The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-04-09


the payroll Of engineers and inspectors
on new water works which has peen
heretofore estimated at $4,000 ana
which must be increased in the near 5fu-
ture if the new works are to receive more
than superficial inspection. Nothing7re-
mains with which to purchase necessary
supplies. including pipe and hydrants ana
meters and coal No funds with which
to make extensions and repairs
BY a combination of false premises,
mistaken reasoning, and misunderstand-
ing, the Mayor would appear to figure out
to his own satisfaction that our revision
meant total added income Of rather
more than $4,000. He is in error The
amount of proposed increase was carefully
considered by US, and would have aggre-
gated but about two-thirds OF that sum.
It was not sufficient to have covered aur
expected deficiency, and would have
necessitated an additional curtailrnent w
Us of thousands of dollars annually On
several scheduled items, such as slaughter
houses, birch beer breweries water
closets in yards. etc., etc., our rates were
avowedly regulated so as to be prohibi-
tive and thus compel the use Of a meter,
our Intention being to effect saving in
consumption, which could not but result
in a proportionate decrease in income
His Honor quoted the price (s35.0o per
million gallons) we pay for water and
then by reference to some of our rates
attempts to deduce that excessive and
burdensome charges are being made TO
consumers For no apparent reason ne
chooses to put aside the fact that Our
interest and sinking fund charges aggre-
gate almost as much as we have to pay
for the water He appears to forget that
while the water we buy costs US $500 IN
the mains OF the East Jersey Water Co.,
its cost when transferred to our mains,
and before we hire a man, or buy sup
ply. or turn a wheel, is almost doubled.
The mere act of transference from one
main to the other obligates the water
for our interest and sinking fund charges,
while the additional and necessary ex-
pense of repairs and maintenance and ex-
tension increases that cost to 5000 psr
million. We say his Honor appears to
forget. but perhaps we should qualify
that statement, for he has been con-
nected with the city government for so
short q period that he may not have yet
acquired the information. It is hard
fact, nevertheless. Every bill rendered to
this department, as well as the salary OF
every employe, must be first vised by the
Mayor before pay warrant therefor viii
be honored. and he cannot escape from
sharing that responsibility for deficieney
if deficiency is to exist,
While Mr. Pagan was a candi-
date, and his partisans were
haranguing on the stump and
elsewhere, making all sorts of
baseless charges against the
Water Department and its Com
missioners, against the Board Of
Finance and the men who COM
posed it, drawing the credit OF
the city in the rnire, and sacrifc
ing its good name in order that
he might be advanced to It's chief
magistracy, it was not expected
that those who made such
charges would be held to strict
accountability, but as the result
of that election Mr.. Pagan has
been inaugurated as Mayor, not
of a party-not of a particular
class-but Mayor of Jersey City,
Mayor OF no party and Of all
classes. If he in his official ca
pacity can suggest the better
ment of any department it is his
sworn duty to do SO. Il charges
are to be made let them be made
NOT by innuendo-but in an
open, fearless manner, and forti-
fed with facts and figures that
cannot be controverted. Charges
thus made must be answered,
and unless we can so answer We
are prepared to accept the con-
sequences of our shortcomings.
The Mayor knows, or can ascer-
tain by inquiry, the extent of the