The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-06
BIG BLACK EYE.
Finance Board Settle the
Paid Fire Depart
ment Matters.
SCHEME WON'T GO THROUGH.
A Check to the Street and Water
Board-Other Business
Transacted.
SCHEME WON'T GO THROUGH,

Before transacting any business last night,
the Finance Commissioner held a conference
behind closed doors which lasted an hour ano
a half. The newly appointed law Officers
were ON hand bright and early. Their adj
mission to the secret conference was quickly
construed into meaning that something I'M
portant, which required immediate action was
under discussion. This proved to be true
The proposed action of the Fire Commission
ers in establishing a paid department was
what was worrying the financiers. They
were consulting with the law officers with a
view to finding, if possible, a loop hole
through which to crawl, and thus avoid Dor
rowing S42, 600 with which to pay the salaries
of the men to be appointed.
The JERSEY CITY NEWS has exclusively
announced that the Mayor and members OF
the Board of Finance are opposed TO a pald
department. 1t has also pointed out that in
dictnent would follow if the Fire Conmls-
sioners persisted in establishing q paid de
partment before the finance officers OF the
city had a provision for It's malnten-
ance.
BRINKERHoFF's OPINION.
Corporation Counsel Brinkerhotf corrobor-
ated these announcements in a report to the
board on the subject.
He said that no provision had been made
for an increase in the fire department., and
he doubted if an increase at this time would
be proper and lawful. In substantiation he
quoted the following law pertaining to such
cases.
"A statute of this State. approved in the year
1876, renders it criminal for q city board 80 m
cur any obligation in excess OF the approprls-
tion and limit of expenditure provided by
law.
What this criminal act demands is that whore
means required to meet and discharge the OBJ
IUQfinQ have to he created or called INTO GX-
istence by some subsequent act OF a department
OF the government as by providing the money
necessary for the disbursement, sucn money
shall be in hand or actually provided for as the
only evidence of the power OF the board to
meet the obligation.
voting for disbursements where the money is
required to be raised by borrowing the same,
and the money has not yet been received or the
incurring of an obligation in excess of the funds
then at the actual disp osai or tbs board Tor tnat
purpose.
This opinion settles the paid fire depart
ment project for some time to come.
The notification of the Fire Board that
such a department was to be established and
the petition asking that $4,000 be borrowed
for the maintenance were ordered filed.
In refusing to borrow the desired amount
of money for the maintenance of a paid de-
partment, the Board of Finance merely car
ried out the directions of Mayor Wanser as
expressed in THE JERSEY CITY NEWS.
AFTER THE S. & W.. BoARD.
y Having Ion with the Fire Commissioners
the board tackled its old friend, the Board
of Street and Water Commissioners In a
resolution, which was adopted unanimously,
the Street and Water Commissioners were
informed that all work under their charge
would have to be dom by contract or not
dome at all. The resolution is peculiarly
worded. This is the resolution:
Resolved, That the Board of Street and
Water Commissioner be, and they are hereby
notified that this board will not concur In the
future expenditure OF any OF the citys monies,
where concurrence is necessary by this board.
for the laying OF water pipe or extensions OF
water pipe, or distribution by the city
by the laying of pipe for distribution OF
Passaic water. unless the work is first properly
advertised and contracted for the lowest bidder
and let out by written contract to such lowest
bidder, and further. in all cases where the con-
current power of this board is required by law,
expenditure of city monies unless ali WORK and
materials are first advertised for ana let by
contract to the lowest bidder, as required by
law.
TO C~HECKMATE A SCHEME.
The resolution was presented by Mr.. Simp-
son and he explained it was to check a
scheme of the Street and Water Commiss-
toners to lay about $4,000 feet of water pipe
or the Hill, from High Service to BidweH
avenue.
Specifications for this job were presented
by Chief Engineer Ruggles at the last meet
ing of the Street and Water Board. They
were not adopted at that meeting. Although
the Finance Commissioners deny it, it was
intimated that their intention was to check
mate an effort of the Street and Water
Board to expend vast sums of money for new
water pipe and still retain the Passaic as a
source of supply.
A majority of the members of the Board
of Finance favor the acquisition of a new
water supply and accordingly are opposed to
wasting money on unnecessary water pipes
when such money could be utilized to better
advantage, creating a Sinking fund from
which to pay for a new water works if one
~isacquired by the making of a contract.
The resolution will stop the giving out of
work. by the Street and Water Commits
sioners and contractors who accept work
without a contract will receive no money
from the city,
UNPAID PERSONAL AXES
City Collector O'Neill recently furnished
the board with a list of all the unpaid per-
sonal taxes in the First and Second taxing
districts. He was directed last night to sub
nit a similar report of the Third, Fourth,
Fifth and Sixth districts.
A petition was received from the Adjust
ment Commission, asking for an appropria-
ton of S $500 for its maintenance. Tn pc
tition was referred, and the Clerk directed to
ascertain how much longer the Commission
would be in existence. The Financiers are
of the opinion that the labors of the Adjust
ment Commissioners are about at an end.
AVENUE SEWER
Engineer Ruggles was present at the meet
ing to explain the necessity of the $1,000
asked for by the Street and Water Commits
sioners for the repair of the Railroad avenue
sewer. He dwelt at length upon its deplor-
able condition and the menace it was to
health and property. The matter is to be
investigated further before the money is ap-
propriated.
The appointment of Harry Hall as a clerk
in the Water Department was pigeon-holed.
Richard Wade's claim of $3.50 for repairing
the Aldermanic Chamber would ave been
paid last night, but no bill could be found.
EARLY CLOSING ASSOCIATION.
The Early Closing Association of Jersey
City has called a meeting for next Tuesday
evening", to be held at Humboldt Hall, at