The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-09-03

FRGBB00TBRS At WORK
Jobs and Deals Jammed
Through by the bine'
Without Rhyme or
Reason.
SQUEEZING CONTRACTOR BAKER
Counsellor Griffin Says the Boule-
ward Is Only Damaged About
$4,000 Worth.
SQUEEZING CONTRACTOR BAKER

Inc Board OF FreeDOoterS nelu a meet
ing yesterday evening. which will bs
memorable in the annals of the county
The Board, or rather the combine which
rules the Board, had already achieved 6
reputation for general all-around crook
edness which held the record, but the
record was broken last night. The houl
for meeting is P. NJ, by resolution
but it was two hours later when the
meeting was called to order. This was
because the combine committees had fail
ed TO meet on Wednesday and fix uE
their jobs and they had to do 1t yester-
day. The members, whose honesty has
kept them out of the combine, stood
around and waited until the jobs were
fixed up. That was all they could do
but after the session began they man.
aged to make things somewhat lively.
The only commendable thing the combine
did was the reappointment of Colonel
Grimes as Warden of the Penitentiary;
but even that had to be accomplished by
deal, the Democratic members of the
combine being obliged to give the Re
publican Freebooters three appointments
as an Offset. One of the appointments
was that of John ]. Vile, rank parti-
san, as engineer of the electric light plant.
Another was the appointment of John j.
O'Brien as Jury clerk in the Sheriff $
Office. The third appointment was left
to the Republican members of the COM
bine TO make.
The first trouble arose over a requisi-
tion for stationery and supplies for the
Sheriffs office and the County jail. At
ter a heated discussion the requisition
was referred to the standing committee.
Mr., Verdon spoke of the star chambers
in the meetings of the standing commit
tee. He said that, although a member
of the committee, he was never allowed
to see any of the papers.
1.-THE Standing Committee" he said,
never exhibits any documents. They
play puss-in-the-corner act all along,
and nobody can get any information from
them The Freeholder's statement was
contradicted by Freeholders Riordan and
Groth, who declared that every member
of the committee was given an oppor-
tunity to see the papers and that the
committee had nothing to conceal from
the public. They were sorry few min
utes afterward that they made that state
ment, when Freeholder Verdon offered
resolution that representatives of the
press be allowed to attend the commit
tee meetings.
Director Green promptly declared the
resolution out of order and that ended it.
William Baker, the contractor who is
supposed to keep the Boulevard in repair,
asked for an extra allowance on account
of the damage which has been done by
the severe storms this summer. He con-
fdently expected to get $4,000, and his
confidence was apparently based on con-
ferences that he had held with the lead
ers of the combine. For some reason
which did not come to the surface, but
which may readily be guessed by people
who are familiar with the methods of
the Freebooters, the extra allowance was
not only refused, but Contractor Baker
was severely criticized and his contract
was practically taken away from him.
John C. Kaiser, Superintendent of the
Southern Section reported that he had
notified Baker of the damage done by
the storm and ordered him to repair it,
but the contractor had made only few
repairs. Freeholder Clements submitted
the following preamble and resolutions
Whereas, William Baker has failed to
live up TO the terms of his contract with
this Board and has neglected and failed
to carry out the directions of Superinten-
dent John Kaiser for upwards of "a hours;
Ing Pasnived That Iobn Kaiser forthwith
employ men and purchase material to
put the road IN such shape as is needeo'-
s4a eI,,ed uS - IN rhat c,nar,n+e,den+ Michael
]. Coyle furnish written directions to
said William Baker Of repairs needed on
nfa ss hui riII,a paLer oS ,.enairs naedad nn
to carry out such instructions then be it
further
0,eo, md md nnrcba se mater;a,s to
put said road in repair and be it further
Resolved. That such work be charged
eeaiiiee eouei
Assemblyman Klink, who appeared as
,c,,,sa1 for Eater was piven tbe nrivi,epe
eoui'eI .oi A'"Ae' "'-' Q -
OF the floor ana SAID
81 have come here to address you as
t,,s,,,ass non having CONTRACT with an
susiiies' .i'oii ia sA.-e . 49, -
otner business man. anu WISH 10 say at
the start that there is danger ahead for
80 ~ F7S ~
tien. There IS trouble anead, Oh course,
for Baker but the courts will be called
,,Xo,, 10 settle +b,+ ,n tho avan+ of +b;s
upon ~ se'ei. Incl -. s.io went " .ii0
resolution passing. 1t is not my privi-
lege to criticize that resolution, but 1
-,,ss,, - co.., +t,t oors;aer a ,,n,,a,assar.,
and unfair. don't want either to criti-
cize the committee that reports on this
44 ,4 A. u,,v+ ~ 80, 49, -,
niallei' pul ~ ""'i' - say 'n@' De-
heye they have been misled-
$50 back if YOU will. to Nav 3. when
tne coh.i act iol spi anu niaii-
taiQing the Boulevard was awarded to