The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-19
Mr.. GRIFF|THS' WORK.
Board Of Finance Thinks He
Should Be Paid in
Spite Of the Mayor.

The Finance Board met yesterday
| afternoon. All the member were present.
Howard c.. Grifiths.x whose appointment
to codify the Martin Act and Its supple
ments, Mayor Hoos vetoed, sent a letter
of explanation to the Board. Grifiths
was instructed to do the work some eigh-
| teen months ago by the Finance Board.
The resolution appointing him, which the
Mayor vetoed, was passed only to make
his appointment a matter of record.
Grifiths has been at the task now for ten
consecutive months and has the work
ready for the. printer. He insists that
having undertaken the work in good faith
and under instructions from the proper
authorities he should be paid.
President Heppenheimer inquired If the
proposed payment Of $500 to Grifiths was
for the codification of the Martin Act
alone. If it was he said he would Oppose
it, because the price would he exorbitant,
he having codihed the same act in four
hours.
Commissioner Midlige answered that
Griffiths was also to codify all the city
ordinances. Originally it was agreed to
pay him $500, but the task was discovered
to be such a great one that the compensa-
ton was voluntarily increased to $500.
III he is to do all that work. said
President Heppenheimer, he should be
paid $500. / would not accept less than
$500 for such an undertaking.
The facts in the case are to be laid be-
fore the Mayor, who, 1t is believed, was
not cognizant of what Grifiths was in
structed to do. The Mayor, it is thought,
will withdraw his veto. The veto should
nave been acted upon yesterday, but ac-
tion was deferred by adjourning until next
Wednesday. In the meantime the situa-
ton will be fully explained to the Mayor.
City Collector Simeon Smith notified the
Board of Edward T. Morgan's resignation
as a deputy collector of personal taxes.
Corporation Attorney Douglass ADVISED
| against Mrs. A. Dunn for benefits derived
| from the construction of the Mill Creek
| sewer. Mrs. Dunn owns property north
of the Boulevard. She is just within the
assessable area. AS matters stand at
present there is no sewer in the street
| where she lives and consequently she de-
| riyes no benefit from the Mil Creek
sewer. She will be benefited in the event
OF the construction of a lateral sewer
which will connect with Mill Creek. Mr..
Midlige held that the assessment was I'M
fair. He was unwilling to abide by the
advice OF the City Attorney and had the
| case referred to the Committee of the
Whole. Some relief will doubtless be
given the petitioner. It was suggested
that she could have the assessment set
aside by the courts. Mr.. Bailey insisted
that would be an injustice to put the lad
to that expense.
Corporation Counsel McDermott advised
| the cancellation of taxes imposed on
| property in Monmouth street. owned by
| the Norris and Es TX Railroad. The local
| assessment cannot stand, Mr.. McDermot.t
says. because the property in question is
used for railroad purposes and is assessed
by the State.
Mr.. Midlige announced that only about
cne-half of the tract is used for railroad
purposes. He asked that the matter be
referred to the Committee of the Whole
for consideration. That course was pur-
sued.
Edward O'Neiu of a contract for the
laying Of a pipe sewer In Noble street.