The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-11-28
| TO PRESS GAS SUITS
Board of Finance Will Not
Consent to a Post
ponement.
MR.. DETWILLER'S MISTAKE
Plan to Save Money by Making
the City a Purchaser Of Its
Own Bonds.

The Board of Finance met yesterday
afternoon and confirmed the tax assess
ment books as submitted to it by the
Tax Commissioners. The confirmation
resolution was passed after the Commits
sioners had inspected the fifteen books
on file in the big safe in the Tax Depart
ment. 1t was at once sent down stairs
to Mayor Wanser for his approval, and
at 5:45 O'Clock it was returned and the
books We're filed with City Collector
Smith for collection. Tax bills can be had
at any time now.
Counsellor Flavel MCGEE, of MCGEE,
Bedle & Bedle, appeared before the board
as counsel for the United Gas Improve
ment Company, and asked the Commits
sioners to consent to argument on the
appeal in the five-year gas contract suit
being laid over for another term. He
explained to the board that it was a
case in which he had never taken any
part 1t had been argued in the Lower
Courts by mis- partner, the late ex-Gover-
nor Bedle, and he was placed in an en-
barassing position, as he did not know
how the matter stood. He stated that
Mr. Charles Cor'bin, who is the special
counsel in the case for the Finance
Board, was willing to have the case go
over.
MR.. DETWILLER'S MISTAKE.
Mr.. Detwiller thought the case ought
to be tried as soon as possible, as the
city might be able to get cheaper gas.
That such request should be denied,
especially under such trying circum-
stances, nettled Mr.. MCGEE.
My dear SIR he said, this suit does
not involve the possibility of the city
getting cheaper gas. It is not question
as to the validity of the contract but as
to the power of this board in concurring
in the award. The courts have ruled that
this board has no power of concurrence
under the law under which this contract
was made. The courts went further and
said that the provision of the contract
which bound the city for five years
from the date every new lamp was set
up would not hold. The Gas Company
practically won its suit, but appealed the
case because Of the ruling | speak OF.
The Board of Finance appealed for the
reason that its concurrent power was set
aside. There is no question about the
contract being binding, and for my part
curing cheaper gas when there is no com
petition. To compel me to argue this
case on Friday next is placing me AT a
disadvantage. l do nat mind losing a suit,
but when l lose l want to feel that l
have done my best for my client"
The Finance Commissioners refused
TO allow the case to go over and voted
to that effect Mr.. MCGEE was mad, but
before leaving the office he thanked the
board in a gentlemanly manner for hav-
ing listened to him at all.
ACTION.
Mr.. Corbin was as much surprised at
the Boards action as was Mr.. MCGEE. 1t
was only question of courtesy, but
that fact was apparently lost sight of.
A communication was received from
Mayor Wanser notifying the board that
he had appointed Edward T. Morgan
clerk in his office at SIS per month salary.
Mr. Morgan is the son-in-law of Clay
Tilden. His appointment is believed to
have resulted from an adjustment of the
difficulties between Tillen and City Treas
urer Samuel Dickinson. Morgan at pres
ent Is law student in the Office of Nc
balances of the Police Board were trans
ferred to an account to be known as
general claims. UneXpended balances to
the amount of 81, 100 were ordered trans
ferred to the repair account to accom-
modate the Board of Education. Collec-
tor Smith notified the board that he had
received in his office for collection the
assessment maps for the Woodward
street improvement, sewer in Congress
street and Improvement of ST. Pauls
aOo aWen9e. The assessments exceed $22,
600. Collector of Personal Taxes William
Broas was given new title. In future
he will be known as Deputy Personal
Tax Collector Broas, or as the boys of
City Hall say, Lord High Executioner
Broas.'
The board concurred in the specifica-
tons adopted by the Street and Water
Board for the sweeping and cleaning of
the streets and removal of ashes and
garbage and adjourned.