The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-04-22
MONEY FOR OUR STREETS
Morristown Free From Debt For
the First Time in Its History.

=
Business of the Special Session of the
Board of Aldermen Monday Evening
Plans to Improve and Care for the City
streets-Collins Weir Appointed Asses
Final Payment to the Board of
Health Entire $4,000 indebtedness
can Administration Financial
Condition
Matters requiring immediate attention
necessitated a special session of the city
Board of Alderman on Monday evening.
All members were present except Ell. A .
Freeman. First business was the mo-
tion of Alderman Carroll to- authorize
the Street Committee to purchase 300
tons of cracked stone for street improve
ment, in addition to the 200 tons ordered
at the last meeting, in case the material
was necessary for repairing the streets
pending the negotiations for new city
stone crusher, which was adopted.
The necessity of appointing new City
Assessor in place of Collins Weir, re-
signed, was explained by Alderman
Hurting. He said that applications
were continually coming to Mr.. Weir
from other cities for the names of per.
sons owning bank stock, and as there
was no legal assessor, no answer could
be given; and besides this, it was i'm
portant that the assessor have ample
time to prepare his books in order to
commence the assessment on May 90,
the time fixed by law. Alderman By
ram nominated Collins Weir for assessor
for the term OF three years. To this AL
derman Reed objected, making the state
ment that the appointment was unneces-
sary at this time. Mr.. Hurtzig replied
that he had been informed by the old
assessor that at least three weeks would
be needed to prepare the assessment and
have books printed and bound in order
to commence the assessment at the
proper time; and greater speed in the
work will also be required because this
year, for the first time, under act of the
last Legislature, the assessor is required
to report to the State comptroller before
July 1. The appointment was then
made on vote of 5 to 3, Messrs. Reed,
Fleury and Quayle voting in the mega
tive
Alderman Byram called attention to
/ the pressing need of the Board of Health
| for funds to carry on its work, and on his
motion it was voted to pay the board
$500, being the balance of the annual
appropriation of $1,000, as soon as the
treasury would allow the expenditure.
Alderman Carrell called attention to a
complaint of the officials of the D.. Z. &
w. r. r. Company against the actions
of baggage expressmen at the Morris
street depot in crying for business, grab
bing valises out of the hands of passen-
gers, ETC., and, as there was no present
means for governing the business, moved
that the ordinance committee be instruct
ed to draft an ordinance regulating the
business. The question drew forth
quite general discussion, Mayor Quayle
being of the opinion that ii was the duty
of the railroad employees who were
sworn as special policemen to preserve
order at the station. The motion was
seconded, and no action was taken.
The necessity for street improvement
mentioned above is due to the fact that
during the past year much of the street
work has been neglected in order to de-
crease and pay off the Indebtedness of
the board, and as result of the economy
practiced in this and other directions
the city treasury, for the first time in its
history, will find itself at the close of the
fiscal year entirely free from debt, a
very excellent record for the Republican
administration when it is remembered
that the board started the year with a
total Indebtedness of over $13, 500. The
total liabilities of the city at the end of
the fiscal year amount to less than $3,-
500, which includes the cost of a new
chemical engine for Independent Hose
Company at ST $50, and the City Collec-
tors salary at 81 $50, with 81 600 for cur.
rent expenses for the balance of the fiscal
year, or from April 1 to April Is. To
meet this the city will have the So, 900,
which the bondsmen Of ex- Collector
Oliver have agreed to pay on account of
tax delinquency, and balance of 5000,
making total assets of $3, 300, besides I'M
collected taxes for 1897 amounting to
about 81, 600. As the street department
has suffered most in enforced stringency
of the past year, it is expected that this
department will receive the greater
attention during the coming year, and
the board will have at least $4,000 to
spend in this direction.
To Treat the Boys.
In line with the Gospel meeting for
boys held every Sunday afternoon at the
V M @ q vary snaciaI t,aat Is