The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-04-12
WATER SURPRISE.
Rumors That the Bills for Pc
quannoek Fluid Will Show
a 10 Per Cent Increase.


vent the Republican candidates from
being hopelessly buried beneath a biz
zard of indignant taxpayers ballots,
leaked out this morning..
1t is that the water bills are being held
back. 1t is said that to maintain the ex-
penses of the department it has been
necessary to add from 10 to 20 per cent
to every consumers bill, great or small
Since the change Of administration five
years ago. the water rents have been in
creased in some instances twofold. In
each case it happens strangely enough,
thatsthe Republicans found it necessary
to "equalize" only the rents of pro-
nounced Democrats. Appeals for a
reasonable reduction have been unavail-
ing and It will doubtless make Repub
lican and Democratic property owners
groan to learn that their water rents
have been given another jump of 10 per
cent, or perhaps more.
The water books, containing the new
and increased assessments have been
written uo and practically all the bills
made out They have not been sent out
and will not be sent cut until after cleo
ton, for the reason, it is asserted, that
they would cost the Republican eandi-
dates every vote that is likely to be cast
for them at this time by an owner of
realty.
Extravaganza in the water department
Is known to be directly responsible for
the raise but it is contended on the
other side, by the Republicans that the
raise is to equalize the assessnlents. Ever
has been furnishing water to the city,
without agreement as TO price or q COM
force at the BelleVille and High Service
pumping stations has been retained,
causing q useless expenditure of thou
sands of dollars.
The Board Of Finance endeavored to
force the dismissal of the high priced
employees, who. We're drawing pay and
doing nothing, but to no avail. Payrolls
Were hung up for time, but were sub
sequently paid because of the pressure
that was brought to bear upon the mem
bers. Retren5hlnent was promised after
election and it has censeS; S;aently. been com
ciuded that the large forces of unneces-
sary workmen have been retained at the
city'S expense in order to- insure their
votes for Republican candidates next
Tuesday. The scheme is so apparent that
nembers OF good government associa-
tiOnS announced their determination of
supporting Mr.. Hoos and the entire
Democratic ticket.
The abusive attitude of the Evening
JournaP in this campaign has excited the
severest kind of criticism. A few months
ago that sheet was opposing water
contract tooth and nail. A contract was
characterized as robbery and SO on. The
Passaic River, that paper contended was
the city's natural source OF supply and by
hltering" the water it was held the city
could be saved millions if the officials
would make an honest effort in that
direction Now the managers seem on the
verge of delrium Nremens lest the Pas
sale may. have to Sbe used again. The
change of sentiment in the paper is re-
garded as strange by all those people
who are not aware that William H. Cor
pany, is director in the Evening Jour-
nar' Association, and that Sheffield
Phelps, proprietor of the paper, is the
Griggs.
On Saturday the, Journal" in large
I a ha ON,
1t will be in the acquiescence of Counsel
Corbin of the East Jersey Water Com
pany to charge the city for the water it
has furnished about the price asked BY
Mayor Wanser, or one-half the contem-
plated charge of $43 per million gallons.
The making of such an agreement the
have tried for six months to arrive at
conclusion as to the price to be paid per
million gallons, will, It is thought, arouse
who has watched the progress of the
campaign.
1t has been charged that the East Jer-
financial end of the Republican campaign
and it. it is held by Democrats. that this
fon wl Tbe onrm that
said sending out in the event of Mr..
Hooss, election, the increased water bills
for the purpose of endeavoring to show
that return to Democratic administration
is reponsible for the imposition of the
greater tax. Democratic orators will
expose the trick at public meetings to-
The claim of the Republicans that they
nave laid 55 miles of streets and construct
ed g miles or more Of sewers has set the
a state of mind. Not a mile of the sup
posed fifty-fve miles of streets has been
laid there, nor has the section been given
tributed promiscuously in favored neigh
borhoods. Two-thirds of the streets in
the. section are but mud holes, and appli-
1e,r1fy 1,s,xyo