The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-12
TELEPHONE TROUBLE.
Board Of Finance Will
Greatly Reduce the City's
Service.

Finance Commissioners Ringle. Simpson
and Midlige, the committee appointed to
examine into the contracts between the
city and the New York and New Jersey
Telephone Company. met yesterday after
noon. Several unpleasant things were un-
earthed. but the reflections are upon Off
Gals and certain branches of the city
government rather than upon the com
pany. Comptroller Haugh and Mayor
Hoos attended the meeting.
When the compan was given power to
lay c%onduits, erect poles. string wires and
SO on, the Street and Water BOARD, the
only body having power to make or
abridge contracts with the company,
specified as a compensation to the city
that the company place free telephones
In the following ofices:-Mayor, City
Clerk, City Collector, Comptroller and
Treasurer, Board Of Finance, Board of
Tax Commissioners. Street and Water
Board, Water Registrar. Overseer of Poor.
Board of Education, City Hospital, Cor
poration Counsel and City Attorney.
The principal offices at the time the
agreement was made were in the old City
Hall. The offices of the City Comptroller
and City Treasurer were one there and
consequently only one telephone was al
lowed. When the removal to the new
City Hall came the offices in question
were separated and City Treasurer Dick
inson made a request for a telephone. 1t
was allowed him at something less than
the regular rates. Then there were some
more Innovations. Superintendent Snyder
for instance had an auxiliary telephone
placed In his Office from Clerk Wiseman's
room. City Collector Smith followed suit.
Finally Mayor Hoos adopted the scheme.
These are some of the extras Mr.
Ringle finds fault with. The Mayor was
mildly ~astonished when he found that his
auxiliary phone" was costing his econ
omical administration something The
Mayor thought for a while and then
tackled the company's representatives
without gloves.
Il can assure you,' he said, Hthat If I
had been Mayor when this company OBJ
tanned its privileges the city would today
be deriving a revenue of $4,000 a year at
least. I would suggest that the company
be liberal with the city because it may
have favors to ask in the future
The auxiliary telephones are clearly out
side of the ~eompany's agreement, and
mary Of the officials who have become in
terested in the telephone question declare
thai the company has a perfect right to
charge for them. In addition to the aux
Harry telephones in private offices, there
are private lines to the various stations
under the management Of the Street and
Water Board. To some of these objee-
tiens have been made. Fol- instance, at
Belleville and High Service and at the
Gate House Their are what is known as
Magnetic Gong Bells They cost the
City Sc a year apiece. Just what they ace
used for no one seems to know, and 1t
was concluded that they were used to
awaken the sleeping employees at the sta
tiors mentioned. As a matter of fact the
telephones are so far from where the men
are employed that the gongs are used to
alarm them when they are wanted at the
telephone.
To the gongs Mr.. Ringle objects. There
are perhaps a dozen telephones for which
The city pays an annual rental. 1t is
very likely h a all will be cut off, and
only the free telephones retained.
Street and Water Commissioner Bolt
wood. for instance, has a telephone in
his house for which the city pays. On a
bill just ordered paid for Mr.. Boltwood's
telephone, there were charges for New
and Brooklyn calls. Mr.. Boltwood's
telephone will doubtless be cut off. The
compary's representative was directed to
prepare a list showing where all the tele-
phones the city pays for are located. It
is expected. too, hat the company will
give the city more free telephones in or
der to prevent friction.
Cut Of town calls have been prohibited.
Clerk Ffnek, of the Finance Board, in or
der to avoid trouble, has placed a sign
over his telephone which reads: There
is a telephone pay station in Room S.
City Hall" Mr.. Finck's scheme is be-
ing followed by the clerks Of other de-
partments.