The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-19

Kill Won Kun to Twenty-ninth street,
Bayonne; Section 2, from Twenty-ninth
street to Morris Canal; Section 3, from Nor
ris Canal to Newark & New York r. r.;
Section 4, Newark & New York r. r. to
Newark avenue; Section 5, Newark avenue
to Paterson avenue; Section 6, Paterson ave-
nue. to Hackensack Turnpike; Section z,
Hackensack Turnpike to South street; Sec
ton s, from South street to County Line.
The bidders were Henry McGibney, Dono-
van Brothers, M. T. Connolly, J. j. Coogan,
Hudson County Contracting Company,
Holmes & Cogan, James j.. Harrington, 2.
J. Condor, Bernard Feeney and Henry
Schuyler.
1t was apparent on reading the bids that
those of the Hudson County Contracting
Company were the lowest, and, after the
bids for the first four sections had been read,
Mr.. Edwards, representing the company, re-
quested permission to withdraw the remain
der of the bids, as they did not desire to do
all the work.
Director Bruggemann requested the advice
of Judge McGrath, counsel to the board, on
the subject, and that gentleman stated that
it would be illegal to do so, consequently all
Of the bids of the Hudson County Contract
ing Company will stand.
The bids will be figured out by Chief En-
gineer Harrison and the amount will be
made public in a day or two.
Warden Grimes made the following report
of the P~enitentiary for the month of Deem
Der, 1898: Number of prisoners, 1872; number
of employees, 81; total cost, $2,917.56; aver
age cost, S14.37.
Warden Ryan's report of the Almshouses
was also presented as follows: Number of
inmates, 75S; number of employees, 20; total
cost, S., 236. 68; average cost, So. 70 Al.
Mrs Kate Foster, who has for some years
filed the position of school teacher at the
Almshouse, rendered her resignation to the
board. and it was reluctantly accepted.
Freebooter Hennessy introduced a resolution
appointing Miss Josephine McDermott to the
position at an annual salary of 1920. and the
resolution was adopted.
DUGAN WANTS A Jerk.
County Collector Dugan complained that
it became more difficult every day for him to
collect taxes due the county, and petitioned
the board to appropriate the sum OF Sl,gOo
for an additional clerk to assist him in his
work. The matter was referred to the FL
nance Committee.
County Superintendent Cannon called the
boards attention to the fact hat the con-
tractors who had built the Pavonia avenue
sewer had left the street in very bad condi-
ton. and the Committee on Public and
County Roads were instructed to investigate
the matter.
ION motion of Freebooter HenneSsy the
services of Messrs. D.. W. Edwards, Leon
Albeit, Jr., and William Knapp and Henry
Gaede were dispensed with as special counsel
on the new County Road. Neither OF these
gentlemen nave been drawing any salary for
some time.
County Superintendent Cannon was in
structed to prepare plans for fixing the
sidewalk on the Pavonia avenue side OF the
Hall of Records, and also to have ratings,
ETC., on the steps leading to the entrance.
Freebooter Heller, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Court House n Jail, reported
that the committee had investigated the
matter of the discharge of prisoners by the
Grand Jury and had decided that, while the
action of the Grand Jury was not regular,
still the committee believed that the Grand
Jurors acted in good faith. 1t also relieved
the county Of considerable expense.
The Snake Hill committee reported that
they had selected a vacant space midway
between the P~enitentiary and the gashouse
as the site of the proposed electric light sta
ton at Snake Hill. The action of the com
mittee was endorsed.
The well known crank was again on deck,
and demanded to know how long the Free
holders were going to allow the bridge over
the Newark and New York Railroad on Ar
lington avenue to rust and crumble away.
The reformer was quietly ignored, but
later on in the meeting County Superintend-
ent Cannon informed the board that the
bridge required a coat of paint on the under
side, where the smoke from the engines had
caused it to crack and fall off. The Commit
tee on Bridges will take action.
DIRECTOR BRUGGEMANN'S VETO.
Director Bruggemann presented the fol
lowing veto:-
1 am obliged to disapprove of the action taken
by you at the regular meeting of the board neld
Thursday. January 4, in adopting or accepting
a document purporting to be a proposed con-
tract with the Jersey City, Harrison and Kearny
R. R. for the following reasons:-
The resolution under and by virtue OF which
this so called proposed contract Is submitted.
was offered and adopted at a regular meeting
of the board held March ,, 1898, by references to
which you will see that the request of the rail-
road company for the right and privilege of
laying tracks and maintaining and operating q
railroad on the bridge over the Hackensack
River, and also over the County Road leading
from the westerly terminus of said
tionally and that one of the main condition
was that a proposed contract and also a map
or profile showing the proposed plan, location,
etc, of said railroad, be filed with ths board
for its approval. and thai no rails be laid, nor
any other work in tue construction of said pro
posed railroad be commenced. until after such
proposed contract aud map. or proHle, had osen
filed and approved by the board.
Upon investigation I find that tbs said rail
road company had laid tracks before the mset-
ing of the Atm inst, and doue other work con-
trary to the terms Of tue resolution. l also find
upon examination that the new West Newark
avenue bridge, over which it is proposed
to lay a double track. IS about
% feet wide, not enough for two tracks. The
benefits of rapid transit are self apparent, but
they should be secured with as little smoarrass-
ment and impedimsnt to tine public as pc ssi Die;
/ would recommend therefore that the railroad
company be limited to a single track with
switches. We must remember that the bridge
is a new one and cost $50. 600. 1t was built for
the benefit of taxpayers, and 1t would be M
Just to give the greater part OF it to a private
corporation for the small considerat ion offered.
would also suggest that the rail road com
papy be requested to furnish the nee essafy
electric power to move the draw on the bridge.
and station there, at their expense, sons help. /
also mi giving the Commit ee on
Bridges more power of supervision over the
construction of the railroads, and that the coll
tract be as fully executed by the board as by
the railroad company. No loose methods should
be allowed.
/ want, furthermore. to call your attention to
the fragrant disregard of your authority and
with whichthe same corporation is
carrying on its operations They. tear up
planking on county bridges to Law rails and put
them back in q loose manner. The officers and
members of this board are expected to defend
tho property of the people.
A. NJ. BRueeEMANS.
Director.