The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-04
A MONEY CRUSHER
STONE COSTS $3.50.
LOAD TOO MUCH.
West Orange Councilman Claims That Is
What Municipal Plant Is
Resulting In.

The dull, routine meeting or the west
Orange Town Council was coming 10 a
close last night when Councilman Fentz-
laff picked up the latest report on the
work of the stone crusher that is located
in the quarry In Mortified avenue. lie
claimed that 1t was getting to be an ex-
pensive proposition and that 1t was cost
ing the town more money for the crushed
stone than it could be purchased for on
The outside.
Some parts of the speech made the
other Councilmen sit up and take notice,
and Councilman Freye stated that his col
league was wrong in his views on the ex-
pense part.
Mr.. Fentzlaff said that he was reading
from the report. He stated that he did
not feel disposed to c~riticise the committee
on roads or Street Commissioner Frank G..
Eckert, but that he was extremely anxious
TO get at facts. He asked when the hrst
load of stone was taken from the quarry,
but no one could answer.
me councilman then read from the report
that for labor the cost was $4,7S2; sharpen
Ing drill and other tools, $500; other repairs,
amount was for 1,5oS loads of stone. This
brought the cost OF a load to $40, he said,
or $1.30 more than ought to be charged, ac-
cordlng to outside rates.
why shall we pay $1.30 a load more
than what we can buy it for elsewhere?'
he asked. "When the former Town Coun-
Gil bought the crusher 1t expected to make
money on it. You have heard the old say
ing, Where there is smoke there Is fire.
and I demand a detail of cost in this de-
partment. l can't figure 1t out"
Mr.. FentZlaff recited that the steam
roller near his home had not been working.
and he was told that it was hard to procure
water near the quarry. Mr.. Fentzlaff said
1t was understood that water would be sold
to the town near the place at a small cost.
he was surprised to learn that four
horses were hitched into the water wagon
and water was hauled up from a brook
The steam roller, continued Mr.. Fentz-
1aff, had not been actually working q
week. On August 23, he said, there was a
good rain storm. and it was expected that
the steam roller would work the next
day. The roller was there, the men were
not and the machine was silent, and Mr..
Fentzlaff then asked why the roller was
not working near his home.
Councilman Freye stated In regard to
the crushed stone matter that the drill
cost was for n rock drill, and all the
stuff bought did not belong to the stone
crusher. He and Mr.. Fentzlaff then had
an argument on the cost of stone a load,
and Mr.. Freye claimed the figures. pre-
scented by his colleague were wrongl
II don't wan to find too much fault"
said Mr.. Fentzlaff, "but I want, to learn
you are totally wrong on figures"
'"Then your itemized account is not cor
rect" answered Mr.. FentZlaff. +
II think the auditor can give us all the
figures said Mr.. Freye. 81 suppose the
other items were so small he wanted to
save paper ON something"
Commissioned Eckert then started In to
make explanations and said the man who
was to supply cheap water wanted to
charge 80 for pumping it. The engineer,
he said, was i'll for a time after Mr..
.Fentzlaff stated TINT a man came every
day and lighted a fire in the roller. but
that was all done and a man from the
quarry lighted a fire to keep the boilers
in condition.
I'VE have policemen here who are watch
it's" broke in Councilman HeicheL and
that is the only reason | can think OF
WHY the roller has not been run"
Tit talk on the matter then ended, but
it is probable the question will be resur-
rected at a future meeting, when the COM
mittee on roads will try to furnish a bet
ter itemlzed account.