Bridgeton pioneer., 1902-09-11
COUNCIL MOVES
FOR ECONOMY.
All Work and Supplies Amount
ing to Over $500 Must be
Awarded to Lowest Bidder.

rrom DaiiY floneer wednesday, Sept. 10
Through the rain, the members of
City Council trudged to City Hall
last night for the regular monthly
session, and there were present Presi.
dent Joseph HI. Deal, Messrs. Wood
ruff, Hurff, Edwards, McGear, Mat
thews, Sellers, Butler and Garrison.
The minutes of the previous session
were read, corrected mad approved.
Building permits granted by the
Mayor during the past two weeks
were confirmed.
The arbitrators who were appointed
to settle the dispute between the city
and Jacob Slough regarding damages
alleged through the drainage of sur
face water over the Slough land, pre-
sented report in writing.
The arbitrators, Messrs Charles Fl.
Loder George Mccormick and James
Z. Moore decided that Slough was
entitled to 1926, and the report was
accepted and approved, and the arbi-
traitors were discharged.
The schedule of bills approved by
the Finance Committee was presented
to Council, and the bills were ordered
paid. The aggregate amount was
/ So, ,354 80.
Mr.. Nichols remarked after the pas-
sage of the bills that he was prepared
to say now that hereafter he was
going to insist that every bill amount
ing to more than $50 should be con-
tracted for only after advertising for
bids. The law was being constantly
violated. and he thought it was time
to call halt.
Mr.. Woodruff called attention to the
fact that new faces were needed upon
the town clock in the tower of the
| Court House. The faces were of
Food, aid had become rotten, and
| would not hold paint.
Mr.. Matthews moved that the Pub
lie Building Committee be directed to
put new faces upon the clock.
Mr.. Woodruff moved to amend that
the committee be authorized to have
transparent face put in the clock
with light so that it could be seen
at night as well as in the day time
The amended motion prevailed.
The Inter State Telephone Company
was directed to put one of the city
telephones in the residence of City
Recorder Hewitt.
Mr.. Matthews gained the floor at
this time, and took occasion to re-
mark that Mr.. Nichols had sounded a
well timed warning when he called
attention to the expenditure of money
In large sums without advertising for
bids, Mr.. Matthews asserted that the
city was in financial straits, and it
would take the closest economy, to
prevent the raising of taxes. Mea-
sures for the expenditure of public
money were introduced in Conncil
and passed without giving careful at
tention to the matter. Too generous
had Council been, he thought, and he
felt that it was the duty of every man
to act wisely and carefully. He urged
that the management of city affairs
should be given as careful attention
as mans private affairs.
Mr.. Nichols followed Mr.. Matthews
with the following resolution: ere
solved, That hereafter all bills for
materials or supplies for the city of
Bridgeton, ordered by City sCouncil
or It's committees, whenever said
bills exceed the sum of $50, shall be
advertised for and given to the lowest
responsible bidder provided that
nothing in this resolution shall apply
to legal advertising in the newspapers
where the rate is fixedsby law
Mr.. Nichols thought the adoption
OF the resolution would prove a great
saving to the city, and make the
members more careful. Mr.. Woodruff
amended the resolution to make the
amount 5000 instead of $50, and the
amendment was carried by a vote of
6 to g.
The Mayors report was read, ap-
proved and filed, and City Comptroller
Sharp presented his report. This was
likewise approved.
The Finance Committee presented
the valuations of the wards fixed bv
the County Board of Assessors, and
recommended the appropriations.
There were few changes over the
past year, and total of $3.50, 900 will
be needed for the city.
The report of the committee was
adopted, and the tax rate was fixed at
$l. 80, the same as last year.
CA5ToREA. z a