The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-17
New Phase of the Feud Be-
tween the Boards of FL
nance and Street and
Water Commits
SionerS.
IMPROVEMENTS TO BE PUSHED
Work TO Be Done in Anticipation
of License Funds -Financiers
Won't Bulge One Jot.

The Commissioners of the Street and
Water Board decided today to break the
deadlock in the matter of public inn
provements. which they claim was oc-
casioned by the Board of Finances re-
fusal to hand over the license monies.
The work will be pushed along in an
ticipation of the funds coming.
These improvements, such as the re-
pairs to Montgomery street and other
places, were held back by the Board of
Works because they had no money, and
the Board of Finance had refused to
hand over $l25000, the sum derived from
licenses, less about $4,000 for claims
paid and to be paid. The cause for this
was that the Board of Finance insisted
that before the monies were transferred
the Board of Works must say where it
was going to, and since the Street and
Water Board replied its none of your
business; all you have to do is to hand
ments We're stopped.
Our position is this,,' said Finance
Commissioner Reuben Simpson, this
morning, that while we have every con-
fdence in the members of the Street and
Water Board, and. believe that the IL
cense monies will be legally. economical
is a bad precedent. If the Board has to
watch over the funds of the city, surely
it ought to be informed to what uses the
monies they set aside are to be applied.
We ask that the Board of Works shall
tell US how much is to go for streets and
how much for sewers. and how much
for this Improvement and how much for
that. We think it is bad thing to hand
" md I Enro do 1rf1a
you please with it, It is not business
like, to say the least, and think all
fair-minded men will say that there
ought TO be no objection from city ser
wants to tell in what way they are spend
ing the citys money
Mr.. Simpson, when informed that the
Street and Water Commissioners were
about to go ahead with the improve
ments in advance of the receipt of the
license monies, said that there was a
doubt in his mind as to the legality of
such a proceeding. Under the act he
continued. there was no time specified as
to the transfer of the money to the
Street and water Board, and unless the
necessary information was forthcoming
he did not believe that the Board of
Finance would hand over the sum re-
quired unless compelled by process of
law.
On the other hand. the Board of Street
and Water Commissioners think that the,
Raw authorizes the Finance Board to
hand over the license monies and does
not state or specify to what purposes it
shall except in general way, and the
Board of Finance has no right, under the
act, to inquire into the mode of expendi-
ture Their duty and responsibility ends
When the money is turned over to the
sence of the money the improvements
have been ordered and they will be paid
when the license money is turned over.
the Board Of Street and Water Commis-s
sioners will instruct counsel to begin
proceedings of either mandamus or quo
warfanto and then the matter will be
threshed out once and forever.
In relation to other improvements tenn
porarily delayed and concerning which
much comment has been made, they will
be pushed ahead when the Commission
the Commissioners of Assessment the
necessary information as to the assess
ment on the line of the improvement.
and in others have decided some matters
Concerning those which have reached
the contract stage, the law officers have
not yet concluded the contracts. These
will be pushed through without any fur
Clerk George z, Bouton said. in speak
ing of these improvements so delayed,
that there were good reasons for keep
ing them back but as the cases were
different the reasons were varied in
each. However he added. in few days
these matters will be satisfactorily adj
justed. The Mercer street improvemen
approved by the Board yesterday, will be
advertised this week and in all prob
ability the bid will be awarded and the
work commenced before the beginning of