The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-11-21
PROBLEMS
TO BURN
New Freeholders Enter on
Their Duties With
Trouble in
Sight.
RETRENCHMENF AND IMPROVEMENT
The Two Don't Naturally Go
Together, and How to
Make Them is the
Question.

Speculation is rife as to the probable
| conduct of county affairs by the Board OF
Freeholders which enters on the duties OF
office on Monday, December 5. That re
form and retrenchment are expected by
the public. the members of the new county
government realize.
Along just what lines the reforms will
be inaugurated will not be decided until
the members of the new board meet in
caucus some evening next week. 1t is
not belivd that there will b any whole
sale dismissal of employees, but that radi-
cal changes in the matter of purchasing
county supplies will be introduced.
Pressure is being brought by the friends
of the different county employees to have
them retained and in addition CONS the
possible necessity of two additional APP
pointees.
The New York Fire Underwriters have
practically stipulated that unless man
is appointed to look after the facilities
for lighting fire they will refuse further
insurance on the county buildings at
Snake Hill. Besides this it is understood
that the letter to be addressed to the
Board by Foreman George T. Smith OF
the September term Grand Jury will con-
tain recommendation for the employ
ment of one or more additional physicians
at the asylum.
That the anticipated recommendation OF
the Grand Jury is a good one is conceded
by all who are acquainted with the con-
dltlonS existing at the institution. But
how the incoming Board of Freeholders
with its reduced appropriations will be
able to add to the already large list OF
county employees cannot be seen.
The wretched sanitary condition of all
the county buildings, except the asylum
it is admitted. will be one of the most
serious problems that the new board will
have to grapple with. That something
must be done to remedy these conditions
is evident to all who read the article or
the subject in last Mondays News
The plumbing work of the antiquated jail
almshouse and pententiary, must be
completely overhauled, and this will re.
quire no inconsiderable portion of the ap
priation for the maintenance of the sew
eral institutions during the fiscal yeal
commencing December 1 next.
1t is possible that application for legis.
lation to enable the board to issue tenn
porary loan bonds to meet the defer
which must exist if what needs to be
done is done, will be made.
| The Freeholders realize that the public
will expect many reforms in the different
| branches of the county government, bui
how they will be able to bring about these
! reforms with the seemingly inadequate
| appropriations at their command is the
l
| At the caucus these matters will be the
| principal topic of discussion. The new
Freeholders realize that they are by fal
| more important to the public than the
| question of who will occupy the different
| berths under control of the board.
| 1t is conceded that the new Board OF
| Freeholders will be organized on the lines
of the Board of 1SS9-'90, which consisted
| of ten members and director at large
| The present cumbersome and unwieldy
| subcommittee of five and seven will be
succeeded by committees of three, with
| the. entire Board acting on the most inn
| portant committees.
| Regular weekly meetings will take the
place of the spasmodic sessions of the
committees of the present Board, and the
| announced intention of the new Freehold
| ers is to conduct the county's business
on strictly business principles. 1t il
promised that the day of the unbalanced
bid and favorite contractor system will
| be a thing of the past and reform and re
| trenchment can be looked for in every
| branch of the service.