The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-08
MONEY ALL GONE,
Street and Water Appro-
priations MIXED Dry
by the Outgoing
Board.
OVERDRAFT OF $50, 600
seandalous Revelation Regard
ing the Liquor License
Monies.
WORKMEN ALL LAID OFF
insufficient Money for the New
Parks, Street Cleaning and
Other Purposes.
W0RKMEN ALL LAID OFF

Street and Water Commissioner Heintze
discovered this morning that the Republi-
have played such havoc with appropria-
tions generally that he and his col
leagues will commence operations con-
fronted with shortage of about $780,
All appropriations are supposed to last
until the first day of December, which
is the beginning of the next fiscal year.
So careful were the Republicans to
spend every dollar that they could get
their hands on that in one account there
remains the remarkable balance of seven
cents
In justice to themselves and the Demo-
cratic party, the Commissioners have re-
quested their Clerk, George T. Bouton, to
prepare a report showing the financial
condition of the Board. The report will
be ready for presentation at next Mon
days meeting. Its preparation at this
time is merely to let the public know
what the true condition of affairs is and
make it clear why certain things will not
be done.
Under the charter, about s125, 200, which
represents one-half of the liquor license
money. which is devoted to special street
work. is set aside annually The Re
publican Board made such an onslaught
on that money that aot dollar of it re-
mains, and, worse still, the Democratic
Commissioners will have to pay out $780,
600 for claims contracted in excess of that
amount. Not dollar can be paid out
by the Democratic Board until the LIQUOR
license monies become available again,
which is on July l. BY having to pay
$4,000 for work done by their predeces-
sors the Commissioners will only have
s75.0O0 next year with which to work.
Naturally, expenditures will have to be
curtailed, and improvements which the
Board had contemplated and hoped to
make will be abandoned The Replbli-
of the condition of city finances, with
the result that contracts were made.
work done and no money available to
pay for it.
This shortage being in the street ac-
count, Commissioner Heintze this morn
ing was compelled to lay of the forty
eight men who were appointed yesterday
as laborers on streets Not one of the
men appointed will be able to go to
work before July l. Commissioner
Heintze says he could put the men at
work and go ahead repairing streets, but
to do so would involve further en-
croachment upon next years monies. He
is opposed to pursuing such a course, ano
he declares that while he is a member
OF the Board the money appropriated
each year will have to be made to meet
all obligations of that year.
"Our department is to be run in a
business-like manner" he says. There
will be no exceeding Of appropriations,
nor will we for appearances use money
that we are not entitled to. I knew af-
fairs were in bad shape, but I had no
idea that things were SO bad People
will naturally look to US for relief.
am sorry we are not in a position to
grant it. The spending of money by the
old Board last year which should have
been spent this year is an outrage. and
places us at a great disadvantage With
our limited means, however, we will do
the very best we cam
The old Board ordered the repair and
ont Of
Bay View avenues, and there is not
available today dollar to pay for any of
them. The improvement of Danforth
avenue, which is to- cost $500, cannot
be paid for until after July 1, next, owing
to the lack of funds. There is not even
sufficient money on hand to have the
recently constructed mScadam roadways
watered until after July l. There is
not money enough to pay for the COM
pletion of the Mercer street improvement.
For the improvement of the new Ogden
avenue park site there IS only 81, 500 and
that sum is not sufficient to build
sustaining wall which is necessary. AS a
consequence, there is roS a dollar to be
had for laying out and beautifying of
the Jackson place and Bay View avenue
parks, there is an appropriation left of
$4,000. The Bay View avenue park alone
will require the expenditure of $4,000 on
a low estimate.
70 repair any more paved streets is out
OF the question, because there is no
money. To clean streets properly is an
impossibility. There is remaining in that
fund about $4,000, and no more money will
be available until December l next. The
$4,000 is wholly insufficient to meet the
emergency as now is the time that streets
must be cleaned In cleaning and repair
ing sewers. only about one ninth of what
really should be done is possible There
is no money nor have the Commissioners
any way Of getting money.