The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-23
Value FOR THEIR MONEY
Commissioner Heintze's Eff
fort to Protect Assessed
Property Owners.
IMPROVEMENT CERTIFICATES ISSUED
Republican Commissioners Vote
Down the Proposed Re-
form Safeguards. 4.

E 4N
The Republican majority in the Street
and Water Board at a meeting yesterday
afternoon voted down a resolution offered
by Commissions Heintze which was In
tended to place a safeguard around the
issuance of Improvement certificates to
contractors.
The resolution was as follows:-
Resolved, That prior to the issuance of
any hnal certificates in paymen for work
u9ne OF materials furnished on a contract
Whlch may. have been previously entered
into by this Board ana for which an in
speetor has been appointed, such inspector
snail file with the Chief Engineer of this
Board a statement in writing that the
work has been performed and the mate
rials furnished in a manner in keeping
contract, but the statement herein re-
quired to be filed is not to be taken as in
any way lessening. the responsibility of
nose oflcers on whom now devolves the
preparing of the estimates for and the is
Suance OF such certificates"
COMMISSIONS Heintze learned recently
that certificates for large sums of money
were ordered paid to contractors when he
believed such payments were scarcely
justified. He also came to the conclusion
that the method Of making payments was
rather loose, and that insufficient pro-
lection was given those property owners
who Were liable for the payment of the
cost of the work. 1t was TO guard against
a repetition of sue occurrences that he
offered the above resolution.
Il hope Commissioner Heintze will
withdraw this resolution said Commits
sioner Kaiser appealingly. mo payments
are made until the work has been certi-
fed to by our Chief Engineer. 1 think the
resolution is not a proper one. We have
sufficient safeguards around the payment
of money for improvements,
Il certainly will not withdraw the
resolution answered Commissioners
Heintze. 1T is perfectly proper, and re-
fleets upon no one. This is a matter in
which we cannot be too careful. We hire
inspectors, and If they are not to be relied
upon then what use are they. How is a
man VINO IS not near public work all the
time to know that the proper materials
are being used? If public work is going to
pe done ia an q property owners are going
that they get just what they are assessed
for. This is a step In the interests of re-
form and I hope the resolution will pass"
we have men doing practically what
this resolution requires now, and | do not
see how. we can improve matters by di-
rI IS beigg th sod iaspe ssfd Nc t. r gairer how work
Inspectors, are paid to see that work
is properly done and that the materials
Heintze. II only want the inspector and
Chief Engineer to agree before inn
provement certificates are paid that pro-
per work has been done"
Commissioner Heintze's reform move
ment did not meet with the approval of
the Republicans, and headed by Commits
sioner Kaiser they voted the resolution
| down.
Commissioner Heintze says he will in
trodlce the subject again shortly and
place the Republicans on record as oppos-
ing that which is intended as a protection
for property owners and taxpayers.
The improvement of st. Paul's avenue,
1 hafWann paltcQda4 on1A Gf1n If NM
The initial resolutions for the improve
| merit of Tuers avenue, between Newkirk
| street and the Boulevard; Charles street,
from Central venue to the Boulevard,
and Walker avenue, between Jackson and
Bergen avenue, were passed.
provisional awards were made to
Thomas Harrington and Andrew Shaw for
the Improvement of Pavonia avenue, be-
| tween Summit and Chestnut avenues,
and the construction of a sewer in Tom
nele avenue respectively.
| specifications submitted by Chief En-
| gineer Ruggles for the Improvement of
| Van Wrinkle street and Claremont avenue,
and the construction Of sewers in Pavonia
| avenue. South stree and Myrtle avenue.
All action which had previously been
| taken on the proposed construction of
sewers in Fifth and Seventeenth streets
was ~rescinded.
In the case of Seventeenth street some
| of the petitioners for the sewer are now
| demonstrating against it. No further steps
agree upon what they want.