The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-16

CONTRACT AuNULLED.
Street and Water Boards
Emphatic Refusal of
Sheridan & Shea's
Request.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS COMING
Chief Engineer Fowler's Plan for
recognizing his Department
Routine Business.

@nVubluC DuSlupcCs
Much of the business transacted by the
Beard of Street and Water Commission
ers. at the regular meeting. yesterday
afternoon, was of Importance to the pub
lie and of general interest. All the MEM
bers of the Board were present, except
ing Commissioner Brown. Clerk Bouton
being absent on account of illness, Assist
ant Clerk Tolson discharged his duties.
The Hudson Telephone Company petit
toned the Board to give it permission, IN
writing, to lay a subway in Montgomery
street, from Warren to Exchange place.
for the use of its telephone wires. The
petition stated that when that. street Is
torn up for Improvement contemplated
the subway can be laid with lit
tie or no public inconvenience. The petit
ton further stated that the company was
duly incorporated and that by an ordi-
nance passed by the Board of Aldermen,
March II, 1854, it was authorized to lay
a subway down York street to the Hud-
son River, but since that time York street
had been asphalted and it would be ex-
pensive and injurious TO the street 10
open it for a subway, therefore for the
privilege of laying a subway in Montgom-
cry street it will give up its right to lay
a subway in York street. The petition
was referred.
The following communication was re-
ceived from the Sheridan & Shea Com
pany=
From advices received this morning we
understand that the time limit for the
completion of the paving of lower Mont
P0mfrV street has PEnifeQ. l E
We respectfully make application to
your Honorable Board for thirty days
extension of time for the completion OF
that contract and beg to add some OF
our reasons for this request
L. We were prevented by the inaction
and delay of the Building Inspector and
the Board of Aldermen in passing upon
the merits or dement's of our application
for the erection of a stone crushing plant
from getting the necessary stone for that
Improvement.
2. The Building Inspector, in his burn
ing zeal for the public welfare, has in
dustriously put obstacles in our way by
notifying people all around that our COM
pany intended to establish a second ,edi-
tion of the Ten Plaques of Egypt in
their midst; that the stone crusher
would be worked night and day for at
least five years; that people could not
hear themselves think in common par
lance, and that the action of our com
pany was simply a subterfuge to work
in a good thing for the Erie Railroad
convenience of the dear public. The
alarm thus provoked was eagerly taken
up and amplified by our worthy ex-Al-
derman and his faithful Sancho Panza,
the former always thirsting for glory
and the distinction of vanquishing either
a windmill, stonemill or any other form
of abuse. We are now surrounded by
%neighbors who are afraid that they cam
not hear themselves think" for a period
of five years, who cannot have clean
clothes for the same period unless they
ranyyd 0xxrnU a milo nr moro and who of
course. cannot pay their taxes as a nee
essary sequence of all those dreadful evils
in the neishborhood. We submit that
these considerations should nave proper
weight with your Honorable Board, and
that you ought to do something to save
US from calamity shouters." The peo-
pie of Brooklyn don'N seem to object to
stone crushers planted right in front of
twenty thousand dollar residences. New
York has got them in its most populous
streets: Newark, too, has got one on the
line of an Improvement, and we think
we should command your sympathy II
we attempt to place one on empty lots
in Washburn street, with all its aesthetic
surroundings.
Chief Ruggles submitted this report
L do hereby certify that / am acquaint-
ed with the provisions of the contract en-
tered into on the 22d day of September,
1897, between the Sheridan & Shea Com
pany, a corporation of the State of New
Jersey, and the Mayor and Aldermen of
Jersey City, for the furnishing of all the
material and the doing of all the work
required for the regulation of Montgom-
cry street, from the bridge stone on the
west side of Hudson street to the bridge
stone on the west side of Warren street,
as particularly set out in the specifca-
lions annexed to said contract; that the
said contract requires the said Sheridan
& Shea Company to complete all the
work therein specified within forty-ive
days from the date of said contract; and
that l am familiar with the condition of
the work under such contract, and l am
of opinion that the said work on the part
of the said Sheridan & Shea Company has
been unnecessarily delayed.
The Board promptly disposed of the
whole matter by adopting by unanimous
vote the following preamble and resolu-
tions:-
Whereas. On the 22d day of September,
1897, the Mayor and Aldermen of Jersey
City entered into a contract with the
Sheridan & Shea Company, a corporation
of the State of New Jersey, by which con-
tract the Sheridan & Shea Company
agreed to furnish all the materials
and do all the work required for the regu-
lation of Montgomery street. from the
bridge stone on the westerly side of Hud-
son street to the bridge stone on the
westerly side of Warren street, in accord
auce with the specifications to the said
contract annexed and the drawings ac-
~companying the same, within forty-lye
working days after the date of said con-
tract; and,
whereas, The forty-five working days
mentioned in said contract within which
the said Sheridan & Shea Company was
to nave accomplished the work under the
said contract have expired, and the work
is not completed, as required by said con-
tract; and,
Whereas, 1t appears by the certificate
of the Chief Engineer in writing to this
Board that in his opinion the said work
is Unnecessarily delayed; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Clerk of this Board
be directed to give written notice to the
said Sheridan & Shea Company to dis
continue all work under said contract,
and to serve said company with a copy
of Sid notice and of this resolution.
Petitions from James T. Earle for
change of grade of Van Reypen avenue,
from Summit avenue to the Boulevard.
and rcmonstrance signed by Archibald
Macarthur and 6S others against the cree
t:cn of n stone crusher by the Sheridan &
Shea Company, at Washburn street and
Mcpherson place, We're received and re-
ferrfd.
The New York Pottery Company petit
ticDed for permission to lay a switch at
grade across Twelfth street rendered
necessary by vacation of it of Mon
mouth street for the elevation of the
Erie Railroad tracks.
In relation thereto the following was
adopted
Whereas. Under the plan for the eleva-
tion Of the tracks of the Erie Railway
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