The Jersey City news., 1902-01-13
FACAN ANGRY
Says His First Veto Was
Made Public Without
His Consent.
WILL PROBE THE MATTER
He Resents the Journals
Dishonest Methods Of
Getting News.

Mayor Fagan's first official act since his
assumption to office was to veto reso-
luton passed by the Street and " atel
Board at its last meeting, awarding &C
Contractor John Nolan $1,000 on account
Of work done on Little Italy Park. Tbs
veto is one of the briefest documents that
have been flied by Mayor in this city
1t announces that the Mayor cannot ap-
prove The resolution because he considers
il IN violation of the clause in the speci-
fication OF the award that says that
there shall be withheld from the contractor
twenty per cent. of the cost of the WORK
done. The veto will be taken up at tomor-
rows meeting OF the Street and Water
Board and lay over for a week under
the rules.
Contractor Nolan was awarded The con-
tract to build the park early last year
The price was $6ooO. The work has bean
completed with the exception OF the SOW
ing of grass seeds. Already he has been
paid s5,000 The provision that twenty
per cent. Of the price of work done b.
withheld was made for the purpose o.
guaranteeing to the city that in case any
defects were discovered after the work
was turned over by the contractor it
would be remedied at no extra expense
to the city. All that remains to be done
in the present case is the sowing of seeds
and it for this shat Mayor Pagan vetoed
the resolution that would finish up the
contract.
Clerk Routon of the Street and Water
Board said this morning that there was
at present outside of the $1,000 Withheld
enough Of the money of the contractor
in the city's possession to insure to tie
city the planting of the seeds when the
season arrives for such a task to be un-
dertaken with success. In addition to
this Mr.. Nolan is not responsible for the
DELAY in planting the seeds. He was
stopped in the work of construction by
the city early IN the summer for 50
long 4 period thai the late fan was OF
MIN before the planting of the seeds was
possible, and this was not his fault. These
circumstances were what led the Board
TO pass the resolution that would pay
him the last monies that were due him.
In some peculiar manner the fact thar
Mayor Pagan had arranged the veto OF
the resolution became public on Saturday,
This fact made Mayor Fagan very angry
his morning. and he denounced he
making Of his document public without
his knowledge. Jest who is responsible
for the publicity is a matter of much dis
cussion in City Hall circles. Mayor Fa-
gan was seen this morning IN regard to
the fact that his veto had been made pub-
iic and II sde his position on the matter
clear in no nstakable manner. He said
Il did not give out the fact that I made
the veto. | cannot imagine what means
those who learned it took to ret their
if.formation It seems TO me that thai
was the business Of this office and am
determined to learn how it got our. ]
am running this office and l am deter
mined to run it. l shall make it my busi-
ness to learn how that veto got out and
to see that it does not occur again.
Mayor Pagan was very angry at this
time, and if he learns who IS responsible
it is likely to go hard with that person.
Clerk Bouton did not give out the veto,
he says, and he cannot imagine how il
became public.