The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-08
THOSE H9B0IBN bonds
House Committee Hears the
Pros and Cons Of the
Asphalting Middle.
Especial 10 eThe Jersey city News."1

Especial 70 1.-THE Jersey City News."1
TRENTON, March s, 1s9S.-The House
Committee on Judiciary gave a hearing
yesterday afternoon on Senator Days
bill to allow Hoboken to issue bonds to
pay for the asphalt pavements which
that city had laid n an act which
the Supreme Court declared unconstitu-
tional. Corporation Attorney James F..
Minturn was the first speaker and spoke
in favor of the bill. HI told of the OBJ
stacles that the city had met with when
it first undertook to do the asphalting-
Then he referred to the applying to the
Court for a certiorarf by the Barber
Asphalt Company. the effect of which,
he said, was the tieing up of the work
for a year. The Barber Company. through
some man or woman, held up the bills
for the work when it was finally done
Mr.. Minturn spoke of the advertising OF
the plans and specifications, which, he
said, was done by advice of Charles T..
Corbin, and then he dwelt upon the bid
ding of the companies and the awarding
of the contract to the Mexican Com
panySfor $1.23 a square yard, whereas the
Barber people asked $2.65. By awarding
the contract to the Mexican Company the
city saved $50, 600. He intimated that the
Barber Company might be interested in
the present proceeding, whereat Mr.. Al
len became highly indignant and declar-
ed that he and Mr.. Marnel were alone
responsible for the opposition. Mr.. Min
turn disclaimed any to reflect
on Mr.. Allen and continued to argue for
the hill
William H. Stuhr opposed the measure
vigorously. He declared that he appeared
for the poor taxpayer who can do nothing
but pay bills. AS a taxpayer himself ne
had nothing to say against the payment
of the city's honest debts. but does not
the committee think" he continued,
that $4,000 is a large amount for a little
city like Hoboken to a for advertis-
ing? 1 am ar old resident of Hoboken,
and I have been town counsel of Hobo
ken. In my time we simply advertised
that there was work to be done, and that
the plans and specifications were to be
seen at the City Clerks office. Now we
hear of nothing but the newspapers. WIZ
the Senator who introduced this bill, Sen
ator Daily, I believe, is sorry now that he
did SOL
.sThe Senator who introduced the bill,
DIOH6 III Mayor e d6dii, 10 nv
he introduced the bill. He has no oeca-
sion to be So"
NOW, Mr.. Mayor, / don't want any in
terruption from you snapped back Mr.
Stuhr. 1 have letters which / have re-
eefved from Senator Daily" Mr.. Stuhr
then read some letters from the Hudson
Senator and appealed to the committee to
defeat the bill.
DO I understand that you are willing
to pay these paving bills?" asked Mr..
Minturn.
mo, he don't" said Mr.. Pagan.
"How do you know / don't?" demanded
Mr.. Stuhr.
Then he went on to give a history OF
the public meeting held in Heboken to
consider the matter. Mayor Pagan took
exception to some of his statements ana
the two had it hot and heavy for some
time. Finally Mr.. Stuhr appealed to the
Chairman for protection. Mr.. Porter as
sured Mr.. Stuhr that he would have all
the protection the committee had power
to give. Mr.. Stuhr soon subsidized and c
Sehilling went to the bat.
eff we had perfect confidence in our
Council we would not be here" he said,
after declaring that he and the other tax
PAYERS of the city were in favor of pay
ing the cftyrs debts dolalr for dollar. I'VE
have had such an experience with our
Ceuncilmen,'' he went on, that we would
not trust them around the corner with a
five dollar bill. That's our experience
with the Council. We are wiling to pay
for any asphalt the city has put down,
but we are not wiling to pay for all these
extras. That's the little Joker WI are
after"
CITY Treasurer James Smith said thar
he considered Senator Days bill was
calculated to legalize certain actions OF
the Hoboken Common Council.
.sThat's the object of it," said Mr.. Por-
ter, sit is to legalize Illegal actions of the
Council
faction taken in good faith, however,
remarked Mr.. william D. Edwards.
Mr.. Smith then v on to tell of his
obligations to the bonding Of the city and
of the manner in which he lar tried to
prevent it. I'm answer to a question by
Mr.. Porter, he said that he had been City
Treasurer of Hoboken for ten or eleven
years. but they tell me / will not be
City Treasurer much longer" he said.
m~ournfully. And because / would not
| consent to bunco the New York bankers, :"
he went on, because I insisted upon do
ing my duty as a. sworn officer of the city,
| am held up to ridicule and am threat
ened with impeachment. The press Of Hos
boken last Saturday had a lot of things
about the political yultures of the city,
| and / suppose | am the chief vulture of
the lot"
He insisted that the bill was not needed
- - $40 ne - -Nron;c;o,,