The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-02-21
BOYD'S WORK
Excellent Service Which the
Lamp Inspector Rem
ders the City.
DUTIES ARE MANY
Pagan, However, Says He
Won't Sign His Warrant
Until He Has To.

| The publication in saThe News of last
| evening that the office of Lamp Inspee-
| tor was created by an act OF the Legis-
lature and cannot be abolished except
! by an act of the Legislature, came as
surprise to all who read it except Jol1I'
Boyd, the incumbent, and the members
of the STREET and Water Commissioners,
of whom Mayor Fagan demanded the
abolition of the office 5on wednesday
in lengthy communication. Mayor
Pagan and those who advised his denafa1
for the abolition of the office were in to-
tai ignorance of the facts and went ahead
under the impression that the Democratl.
Board of Street and Water Commissioners
had merely created job for one of its
followers The Republican machine Is
openly accused on all sides of attempting
to make political capital out Of something
with which neither party, locally. had
anything to do.
All the Street and Water Commissioners
are of the one opinion that a Lamp In
spector is an absolute necessity. They
feel that they can have confidence in the
efficiency of the lighting machinery only
by having an Inspector pay attention TO
the lights under the jurisdiction of the
Board
Commissioners Heintze. Hauek, Nolan
and Sullivan have talked over the matter
at length since the Mayors communica-
tion was received, and they have reached
the conclusion to do nothing about the
matter This course was decided upon in
view of the fact that they have nothing
to do with the continuance of the Office
They hold that Mayor Pagan will have to
appeal to the Legislature for the abo-
lition of the Office Should he do 50 and
his recommendations be followed, then the
Commissioners will have nothing to do
bat accept the inevitable, and, of course,
Boyd will have to go. But until the office
is abolished, Boyd will continue as the
Lamp Inspector.
Boyds duties are many. He is required
to have an accurate knowledge of the sit
uation OF all the lights of every kind in
the city, and to know of what variety
they each are. Then he is required to
make thorough and frequent inspections
of each and every one of them and to
make reports to the Street and Water
Commissioners as to the conditions and
reliability of each light. Should his re-
ports show that any repairing is required
to any light, the work is done and the
city is thus lighted in satisfactory man
ner. Boyd cannot be in every section Of
the city at one time, but he is constantly
on the 60 and contrary to general opinion
he has very little spare time to himself.
He can best understand the vagaries of
the lights at night Thus are most of his
evenings taken up Satisfied that any
particular light needs attention, he must
again make an examination of that light
in the day time so as to understand just
what the situation is. Boyd is careful,
conscientious worker. He has that repu-
tation In speaking of the matter Of the
attack on him by Mayor Pagan, Boyd
said this morning.
THE office of Lamp Inspector keeps
me on the go more hours than Mayor
Pagan works, by a good deal 1t is sell
dom that / am off duty. The point is
made by those who want the office abol-
ished that the police do all the work
This is not true in the slightest degree.
The police notice light is not burning.
They make report to the chief These
reports are at my disposal every morn
ing. go over them and then make min
But while the police are in every section
Of the city at all time | can be in only
one place at time. 1t is / who show
what is the matter with lights. The po-
11tC See lAls1t q night IL itOt Jul ft1tt IStl
they do not see why it is not burning.
That is what is required Of me, and on
my report only are repairs made. How
ever, it Is useless for me to go into min
ute details as to what my duties are. 1t
Is apparent that those who are looking
to have the office of Lamp Inspector
abolished will go as far as they can with
out regard to the facts in the case.
Commissioners Heintze and Hauck were
of the one opinion, and spoke for their
constituents when they said
'aFhe office of Lamp Inspector was cre-
ated by the Legislature. Those who wish
to have 1t abolished will have to go to
Trenton. Were we willing to do as de-
manded we could not. Boyd is a very
capable Inspector, and his work is per-
fectly satisfactory. He will continue un-
til the office is wiped out by the Legis-
lature."
Mayor Pagan was asked this morning
If he knew at the time that he recon-
mended that the Office of Lamp Inspector
he abolished that the office was created
by the Legislature
YES" was, his reply.
t"rhen how did you think the Board Of
Street and Water Commissioners could
abolish the Officer?
There is no reason why the Street and
Water Commissioners should employ a
man because the Legislature says SO.
What is the objection to Boyd?
HE is Unnecessary don't see why
the Board should employ him at Sl.42O a
year for an hour work, He only goes
to Police Headquarters and gets the re-
ports turned in by the police. He viii be
done away with if can bring 1t about. T
III