The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-18
MORE CROOKED WORK
Abernethy and West Now
Try Their Hand at the
Health Board.

The only business transacted at last
nights meeting of the City Board of
Health besides ordering the payment OF
claims, was the adoption of resolutions
for the purpose of retaining in office GER
tain employees for three years. The reso-
lutions fix the salaries and create a new
title for ar Office in order to elevate one
plumbing inspector over another.
The resolutions fix the terms of office
of John Gallery, plumbing inspector;
James McGirr and John Tilt, captains of
the city seow, and Thomas Flannelly,
fumigator, at hree years from date. The
salary of Gallery was placed at LOCO;
McGirr, Tilt and Flanneily at $720 each
per annum. James J. Blackshaw, the
other plumbing inspector, is not included
in the resolution. He is a veteran and
provided for by law. The other resolution
created the office of chief plumbing in
spector and appointed as chief inspector
James J. Blackshaw.
Both resolutions We're strongly opposed
by Commissioners Walter, who said as it
had never been found necessary to fix
terms of Office for the men holding these
positions he saw NO need for it now. He
did not believe it would hold good.
President Abernethy replied that the law
ave the. Board power to fix the terms
of all employees of the Board, and his
action was simply exercising that author
ity. AS to it's holding good this Board
had nothing to do with that. 1t would,
do its duty in adopting the resolutions.
COMMISSIONS Walter asked for a suit.
able explanation.
President Abernethy replied that it was
to prevent repetition of the trouble hat
had occurred between the two inspectors.
Each thought he knew more than the
other and consequently they could never
agree. The object of the creation of chief
plumber was that he would be the SUI
perior officer and be responsible to the
Board, and in case of dispute as to work,
his opinion would control.
DIR. Brinkerhoff strongly supported the
views of Commissioner Walter. He said
when the office of plumbing inspector
was created, two were appointed. The
city was divided into two districts, one
for each man. They were on an equal
footing, and his plan had been found
to work well and there was no reason
why it should not be continued. He did
not believe the Board could place any
more responsibility on one thar the other
by simply calling him chief.
IF it is, necessary continued DR..
Brinkerhoff, ito name one man respon-
sible for the whole city, then why not
have only one Inspector"
President Abernethy replied
there is too much work for one man to
attend to-"
Commissioner Walter said:-'If thai is
so, how can. one of the inspectors be ex-
pected to look after his own district and
superintend the WORK of the other dis
trict? In my opinion, the object is SIM
ply to make one inspector greater than
the other
The resolutions were adopted by a vote
of 4 to 2:-Ayes-President Abernethy,
Commissioner West, Health Inspector
Benjamin and DR.. Rector. Nays-Com-
missioner Walter and DIR. Brinkerhoff.
Health Inspector Benjamin reported
that the skin factory on Griffith street,
for which permission was granted to con-
tinue work until April Is, is still in full
blast and the proprietor says he cannot
finish up the material on hand short of
two weeks. He asked an extension. He
promised then to remove the business to
Boston.
Commissioner Walter said.-'sTne fact
is they have been filling in with new ma
terial and if granted an extension of time
will, at its expiration, ask for another
extension"
1t was finally decided to extend the
time until May l, nothing to be allowed
to prevent closing of the place at that
time.