The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-10-16
FIRE HOUSE LOCATION.
Mayor Hoos Objects to 1t
Because It Is Too
Near a School.

Mayor Hoes has vetoed the resolution
of the Finance Board authorizing the is
sue of bonds for the erection of new
fire house and the one directing the pur-
chase for a site for it of the property in
Grand street, known as parts 2 to 5,
Block 2.0S6: also the Boards resolution
directing the City Comptroller to transfer
to Claims Account year 1eo0-'01 Board
of Fire Commissioners. $1.06s from salary
account and $3.50 from pension account.
These communications were received
from His Honor at this afternoons meet
ing of the Finance Board
October 8. 1901.
Honorable Board of Finance
"Gentlemen-I herewith return to your
Honorable Board, without my approval,
two resolutions passed at your meeting
held October 2, 1901, one to issue bonds
for the erection of a new fire house and,
the other to purchase for the same prop
erty known as parts to 8, Block z'oa6,
Grand street.
my reason for so doing is that the fire
house, when completed, would be too
close to Public School No. 49, Hundreds
of small children attend the school daily.
and it is a wei known fact that school
children rarely occupy the sidewalks
feel that their lives would be in constant
danger and that it would be almost an
impossibility to protect them from the
hoofs of the horses or the wheels OF the
apparatus. Their presence in the street
would also, in my judgment. hinder the
department from reaching the scene or
the fire as quickly as desired in many
cases. Furthermore. fire house located
so near SchoOlhOuse would distract the
minds of the children from their studies.
The noise of the apparatus going out and
coming back would create in their minds
a spirit of restlessness and a desire to see
what was going on. If. during the hours
when the children were going to or COM
ing from school, a call should come in
lined with children. 1t is often difflcult
for grown people to protect themselves,
and it would be much more difficult for
children. I remember when did not ex-l
actly favor the abolition of the tower
bells, Commissioner Erickson advanced
the argument that they attracted too
much attention, brought crowds Of peo-
pie to the scene of the fire and often in
terfered with the working of the depart
ment. If this be true, what would be
worse than to have the apparatus start
from house located SO close to a school
house2 l am sure Lafayette has plenty
of vacant lots where a fire house could be
located in a more desirable section. For
these reasons l decline to sanction the
resolutions in question until safe local.
ity is selected.
EDWARD Hoos.
Mayor"
October s, 1901.
Honorable Board of Finance
s'Gentlemen--I herewith return to your
Honorable Board, without my approval.
the resolution passed at your meeting
held October 2. 1901, directing the City
Comptroller to transfer to Claims Ac-
count" year 19o0-19Q1, Board of Fire Conn
missioners, 81, 06S from salary account and
$3.50 from pensions account.
81 have taken this action for the fol-
lowing reasons The 500 was placed in
the tax budget to provide for the pension
due Battalion Chief Hogan. Mr.. Hogan
died before the money became available.
and I hold that under the circumstances
1t should go to the sinking fund. where II
Fire Department for their "Claims Ac-
count. 1900-1901. s20.000 should, in my
that they were allowed more money than
was necessary for salaries by reason OF
the fact that a certain company provided
for in the budget was not organized on
December /, and such surplus should also
go to the sinking fund.
Respectfully submitted
"EDWARD HOOS,
stAavar - !