The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-07-17
Finance Commissioners Re-
fuse to Pay the Water
Department Employees
for June.
RESULT OF EAST JERSEYS BILL
President Brown Says 1t Is Impos-
sible to Reduce the Force
Owing to Uncertainty Of
Temporary Supply.

The Board of Finance held another long
session last might. A greater part of the
evening was spent behind closed doors
The appropriations for the several
branches of the city government are still
worrying the Commissioners. There is
also missing the amount required for
State. school and county purposes. Comp.
troIfer Hough. who usually makes up the
Board of Finance estimate, has not COM
pleted that arduous task yet, and it is
probable that the budget will not be ready
before July %, when the Board is to meet
again. 9le4
The Commissioners have pigeonhoied
the payrols of the employees of Belleville
and High Service, General Superintendent
and for laborers employed i'm laying and
repairing water pipe for the month of
June. They lave been ~pigeonholed as a
result of the presentation of the East
Jerseys claim of about $4,000 for water.
The payrolls in question show no reduc-
tion and the Finance Commissioners an
not understand why the entire working
force must be retained If the East Jersey
Company is furnishing more than two
thirds of the water required. With only
one-third as much water to pump as
heretofore, the Commissioner believe
that the working force should be reduced
accordingly. 4
The payrolls have been hung up now
for two weeks, and it is not probable
tfrat they will be passed for another
month at least. The Finance Commission
ers have called upon the Street and Water
Commissioners to explain how it is they
have made no effort to bring about a re-
duction in the working force of the Water
Department.
e" a.Ia DsnAar7 QrOrrn rr1n hoC
charge off Belleyile and High Service, ex-
plains that no reduction in the force has
been possible as yet owing to the uncer-
tainty of the East Jerseys temporary
supply. He says that as soon as it is safe
TO lay off men he will do SO. The paymen
for the temporary supply is one Of the
questions which are agitating the off1cials
at this time. They are endeayoring TO
bring about such reductions and savings
in the maintenance of the department as
viii at least offset the cost of the new
Pequannock. Mayor Wanser and the
Finance Commissioners are opposed to
raising money for the support of the wa
ter department by direct taxation Tnat
course will be necessary, they say, now
more promptly and sweeping reductions
are made in the working and clerical
forces of the department.
The Board last night concurred in the
awards of the Street and Water Board
to Henry Byrne for the construction of
a sewer in West Side avenue; 2. II. Fla
herty, Jr., & Co, Improvement Of Cam
bridge avenue; P. It. Plunkett, sewer in
Duncan avenue. and Henry Byrne, the
improvement of Harmon street. The Off
cial bond of John H. O'Brien in $1,000 as
constable of the Third Ward was ac-
cepted.
Corporation Counsel Blair notified the
Board that the 81. 500 appropriated In 1880
would be sufficient to pay for the com
pilation of all laws affecting Jersey City
up to the present time. Police Justice
Douglass is making the compilation The
taxes on St. Kathrine's Home, situated IN
Reservoir avenue, were cancelled. The
home is a branch of ST. Marks Church.