The Monmouth inquirer., 1894-05-03

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restored To service This petition was re-
ceived and referred to a committee of the
whole Board, to report at an early date.
Subsequently, on the 2Sth Of February, a
special meeting of the Board was held
and the citizens were invited by public
notice to attend, for the purpose of dis
cussing the question, which resulted
in the adoption of resolution again re-
questing the Board to have the steamer
repaired. Accordingly at the regular
meeting of the Board on March 5th, the
question was taken up and the Fire De-
partment committee was instructed to
procure estimates for the work This
committee reported at a special meeting
held on March 14th, in favor of making a
contract with the Spracklen Bros Boiler
and Machine CO., of Trenton, who pro-
posed to do the work complete, making
the machine practically as good as new
for the sum offs 1,l75, which was consid-
erably lower than any other offer for
was accepted, and the committee was
directed to prepare the contract sub
lect to the approval of the Board
The contract was subsequently approved
and duly executed, and on the Cd OF
works at Trenton, where the work of re-
pairing it will be prosecuted as rapidly
as possible
The steamer will be practically rebuilt
so far as its boiler and working machin-
cry is concerned. The contractors have
a high reputation where their work is
known and there is every assurance that
the work will be well and properly done.
NEW ORDINANCES.
Two new ordinances have been passed
during the year, one relative to placing
hagmen at certain railroad crossings and
the other requiring the Town Treasurer
to report in writing at the regular meet
ing of the Board in July, annually, an es-
innate OF the receipts and expenditures
for the current year, together with q
statement Of the bonded or other indebt-
edness, in detail, showing principal and
interest FILLING due or outstanding at that
date.
PRINTING ORDINANCES IN PAMPHLET.
During the year 1898 as referred to
in the last annual report, the Board
caused the ordinances of the town from
its organization to be reduced to code,
embracing all the provisions of the ordi-
nances then in force and adding thereto
such provisions as were authorized bv
the general act of the Legislature of 1891.
enlarging the powers of Boards of Town
Commissioners. This code, in the shape
OF an ordinance, was duly published in
the newspapers, as required by law
There IS constant necessity for reference
to 1t by the Board and by citizens, but it
has never been put in convenient shape
for that purpose. The Board provided
during the year for its publication in
pamphlet form for distribution, but sub
sequently postponed its publication for
the purpose of adding some antici-
pated new matter. The incoming Board
will probably be able to have this neces-
sary work completed during the coming
year, resolution looking to that end
having been adopted at the February
meeting.
THE MONUMENT PARK CASE.
The matter of difference between the
Board and the Battle Monument Commits
sion relative TO the grade of Court street,
along the line of the Park, in which the
Court of Chancery was asked to grant an
injunc Ion. has been anaicabiy settled
without prejudice to either party and the
suit has been withdrawn.
MISCELLANEOUS.
1t has been the practice of the Board
from the beginning to put all the receipts
into one general account and to authorize
expenditures in one department without
reference to its possible effect upon an
other department. The growth of the sew
eral departments makes this practice no
longer a proper one for the reason that in
advertently one department may be fa-
yored to the injury of another The ex-
perlence Of the Board is that an estimate
ought to be made at the beginning of the
year OF the possible receipts and expen-
dltures, and that the receipts ought to be
SO distributed as to give each department
ITS far share of the same during the year.
Ii 1t shall be found, as the year passes, that
one appropriation is exhausted and more
work IS required, while another appropria-
ton IS IN excess of the present demand, a
transfer from the one to the other could
be made; otherwise, it would be wiser. in
most of cases, to let the work wait rather
than to rob other departments or to incur
debt to be carried into the succeeding
years accounts.
Acting upon this conviction the Board
adopted the ordinance imposing new
duty upon the Town Treasurer. But the
requirement is still deficient. Itshould be
made the duty of the Treasurer or the
Clerk to open an account with each of
the Departments, and to furnish monthly
report OF the balance standing to the cred
1t OF each department so that the Board
may be enabled to avoid overdrawing anv
account. This is now the practice re-
qulred by State law in manv branches
OF the public service, municipal as well
as general. The adoption and enforce
ment ofsuch a regulation by the incom-
ing Board may be the means of saving
trouble and modification to the Board as
well as money to the taxpayers. We
recommend the adoption and enforce
ment of such regulation.
There are number of persons draw
ing salaries from the Town whose ap-
pointment is not provided for by law,
and over whose appointment the Board
either exercises no control or has only
a confirming power. The Board is very
clearly of the opinion that all officials
should be responsible directly to the body
paying the salary and not to an organiza-
ton or department not responsible either
to the public or its legal representatives.
Some of these officials have the custody of
much valuable property belonging to the
town, and upon others important duties
devolve neglect of which would entail
loss to the town. All such officials should
be appointed by the governing body of
the town, subject to dismissal at any time
for cause, and thus be made responsible
to the public. We recommend the adop-
ton by the incoming Board of such ordi-
nance or regulation as will accomplish
this reform
CONCLUSION.
The town is TO be congratulated upon
the completion of the two most important
Improvements to the promotion of the
health, growth and welfare of the town
This work has been accomplished during
the last four years, and during the incum-
bency of most of the present members Of
the Board. We are assured, and have
every reason to believe, that both plants
the water and the sewer systems-are
the best of their kind in the materials
used, in the grade of the machinery and
in the character of the work of construc-
ton. The town is also to be congratu-
lated that it has obtained these improve
ments at the minimum of cost No mid
dlemen were employed Everything in
the wayof materials and machinery was
obtained at first cost in the open market,
and when the cost of our works is COM
pared with that of similar works in other
towns in New Jersey and elsewhere it will