as last year. Ii
it is practicable, additional appropriations
will be made during the year
The other estimates received by the FL
nance Board are: