New-York tribune., 1896-01-03
6\N[RSEYMENg
rEBSEY CITY PROSPERED.
.,op wANSEE DETAILS THE M
pROvEMENTs or LAST YEAR.

u,rivARlE AND THE CiTYs FINANCIAL
CONDITION WAS BETTERED-TRos-
rrc~rs FOR THIS YEAR.
,.. ,r,cross made in municipal affairs In Jersey
f...v since tle present administration began has
,, ., marked as to cause comment not only
.r~oursout New-Jersey but a.so IN other States.
rbo ,ask that confronted Mayor Wanser and his
oiassues was an enormous one. and IT only
r,c~ irving for several years that they abe
70 accomplish any spprecable result In order
q obtain from the highest possible authority jus.
VIVA, has been done IN the way OF Improvement
during the last year Mayor Wanser was invited TO
.e,d a Communication 10 The Tribune. giving his
,ieNs on the year 1895 shown by the records in
tho Cty iiaG His reply IS herewith given:
To the Editor of The Tribune.
~. Tee ear just closed mas been most I'M
Iaiant enc IN the history OF jersey Chy II Is
inat sores OF political revolutions III in"lIclpAl
.lycrrment which have since become part OF the
s>'org oi oar sister cities. In May. &2,'the pres
oei. by the efforts that defeated party could
cner with tho whole government III It's grasp bn:
tae exc .utive; with the ki.ow,e'.e that mucn was
expected tha; Mas .inpos~iDie o. accomplishment;
CYNICAL expression OF .ack % confidence IN its Off
Gals that had become 50 ropulatly universa.
lat passed PARTISAN LEGISLATURE enacted measures
uei calculate! to croctua.y dispose oi any pos
;a..,e ana il became fs,Aionab.e Tor officials with
ssn.lmc :elms TO resort 20 litigation. TO retain
the c;f.ccs which the pcore had dtc.arcd h. their
s.Hi4ses. Their newly made executive should de-
Ad.ed to this may be noted that the accumulltel
lcsaHe5 Of bad ceots and unpaid obligations of
p,se! II by re.ng paid. they should have been
,ouc oefore but the penalty Of which the
maintenance OF 4 hish tax rate ane tAe destroying
az !. did a debt OF some sNcpco tax rate OF
81 4 the S.'r. overdrawn appropriations and
uapaii outstanding obligations reaching In their
administration can clam TO have produced the
following results. which are discernble IN their
a year and half al most since al the departments
became harmonious and sympathetic with the ex-
TIE tax rate has been reduced 90 cents the sCoD
no, AT the rate Of % cents per $1,000 per year for
per yeas for four years which would have probably
been an enective political play. but reduced that
wf re- Ses appreciated Wien II Is remenher@d that
during tho last three years upward Of $S.Jco.0N OF
ralabies have been taken from us by the railroads
houses and stailon-houses have been made habit
able ana improved until they have reached con-
dton such as they in before New
schools have been built that not only first class
ss 10 material and workmanship but source of
srSs ses as we'll anu "0ae'' '' '"e' Au TO our SISTER
our Police and Fire departments have been raised
our Water Department has been changed from
vast political,pap supply store always running be
hind. into busnessliKe establishment, paying its
way and sef-sustain.ng.
our financial condition has been made sound and
attractive our last issue Of bonds was bought by
Sinking Fund Commissioners they being
the highest bidders IN close competition with some
ten or twelve bankers from all over the country
and they paid 1852 for 4i2 per cent bonds TOO
offered on the market any, Of our bonds and put
ting them away for cancellation when they reach
plished But as / said in the beginning that the
year 1895 has been important one is necessary
make It clear that In the latter year the results OF
the labor Of tho preceding two were more clearly
Sasn sna n s in IN % wSSa
Ma O;Ir Of
az the officials concerned. Of the water question
ss %si S and
ned. careful and businesske manner. As is true
sievous wrong has been done the officials charged
With The duty Of disposng of itnnocently by those
those who mis.epresented them My experience
has been ht the public taxes kDG ei and .
understands the true side. and that continued
sucoesd for time. but that public opinion although
at times wrongly directed By such methods, slowly
The settlement Of the water, question IS now be,
foe the suDrems NE cour and me m o6a aC9n ha
the decision NAV be. II the contract be sustained,
kno~edss tha; during + the @ Whole legal CONTEST
charge or even inii;ration OF dishonesty was a.,
by the result that new bidding Will produce g.:
one proposal OF ~: increased cost over the preseMh, en-
icinpora-y supDiy from he Newark Surplus ~ill
hy which our drinking water has made tho city
notorious Throughout. the country. A larger mum.
fsw sewers ard pavemen,s throughout the city
during the last year than during the preceding ten
before: and wAi.o possibly they might be cleaner,
J. aIty c..y IL the cOuntry has been formed Our
parks are in excellent condition. Our lighting sys-
Zen, has been revolutionized and have
.rscted for enough electric arc lights TO al
most he enre cy "a at an gTce Of s 20
'5w rate .a comparison With that pad by neigh
iorng ci.ies Contracts have been made for the
i;iG,nc OF The Mercer ana Thirteenth viaducis
and .he sIn Cre.k sewer. ana the Morgan-st. dock
has been extended and made greater source OF
Mich has been accompi mpi,sheA-nany things in
motion in 1895 the CITY Will surely see the com,
peon Of the a"T whch mean afa hs
opening ard building up Of the meadow that nov
dydes city and the hii It VIZ soo be tb znSed nn,
sie;ton Of tho Southeast, Driveway. Of the new
Ci:y Hail and more new schools 1t VIII III YIN o ,ne
sos's C0ye so6st BE VI" BOOM in eal-esiate and
let zoe cell a.ten.ion 20 the fact that our CITY
rc-ai'y by those who want homes or oT aSsraor eo
location for factories. etc Wlthin a hye W. now
wel~oaved well-sewcrea ana wel-lich,fI sre,tiS; ti
we haze -ap.d-.rarst system thai wil 1aVo,apN
compare with that OF any ciiy ~, N ne rom which
tae r1elTG5oIs cannot be reached IN twenty 1 "r
,n.riy n1inntcs at most our taX-rae IS on lne o
no-aieal managed OF any city OF equal size in IRE
co.nirv: We havo hrst-class srhooi acconl,Th accsIT hn
tons. tie proportion o. cnuret y on ond neichbor-
Inc ci,'ss wo have reason TO be proud or our o'.I
ard H:c dcpar gnents: our death-rate rs eFsren,E @
ni6cenf The facilities IN so far as rll.roaI niiI
steamship lines are concerned canno, ~ nc ~ ,he
anywhere in the couniry bu our has bIJdem our
light and our ADVANTAGES T. r. "N-> ,fnrnr
Jersey City, Jan >. ls* '"''