The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-05-13
FREEHOLDERS PLACE
ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES
ON CIVIL SERVICE BASIS
Resolution Sprung at Last MINI
ute in Meeting and Carried
by Party Vote.
BOARD REFUSES LIGHT
PLANT FOR COURT HOUSE
County Engineer Gets in Some
Raps at Board and Demands
Payments Owing to Him.


just on the eve of the adjournment OF
the Board of Freeholders late this after
noon, resolution offered that all the
employees of the county be placed un-
der civil service regulations was passed /
by the vote of 16 to Il. The measure
was Democratic one, and was passed
by party vote, the Democrats in favor
of the resolution and the Republicans
against it.
The bill viii affect several hundred
officials
The board previously refused to APP
propriate $4,000 to establish an electric
plant for the Court House. There was
q hot argument over the matter, which
came up when the county's annual
budget was under consideration.
Freeholder Pierre Black said the
Public Service contract would run
out in September and that the bill for
the year would be $4,000 He said a
Court House plant would save $4,000 or
$4,000 a year
Chairman Ward of the finance COM
mittee said his committee thought it
T, best TO await the result of the trial OF
the City Hall plant
be installed next year, but caution
should be used now. as a $4,000 plant
was being put in the penitentiary and
$4,000 plant at the Jail.
Black offered an amendment to add
$4,000 TO the budget for the lighting
plant. Then the arguments followed
Supervisor Otterbein said the board
could go on record as favoring it, but
need not make an appropriation this
year.
The director appointed a COMMITTEES
of six to go over the budget, which
totaled $2,4s2,557.7 This was merely
technical, and the budget will be ap-
proved in its original form.
Budget Carries s2.4S2.555.
Resolutions were offered to increase
the salary of the Jail warden to sl,Soo
from $l,500; to appropriate 81, ,3JO for
classifying documents in the county
clerks office; approving the action of
the finance committee in selling the
100000 issue of hospital bonds and
$500 900 of park bonds at 10. aggre-
eating $S14, ,320. to the Prudential In
surance Company; to increase the SAL
ary of County Physician Daniel Elliott
from $4,000 to $500. $500 of this sum
to be added to the salary of the deputy
physician; to allow $500 for clerk TO
the county supervisor of schools, and
a resolution authorizing and empow-
ering the director Of the Board of
Freeholders TO sign notes on the
county not to exceed 500, 600
All the recommendations were con-
Cured in.
The finance committee reported that
the receipts for the year were $5.232.-
1868 and the disbursements S4.956,
963.49. leaving a balance in the bank OF
$275,233.30.
Drum Beats at Board.
The report of County Engineer
George Drum contains thrust at that
body for its methods of dealing with
the engineering department. Drum
says, at the close of his report:
IF you want efficient service ii will
be wise to pay up. You have washed
some dirty linen in the past, and there
is more to be washed now
He further says:
MY services seem to have met with
opposition in certain quarters, and
there is still a balance of $1129 due
me- though my work has been done
satisfactorily"
The report states that the amount
expended for bridge repairs in the past
year has been $27,S32. The cost of the
new Central avenue county bridge now
practically completed, will be within
$4,000, the amount appropriated, and
the structure will be open for traffic
about May 2S
Mr.. Drum also stated that $1,4T179
was due to him for work on the Essex
County Isolation Hospital at Soho.
The county physicians report shows
that he investigated 1033 deaths. OF
these 11S were suicides. 242 were due
to accidents and 16 were homicides
The committee on county hospitals
showed a balance OH hand of S1.1so.z0-
The average number of patients uaiH-
tanned at county hospital week was
1.251, at Il net cost for maintenance
per week OF S201.
At the State Hospital the total cost
for the year for maintenance was s..
Sol. 81 balance of S2S2.5S was left IN
this account. The weekly cost for
maintenance was S2.1s