The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-06

I'M giving the probable cause of til
break, the counsel and engineer give a
their conclusion that the contractor
Michael Curley, is responsible. A resoiu
ton by Freebooter Heating directing
Curley and his bondsmen to make tn
repairs vas adopted.
The Committee on Finance and Audi
reported that they had examined tn
books and %ccounts of the County Collec
tor and Clerk for the fiscal year endinG
November 80. 1898. The committee exam
ined 1884 vouchers. The County Collec
tor had a balance on hand or Decembe
1, 1897. of S12O, 767.31. To lis was adde'
81, GAG, 1872 collected from all sources, max
ing a total of So. 767, $685. 81. The disburse
ments during the year shown by tn
vouchers were 81, 5Ss, ASA. Il, leaving a bal
ance in hand of sos, 44S.1S.
william j. Triest, who has the contrac
for constructing the Pacific avenu
bridge over the Morris Canal has bee
embarrassed in his work n he sent thi
communication to the Board
Hudson County Board of Chosen Free
holders
SirsIOn June s, 1898. a contract was
awarded tome for constructing q
bridge over the Morris Canal at Pa
ciic avenue, in Jersey City, by your
Board. AS soon as the contract was
executed and delivered to me l started
work thereon, and LOT tne
construction of a temporary roadway,
as provided by contract. When the
contract was awarded to me 1t was
supposed that the bridge would have
to be constructed at the elevated grade
Of Pacific avenue, as insisted by the
Morris Canal Co, and / gave a con-
tract for the construction CT the steer
work upon that basis to one OF the
large iron companies. | expected to
have the bridge in position during
month of August. 1898.
on July 20, 1898, I received notice
from Joseph Zumbusch, Chairman OF
the COMMITTEES on Bridges, directing
me to stop work on the steel work OF
the bridge until further notice from
Board. 1t was explained to me at the
time that this letter was sent to me,
menfs could be made with the Morris
Canal Company to construct tne
bridge at the present ana lower srade
of Pacific avenue, n by this metnod
avoid the necessity of raising the
bridge and changing h Pacitc avenue
line. AS 1 supposed this matter couid
be adjusted within a short time ac-
quiesced. During the month OF sep
tember. 1898. such permission was OBJ
tanned from the Morris Canal Company
as / was informed, but he same was
conditional upon the granting OF per-
mission to the Lehfgh Valdley K. X;
Company, lessees of the Morris Canal
Company, to cross Communipaw ave-
nue. at gradae. Such permission TO
cross at grade was, | am informed,
granted by the Street and Water
Board Of Jersey city, but the ordi-
nance for that purpose was taken 70
the Supreme Court on certiorarai. and
is there pending undecided. l was In
formed by Mr.. Griffin, the counsel OF
your Board. and by Mr.. ~Zumbuseh,
that a speedy determination OF this
lawsuit was expected in favor OF the
grade crossing, and as a result thereof
the bridge could pc constructed across
ehe- Morris Canal at Pacific avenue at
lower grade. l have, therefore. waited
several months for this decision, but
] find l cannot wait n longer.
The iron that l placed the
contract for the construction of the
steel work with. has notified me that
unless / can order them to proceed
Immediately that their bid will be
withdrawn. In the present state of the
able a bid could be obtained in the
future for this work. In fact | believe
that if the contract were awarded sfor
it today, the increased cost would be
at least 81, SOC. By the delay of the
+ county in giving me an unobstructed
right of way, l have been very much
embarrassed in my work, and have
been compelled to employ Watchmen
to guard the work N materials al
ready on the ground. l u there
fore ask YOU honorably body to settle
this question and give me positive di-
rections at once. Unfortunately, the
steel bridge which would fit the abut-
ments upon the higher grade could not
be constructed upon tn lower grade.
especially as Pacific avenue does not
cross the Morris Canal at right angles.
I therefore respectfully request that
you adopt n of the following meth
DDS of settlement
First am willing to complete the
abutments up to the plane of the low
! er grade of Pacific ven without
putting on the coping, receive an
estimate therefor from the Chief En-
gineer, which estimate must include
the cost of Waterman up to date, and
upon the payment to me of the sum
so found due. | am willing to release
the county from all obligations under
the contract. In other words, if the
and the work incidental thereto. the
county in the future may build the
bridge when the present legal COM
plications are disposed of.
Second1I am willing. to complete
the work up to the high grade for
the contract price if direct orders are
given to me this week. Of course if
such orders are given to me the
county cannot hereafter lower the
bridge. Under this method I should
TdiSO GADCOt " 10 poA0
cost of Waterman, etc.
Third am Wiling to complete the
contract upon the final determination
of the litigation. provided the county
will pay me such additional sum-, IL
any, as [ may be required to pay for
the steel work above my present con-
tract with the iron company. In other
s.ords, if the price of steel goes up,
the county pays the difference. If the
price of steel goes down, the county
viii gain the difference. l AVE endea-
vored in this matter to be entirely
fair to the county. and | respectfully
ask for an immediate response.
I forgot to say that in October, 1898,
Mr.. +Zumbusch handed a communica-
ton from the engineers on TINS SUD
ject directing me to suspend work on
the masonry. a copy whereof is mere
- Respectfully,
The communication was referred to tn
committee.
The Township Committee Of Kearn,
Sent this communication to the Boar
asking for a new BRIDGE
To the Honorable Board of Chosen
Freeholders of Hudson county
Gentleman-At a meeting of the
Board of TowLfhip Committee OF the
Township of Kearny, on Wednesday,
December 2S, 1898, the following resolu.
ton was adopted, and copies thereof
ordered sent to the Boards of Free
holders of Essex and Hudson coun-
ties
Whereas, There is no communication
between the east ard west banks of
the Passaic River, from the Central
avenue bridge to the county bridge at
Belleville, a distance of nearly three
miles; and
Whereas. BY reason Of the lack of
communication the city of New York is
easier of access to many residents
upon it than our neighboring city,
Newark, and our people are seriously
uenianced IN the tra1sactinn of husi-