The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-06
next moment President Jones was on the

next moment President Jones was on the
sidewalk
lie was unwell, and his face bore evil
dence of the fact. He had lost his usual
color and was not as active as usual.
His hair seemed winter. and all told he
presented a despairing appearance. He
was assisted upstairs by his colleagues.
Once inside the water problem was TAX
| en- up in earnest. notwithstanding his
weakness Mr.. Jones entered into the de-
bate with his old time vigor The office
door remained open only a few aninutes,
| and then began a secret session that
/ lasted nearly an hour.
| The door had scarcely closed when ii.
| V. Condict. Congressman McEwan ana
| James Anderson put in an appearance IN
| front of the City Hall. They were fol-
| lowed by Joseph Anderson. M. j. Furst
and j. w. TAFT They were the Board OF
Trade committee. Like all the other
watchers they had to content themselves
| on the cold front steps or the dirty steps
| about the corridor.
A stencil from the Passaic water with
which the halls had recently been
| scrubbed pervaded the corridor. 1t made
| the committee feel finielSy. They said SO
at least.
CONGRESSMAN MEWAN's soMBRE
| GARB.
| Congressman McEwan was the picture
! of despair. He was present to launch his
Mayoralty boom, and he adopted fit
ting costume for the occasion. He had
| on black trousers, a black Prince Albert
coat a black hat, black tie and black
side whiskers. The latter are permanent,
l by,t 4l,aTr soayf,ad I1Ia oIrer than ever
| The Congressman occupied a seat of
| honor on the dirty stairs leading to the
Van Houten Post rooms. He presented
pretty picture Myron Furst wouldn't
sit down because he had a light suit on.
H. V Condict went out frequently to
| ouench his thirst in Passaic water.
| At ten o'clock the Finance Board S
Office was thrown open and the commit
| tee entered. President Jones ap0logized
| for the small quarters. and suggested
| that they be heard before the final meet
| ing which was to be held be called to
order This was satisfactory to the
members. H. V. Condict was in a hurry
| TO say something. He was about to be-
| gin when Joseph A. Dear entered.
! Everybody stopped breathing for a min
ute. Then the wailing began. The
first gentlemen given the privilege of the
| floor was II. Y. Condict. He said
! MIR. CONDICTS TALK.
''It was rumored about town that the
! Board proposes tonight to disregard its
former acton and not appoint al expert
| and concur in the award made by the
| street ana Water Board for a neW water
| supply. For myself L say that l think
| il is proper that | am here to speak,
L nave right to speak and discuss the
| question i'll an infoTmai manner. 1t seems
strange TO me that the Board should
| disregard its former action, and / be-
| neVe an egreSious blunder is being made.
| rms IS the most important question
/ that has ever come before the city Off
| cials, particularly When we look at cur
| Indebtedness OF $1S,G00,000 and find that
| $esUvI0DO are TO be tackled on. 1t is an
| increase Of so per cent This situation,
! to my mind, is strange one. Last
| spring this same company offered US the
| same supply for %,D900U0, and now it
| asks S7,950,000 Had you gentlemen con-
| CURED in the $1,000 600 contract you would
| have saXed- -tle-city 81, 900, 00e oyer the
| contract now before you. The question
| naturally arises, did you make a mistake
| then or are you making mistake now?
L am in favor OF water, and if we can
| not get it in any other way than by
| contract ! will stamp my approval on
/ contract, but it must be made in a
/ proper manner. am not and am sure
| my colleagues are not here to obstruet
| the procuring of water I know the
| dilemma that is confronting u.s. If it is
| a question of increasing our debt OF
! drinking bad water, L say by all means
!
| gentlemen would make such contract
| as you are asked to concur in ii you
| We're dealing with your, own private in,
| terests, and you should remember that
| the city's interests are yours Not one
| of you would build a house without en-.
saging man to assist you.
Here you are considering an IS, 600, ,00t
| contract and what do you know as tC
it's legality? Suppose l could point Out
| a clause that is Illegal and Which viii
make the, whole thing defective? It ]:
.I1-f1
| will not be up to the standard you eX
| pect, and don't you think it would bt
most advisable to have an expert to as
sfst you? Surely you gentlemen woult
not attempt to lay cable across ths
ocean without proper advice, and Why
Sot ~ 5iS be we resnonsi6i
ity falls upon your shoulders. You a.
first declared you would do nothing with
out an expert, and said further prac
| tically that you would not concur il
the contract now before you. The Stree
and Water Commissioners have crawlet
out nicely and left. you to bear the whole
burden. l understand that three mem
| bers favor aS,contract and two oppose
one, and to those three L say that tht
! rights. You are all gentlemen of stric
integrity and business ability, and up t
this time have had the respect of tht
people, but I am free to say that thinl
| there will be considerable odium attached
to your names If you concur in this
award. An expert employed by the
works at $4,50O,0O0, and another experl
favors a S., 600 900 contract, but you whC
| are not experts favor an $S000,009 con
| tract How you are going to answer K
| the people I don't know. What harm
| could attend the employment of an ex
pert? When people say that the time
has not arrived for the employment oi
an expert they are wrong. The time has
practically passed, as one should have
prepared the Specifications, but one no.
having done so. it is not too late to en-
| ploy one to report on the plans. You
| gentlemen are in a position that excites
| my sympathy. There has no doubt beer
pressure to bear upon you from every
Hold on interrupted Coin1nissionel
Simpson, II won't listen to that
| l want you and everyone else to dis
| tinctly understand that not a living sou
| has spoken to me or persuaded me how
to vote in this important matter"
'sDo not misunderstood me- replied
| know you, that no improper influence
| could be brought to bear on Reuber
Simpson or Jacob Detwiller. We know
| and trust you both too we'll for that"
''I am acting on this question as my
| conscience dictates and as my oath q
| office requifes,' = said Mr.. Simpson. g
look upon this water situation exclusive
/ " from the Office I holds / want yor
to understand that not a soul could
| prompt me to act any way ISdid no
/ consider right
| sYou people will all know our reason:
for acting en this question" interriiRtet
| Commissioner Detwiller. I'VE have
! emily. We are practically tied, hand:
and feet. We either had to accept this
contract or get no water. We all wan
| water, ] am satisfied of that. The pros
perity of our city demands It. ! cam
| go into detail at this time, but if vol
s9,i1l x11oif xrol1 will hear oIr explana tiO1