The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-11-02

troll of the finance of such city, inc been
approved by the Mayor thereof"
RESPONSIBILITY FIXED.
The law thus fixes the responsibility for
a water contract equally upon the Board
of Street and Water Commissioners, the
Board of Finance and the Mayor, and
his or its responsibility upon the others,
or either of them, or divest. itself Of the
duty of critically examining the proyi-
sions of the contract in all it's parts.
including the specitca ions, nor can Ell her
Board rightfully or lawfully subordinate
his or Its judgment to that OF another OF
the parties.
In order to the proper discharge of
this duty, it is the right of the members
of this board as officials of the city to
retain as their advisers disinterested
and reputable experts when the speclii-
cations again come before this Board:
The Mayor, the Board of Street and
Water Commissioners and the legal adj
visers of the city conceded the correctness
October s. 1894, and 1t was then agreed
that the Board of Finance should have
their own experts. This agreement has
been carried out, so far as 1t has been
in the power of the Board of Finance to
take action, by the passage OF the reso-
luton of October 10. 1894, and his action
has been tacitly ratified by the Mayor in
Withholding his veto. Until this resolu-
the Street and Water Board to employ
an expert In the name of this Board,
and thrust him unasked upon US as our
representative Tor the purpose of fore
stalling such action as it is the right and
bounden duty of the Board of Finance
to take in the event that the Speciftca-
tons, or any resolution OF which they are
the subject, again come before US for con-
current action.
Fol- these reasons we advise non-con-
currence in the resolution adopted Octc-
bers 25, 1894, by the Board of Street and
Water Commissioners appointing oliver
w. Barnes. C. E., and Benjamin S.
Church, c. E, as water experts. We also
advise non-~concurrence in the resolution
OF the same Board, adopted October IT,
1894, providing for the employment of eX-
pert hydraulic engineers and chemists
for the same reason, and the further
reason that the Chief Engineer of the
Street and Water Department is the re-
sponsible adviser of that Board. provided
by law, in matters of this nature.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN NJ. JONES,
J. WARREN HARDENBERGH.
COMBINE NERVOUS.
The report caused the combine to be-
low it to be spread in full upon the
minutes. The combine next took a turn
at the bat and Commissioners Bailey
started the ball rolling by presenting a
carefully prepared typewriter resolution
resembling a resolution adopted by the
Street and Water Board asking the con-
currence of the Board of Finance in the
advertisement of the specifications
resembling resolution was offered for the
reason that the. resolution of the Street
and Water Board was rescinded by that
Board on October Is. The combine voted
for Mr.. Bailey's resolution, while
Messrs. Hardenbergh and tones voted
against it. Commissioner Simpson fol-
a second resembling resolution which
practically paves the way for new
resolutions ordering a supply to be adj
vertised for. 1t r~escinded the resolution
1850 I,r Ah@ fnan Rnn rd Asr ~
the water specifications to the Commit
tee of the Whole and authorizing the
employment of expert engineers to as
sist the board in determining whether
SO as to better conserve the interests
of the city. Mr.. Simpsons resolution
passed by the votes of the combine, Mr..
Jones and Mr.. Hardenbergh opposing its
passage.
A third resolution came from Commits
sioner Detwiller and concurs in q resolu-
ton of the Street and Water Board gu
thorizing the expenditure of $1,000 by
that Board for the employment of expert
engineers. 1t. was passed by the same
vote as it's predecessors.
LOOKS LIKE A WATER CONTRACT.
This latter resolution practically on
ours in the appointment of Engineers
Barnes and Church. In support of his
resolution Mr. Detwiiler produced an
in which he represents that the power
of appointing xpert engineers was en-
joyed exclusively by the Board of Street
n Water Commissioners. The Finance
Board will meet again on November 8.
II is understood that at ameeting of the
Street and Water Board to be held next
adopt the original specifications, fix a
time for the reception of bids for a new
supply of water. All the necessary doc
unlents attending such a course will be
sent to the Finance Board at once and
at the meeting of November s, the reso-
luton to advertise for bids will be con-
Cured in by the combine. Mayor Wanser
unless something strange happens. bids
for q new supply of water will be re-
ceived by the Street and Water Board on
or about the first of the year. Then the