The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-01-28
Ginning The WATER
Money Pouring Into the City
Treasurer From the
Delinquents.
PICKAXE BRIGADE DOES 1T
Tenants As Collection Agents
Incidents of the Fight-A
Brighter Future.
PICKAXE BRIGADE DOES 1T

Up to noon today more than $4,000 OF
the s2l2,0 900 water assessment arrearages
had been collected by Water Registrar
Peckham.
Two gangs of men are at work notify
ing delinquents that they must pay up
without further delay. A novel and eff
fective plan has been adopted. The city
employee whose duty it is to notify de-
linquents that they must make settle
ment. are accompanied from house to
house by a half dozen men who are arm
ed with picks and shovels. The laborers
line up in front of the house and make
preparations to cut off the water. Oc-
cupants become alarmed when they see
the laborers and usually promise to go
to the City Hall at once and pay.
No time is allowed those delinquents
who own and occupy the premises for
which the water rents are in arrears.
There is only one class of cases in which
time is allowed. It is where the prem
ises are rented and not occupied by the
owners.
In many instances tenants have PAID
their rent in advance and the Street ana
Water Commissioners feel that a great
injustice would be done if their supply
of water were cut off abruptly without
giving them opportunity to demand of
the landlord that he pay the water rents.
Tenants are notified, however, That they
will be given only twenty-four hours IN
which to compel the landlords to pay up.
In nearly every case the tenants make
it so hot for the landlords that they
make settlement.
Yesterday the supply was cut off from
two houses of a row on the Hill. The
owner owed four years water rents. He
refused to pay at first and subsequently
offered one years rent. Permit Clerk
Frank Woodcock refused to accept one
years taxes. The result was that the
owner paid all the arrearages and was
compelled also to pay an additional $40
for the expense the city had incurred in
cutting off the water from two of his
houses.
Delinquents in all parts of the city are
making appeals to the Street and Water
Board for an extension of time in making
payment The Commissioners at con-
ference this morning refused to grant any
of the requests, and directed Permit Clerk
Woodcock to go ahead as he has been do
g;ng. and turn off water where payment is
mssfused.
Thrive have allowed too much time all
aboldy." said President Boltwood this
brairning. 'sFormer Boards were derelict,
outsi as result the water account is in a
shadeful condition There is no reason
II such a condition of affairs should
Apvail if water consumers would pay up
wadthey should. No man would run his
Of xn business at a loss. and we are deter
mined that the city shall not run behind
by reason of any inactivity on our part.
1--WE have no right to allow our man
to pay several months after another, and
we propose doing away with that sort of
thing. If we can collect what is due us,
we will be able to maintain the depart
ment property and pay as we go. We
can do nothing, however, if people refuse
10 nav their proper share of the city s
BURDEN
Water Registrar Peckham said this
morning:-"We have collected a greater
percentage of the water rents this year
than heretofore. There is, however, con-
siderable outstanding still, but 1 am sure
that if the Street and Water Commission
ars keep up the work they have started,
we will fare WELL"
The daily receipts since an effort has
been made. to collect arrearages, have
averaged 50, ,000 Next week the big de-
linquents are to have the screws put on
Them
To enforce the payment of some of the
outstanding claims it may be necessary to
cut off the supply of water from one or
two factories