The Jersey City news., 1906-08-17


the day are now paid only when service
is actually rendered. CONSTRUCTION is
now separate from maintenance so that
at the end of given period it can be
told how much we have added to the
capital value of our plant and how much
maintenance costs US.
The question of removing supplies from
pipe yard, when they are unsatisfactory
ly protected, to the Wayne Street stable,
which affords better facilities. was taken
up, but its settlement has been held in
allegiance until it is definitely known
whether the stable is to be utilized for
other municipal purposes.
The correction of arrearages of water
rentals, at my direction, now being pro-
ceeded with. and it is expected THAT by
November first, prox., they will have
practically ceased to exist.
The free use of water by the schools
and charities, cts, and our inability to
more than guess as to the volume so
consumed, has also been taken up,
though conclusion has not yet been reach
ed. The legality of this gratuity is ques-
and | have indited a circular
letter to be sent to the various benefi-
ciaries, requesting that pending settle
ment of our legal ability to furnish water
without cost, meter shall be installed
at their expense, whereby we can at
II it is subsequently ascertained that we
are doing something without warrant of
law, the cost of water installation should
be made good to the consumer.
The investigation of the supplying of
water through meter to our large consf1n-
ers, and heretofore referred to, produced
such startling results. and was of such
Importance. that to the partial exclusion
of many other matters, much time was,
10 hAf -, fbo
1t will be remembered that during the
past eighteen months. the department
has, at a cost of more than one hundren
and twenty y-seven thousand dollars ($l27,-
O0O) been engaged in laying two new
water main systems. one for increasing
the supply and pressure in the upper
Hudson City section, which system is
now completed and in use; the other for
same purpose, to benefit the lower city
to be completed and in use within a cou-
pie of weeks. The cost of these two sys
tens being borne, not by Water Account,
but being paid for out of fund provided
by general bond isue and the actual
work being done by contract outside Of
the department, it was reasonable to
expect that our own force had been,
meanwhile, engaged in laying that lesser
quantity of pipe required to keep pace
the pay rolls during the period noted will
Indicate avery substantial expenditure.
sufficiently substantial to warrant belief
that the necessities of service had been
provided for, it would now appear that
such belief was not well founded.
1t was likewise reasonable to expect
that, anticipating the completion of the
two main systems heretofore noted, pro-
Der care would have been taken to pro-
vide against that waste which such com
pletion foreshadowed. This has not been
lone.
1t is confidently predicted that
when water is turned into the so-calied
Newark Avenue main system, our con-
sumption will indicate an immediate in
crease of three to five million gallons
talsy. for which we will have to pay uf
the Water Company's insistment is
maintained by the Courts thirty dol
lars t$35) per million, or total of from
oae hundred and FIVE dollars ($105) to
1ne hundred and seventy-five tS175) per
lay IN excess of what we are now charg-
I'D with while the return to the city
would be perhaps but ten 40 per cent?
II the amount; where waste now exists
here would be increased waste by reason
# the increased pressure nor is this all,
our daily output would aggregate rather
more than forty million gallons. which is
aot only tremendous and almost snpar-
llieled per capita consumption. but repro
serts more than four-fifths of the entire
capacity of our new works.
With the object of at least partial
correction of water waste, l have direct
ID that a house to house canvass be
made of the entire city, in order to de-
-ect leaky service pipes and fixtures, and
laye them repaired and kept in order by
The owner, with the alternative of shut
ing off the supply.
This action will result In the continual
of some employees whose ser
vices would have, otherwise, been super
iuous, but even the initial and direct
money saving to the department should,
At least, treble the cost of inspection.
II retrenchment is necessary, if econo-
MES are required (and the language Of
the resolution designating me as Execu-
tive Head of this department either
means that, or it means nothing) then [
would fail in my duty to you, and like
wise in the duty which / owe to the pub
lie and to myself if / neglected to direct
your attention to the necessity for a
rurtailment in the number of employees
now indicated on the various pay-rolls
u the. department. / can but suggest
+ IS Tor you to give those suggestions
that vitality which will emphasize them,
and thus assure me that the responsible
!ty which, without my solicitation, you
nave vested in me, is responsibility not
shifted. but shared.
would first suggest that all pipe Law
ing be done by contract 1t can be done
much more eXpeditiously, and at n dis
tinct saving. | am further prepared to
now indicate to you what reductions can,
IN my Judgment be made in the various
pay-rolis OF the department at the pres
ant time and in the near future. whereby
can be saved to the department annually
,etWeen twenty and twenty-five thou
sand dollars.
In rendering account of my steward
ship, | have refrained from reco71nfino
the many obstacles which have injected
themselves to retard progress, and the
petty annoyanceS which had to be put
aside. Pu'
The past month has been one of hard,
earnest and conscientious work to bring
about a better condition Of things, in.
the doing of which no thought has been
given to self. No question of politics nor
personal Ieeling has been permitted to
nave weight in arriving at decisions
to the general result. while progress
mas undoubtedly been made, it's measure
IS not satisfactory to me, nor can he
satisned until, as the result of the find
ings. correctives are instituted and the
resultant benefit begins to mako itself
apparent.
Ihere exists, at least, one other causa
81 q satisfaction with me. namely that
since the first day of May, part of INV
salary has been paid out of water 49,.
count It was so ordered by you prior
e my beng made Executive Heau, ana
because the duties of the Clerkship were
ny 4 your Judgment, sufficiently onerous.