Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-01-23
SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNCIL.
\ Vote of Confidence in Committee, Engi-
uaar and Plans

conStIuctiOH VI bn6 sewer system, was H6lC
in Council Chamber Tuesday evening, witt
all the members present except Mr.. Hen
derson, who is in the South on a cunning
trip. Mr.. Leeds called the meeting tt
; order and, calling Mr.. Burkett to the chair
asked to be excused on account of the sud
den death Of his uncle, Jos. B. Clement.
The Clerk was requested to read the
Mayors last message, and then, on motion
Of Mr.. Davis, His Honor was granted the
privilege of the floor to give reasons for his
opinion that Council and the engineer had
committed series of blunders in sewer
construction.
The Mayor began by characterizing this
as most remarkable proceeding; he
thought it was the business of Council to
investigate matters brought to its attention
: by the Mayor, and not the business of the
Mayor to investigate Council, yet he would
give his reasons for advising Council as he
had.
He began by addressing himself to the
first on-abandonment of the sys-
TEN. He said the city had many attach
ments and law suits on its hands, and he
believed it cheaper to compromise and settle,
because if you win suit you lose in the
end. With these suits pending, he saw
; tageous terms. He had no faith in the
system and didn't believe the sewer would
work, because he was told that already
water was flowing out of the Wood street
. section the opposite direction from the
alleged fall He asserted that the sewer
was not tight.
Engineer Easily said the way to ascertain
if the sewer is laid all right is to put
level on; that the flow of water is not a
safe guide. as the height of the water in an
incomplete line might be greater than the
fall and a certain portion forced in the
opposite direction. He asserted that no
sewer can be laid absolutely tight. The
question is, is there reasonable amount
of leakage or an unreasonable amount?
Mr.. Laid wanted to know if that was
true, why the contract called for an abso-
lutely tight sewer
Mr.. Easily replied that the higher the
standard is set the nearer perfection is
attained He would have preferred to have
had the joints tighter than they are, but
what work has been done is better than
nine-tenths of the sewers built.
Mr.. Ladd then went into the cost Of the
system and shot question after question as
to the cost; reason for change in location of
Summarized the answers amounted to this:
The original contract was for $48 925. so;
from this sum So, $50 was deducted, which
included reservoir, out-fall, iron pipe and
Hunter street piers, and this work was
re-submitted for bids and went to E. P.
Henry as the lowest bidder. The change
in location of the reservoir entailed an
extra expense of some $4,000, but it was
believed to be economy to do so, as the
largest property owner and greatest tax
payer in the city claimed the original loca-
ton ruined valuable property and the
change averted a lawsuit, the result of
which might have been expensive.
The Mayor asked what per cent. of the
system was now complete. Mr.. Easily
replied that about 80 per cent. of the run
ming feet was complete and about 35 per
cent of the cost. Il was shown that the
contractor had received less than $4,000 of
the $685. expended on account of the
construc ion.
Mr.. Davis asked the Mayor to give his
reasons for advising the abandonment of
the system. The only thing he had shown
I thus far was that the committee had
changed the location of the reservoir and
that he didn't know sewer couldn't be
made tight.
Mr. Sithens entered a defense of Mr.
Easily. He said if the engineer had stood
in with the contractor everything would be
going along smoothly and right, SO far as
THE people knew. But the engineer had
stood by the city; he had exacted faithful
performance of the contract and refused to
approve work wilfully slighted. He had
told the contractor that there was just one
way to receive his pay and that was to do
honest work. That was the reason the
contractor had abandoned the job.
An invitation being extended to the
people to make remarks, former Councilman
and ex-Chairman of the Sewer Committee
Mr. Best, entered into full explanation of
the system.
He said the plan of the present system
was the Waring plan, with such changes as
required by the State Sewer Commission,
the President of which visited Woodbury.
and went over the entire city. The change
consisted in this, that whereas the Waring
plan provided for the discharge OF sewage
into the creek at low tide, the Commission
required its discharge at high tide, but the
general system is the Waring system.
The committee, after thorough investiga-
ton, proceeded under the law of 1890, with
its amendments. This law permits the
city to borrow money on notes from time
to time as the work progresses. After the
system is complete the city would go to the
Court and ask the appointment of commits
sioners to assess peculiar benefits on indi-
vi6dal property owners, same as under the
road law. Property owners have from sixty
days to two years to pay this assessment.
| The amount OF this assessment IS deducted
| from the gross cost of the system, and
bonds are then issued for such term of
years as wisdom dictates.
As to the abandonment of the system, he
said that was impossible, because bonds
cannot be issued except under certain con-
ditons of law. He then went into an
explanation of the work of the committee
to the time of his severing his connection
with Council.
Mr. Reading explained that the cost of
further work on the system, after the
amount of the contract was exceeded, would
| fall on the contractors bondsmen and not
on the city, and if new bids are not consid-
cred reasonable, the city can complete the
system.
Several citizens asked questions and re-
ceived full answers Mr. Cozens and Mr..
Garter advised compulsory connection of
every property to the sewer.
A motion that the Mayors message be
received and filed, and expressing confidence
in the engineer and system was adopted.
The will of the late John Mower, of
Evan, was admitted to probate on Tuesday
Chew Bros, of Mantua, have bought
the old Estell coal wharf on the north side
of Woodbury. bridge.
Through P. B. Burk's agency, glass
blower Thos Cunningham has bought from
the Glover estate, the first lot east of the
Catharine Dell house on High street. He
will build brick residence there at once.
The all-day session of the public
school teachers association, in the Court
House next Saturday promises to be one
of the most interesting sessions ever held
here The instruction given will be