The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-04
MORE WATER DELAY
Board of Finance Adopts
the New Specifications
and Orders Bids Ad-
vertised for
HOOS WANTS ALTERATIONS
Engineers Suggestions to the
Mayor to Be Embodied or
No Contract Will
Be Signed.
TO PROTECT WATER RECEIPTS
Resolutions Passed for More Safe
guards in the Collection OF
Permit Fees.
TO PROTECT WATER RECEIPTS

The Board of Finance held its regular
weekly meeting last evening, with all the
members present.
On report OF the Committee of the
Whole, the resolution of the Street and
Water Board adopting the water speci-
ticaltions and instructing the Clerk of that
Board to advertise for proposals. allowing
six weeks time between the first date
of advertising and the time for receiving
the bids, was concurred in-
The resolution adopted yesterday by the
Street and Water Board, published in yes
terday's Jersey City News in reference
to instituting a suit to recover the
amount of reported deficiency in the Wa
ter Department was concurred in.
The following resolution to insure more
careful bookkeeping in the Water Depart
ment was adopted
Whereas The Committee on Finance de-
sire to place i'll operation in connection
with the collection OF moneys IN all de-
partmentS of the city where moneys are
received the same general plan as adopted
by this Board by resolution of October ~,
1897 in connection with the Registrar S
office, therefore, be il
Resolved, That upon payment OF any
moneys in cash OF otherwise TO the per-
nit clerk of the Water Department, the
said clerk will not deliver the receipt
therefor to the party rahIng Such pay
ments until such receipt shall have been
inspected by the City Comptroller, whose
duty it shall be forthwith on presentation
of the same, to enter IN proper pook
or books provided fer that purpose, the
date of such payment, the name OF the
party making the same, for what paid
and to indorse oh such receipt the date
and amount of such payment, with the
names and style of officers.
in operation not later than December /
next
In order that it may become effective,
it is necessary that all bills, ETC., in use
on hand after date be stamped Receipt
not valid unless countersigned by City
Comptroller
It is probable that Mayor Hoos will rec
ommend several changes IN the water
specifications as adopted by the Street
and Water and Finance Commissioners.
When the specifications were prepared
the Street and Water Commissioners, by
an oversight failed to invite the Mayor
to look over the specifications before they
adopted them. Three days after their
adoption the engineers, Messrs. Vermeule
and Ferris, called on the Mayor and
asked him if he had any recommendations
to make. His Honor replied that he had
none, not having seen the specifications
yet His Honor, it is supposed, was a
little piqued by the adoption of the speci-
fications without having been consulted.
When the specifications We're forwarded
to the Finance Commissioners, they re
quested the Mayor to meet with them,
that action might be taken which would
possible. The Mayor was at first inclined
to meet with the Finance Commissioners,
but yesterday evening he changed his
mind and sent letter of explanation to
the Board instead. In it the Mayor said
he would not meet with the Board, as
by doing SO he might commit himself to
something about which he might subse-
quently change his mind. He also made
it quite clear that he would approve no
contract made in accordance with plans
and specifications which he did not ap-
prove in every respect. The law makes
the Mayors assent to contract abso-
lutely necessary. The Mayors refusal to
confer with the Finance Commissioners
caused those gentlemen to feel hurt. They
declare that their only motive in asking
him to meet with them was to insure the
elimination of any Objectionable features
of the specifications, so as to prevent un-
necessary delay.
AS soon as Mayor Hoos receives the con-
current resolutions of the Finance Board
he will communicate his recommendations
to the Boards of Finance and Street and
Water Commissioners. His Honor's sug-
gestions will doubtless be adopted by both
Boards What changes the Mayor has in
view are not known. He has had Leb-
beus B. Ward and, it is said, another en-
gineer, go over the specifications, and
several things which may be changed in
the city's INTEREST," The changing of the
specifications will cause their return to
the Street and Water Board, where they
originated.
Mayor Hoos says it is not his intention
to delay the water proceedings. He will
insist however, on the plans and specit-
cations being entirely agreeable to him
city.