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

not be called upon to repair the damage
out of his original appropriation, but that
total reconstruction of the road was
necessary. You don't mean to tell me that
You think for a minute that the contractor
should be held responsible for the anrics
of the storm? Is he to blame that the TOP
dressing was washed away into the sew
ers or that the foundations of the road
were shaken up as they We're by that
storm?
1T would be just as fair for this
Board to say that in the event of the
reservoir on Central avenue bursting and
the water flooding and running the Boule-
ward, Mr.. Baker would be responsible and
should be called upon to repair the dam
age? You will all agree that such an
emergency would be entirely unexpected,
and you cannot deny that the case is
identical with that in point.
I'VE have not refused to go ahead with
our work. We have lived up to the spirit
of our contract. If were a member of
this Board l would not dare vote for this
imperil the affairs of the county by doing
So You cannot ask him to repair the
damage this storm has done. Your con-
templated action in this matter is danger
have done the work required of US. Since
the storm we have been at work on the
road every day. And here you come with
resolution and say you Will take the
work out of our hands.
1T seems to me that the Superintendent
is a bit enthusiastic in his communication
L
the occasion of this Boards inspection,
that the road was in a very bad condition
and that it needed entire reconstruction.
1t is manifestly unfair for you to say that
Mr.. Baker should be obliged to recon
struct the road. His contract does not
demand It, He is living up to his con-
tract. He has had men at work every day
and is making great headway.
Gentlemen, l ask, l beg, l warn you
not to try to take from US this contract.
We asked for an additional appropriation,
l.. rrsxr "a 20
have, instead, given US an answer that is
a blow between the eyes. Our request was
reasonable, but you ignored it,.
Il hope you gentlemen will not pass
this resolution. Ii you do, IT Will lead
you into trouble"
When Mr. Klink had finished Counsel
Griffin said he felt obliged to answer, so
that the public would not obtain wrong
impression from Mr. Kinks remarks.
What Mr.. Baker asks for he said, 1T
is not in this Boards power to give. If
the Boulevard has been damaged SO that
it needs reconstructing, then there is no
work to perform. From what the news
papers have published it would seem that
it Will require $4,000 or $4,000 to repair
the Boulevard. Chief Engineer Harrison,
who has gone over the road carefully,
says it will not cost any more than $1,000.
This Board acting under my advice,
gave the contract for sprinkhng ana
maintaining the Boulevard TO Mr.. Baker,
the lowest plddef. 1t pecdHe ms uuey,
when the contract was awarded, to keep
the road in good repair. When the road
was damaged by storm it was his duty to
repair it, and he has not done it
I'VE cannot control the elements
s'There is no law in New Jersey that
authorizes this Board to spend one cent
more than they have contracted 1or 10
keep the road repaired until December 1
of this year. This Board is but the ser
want of the public, and, as such must look
after the public's money. When this mat
fer. comes to court l can take care of the
legal end of it,
The preamble and resolution were
adopted.
Freeholder Riordan offered a resolution
boulevard lighted by contract. He
thought that If it was done in that way
the public would get better service than
they are getting at present. The reselu-
ton was adopted.