Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-01-03


your attention to our present water de
partment. While it is the one cog of
our municipal machinery, which Yields
a return beyond its cost, yet | am in
formed by him who should know that
this return would be augmented if the
water consumed were properly charged
and paid for. Because of the derrelietion
of tradesmen in making reports and the
unauthorized extension of taps and
pipes through houses, the water super.
intendent is without the information or
which to properly base his charges TO
the consumer.
That this defect may be reaedied ]
would suggest that the head Of this de-
Ipartment be authorized to asc scartain the
extent of water service through all the
houses in the city. This could be done
by causing the owner or occupant of
each house supplied with water to fill
out blank form prepared and distrib-
uted by the superintendent and calling
for such detailed information as the de-
partment may find desirable. Proper
municipal action could compel answers
from refractory citizens and tho com
pilation of the data thus secured would
enable the department to plug one spe-
cies of ''leak - in it's supply.
That portion of the city between Max
vile and the high land in the vicinity
OF Christ Church cemetery is not prop
erly supplied with water. The pressure
is hardly adequate to permit a sutli-
cient supply for domestic purposes, not
to speak of other needs
| | feel that the true solution Of this
problem is to tap the Perth Anlboy
main at point near what is known as
Conlogues lane and by means Of an
eight inch pipe through that lane con-
duct to the section now deprived such
a supply of water as will be adequate
| for all purposes. This would perhaps
mean an additional or supplemental
agreement with Perth Amboy, as the
proposed tap would be far above the
meter, but the water committee should
Immediately bestir itself in the matter
and work out the solution Of the did,
Guilty.
Fire Department
To get the full measure of efficiency
of which our fire department is capable,
Encouragement of certain matters is
desirable. / understand that some of
the companies desire to procure horses
for the department 8 use but are deter
red by lack of stabling accommodations.
There is, too, large section Of the city
wherein no fire apparatus is stored. |
would recommend that a site be proCur-
ed and an engine house thereon erected
at point In the neighborhood of tie
| city hall. That one of the companies
now occupying the Broadway house be
transferred there and the hook and
ladder company furnished with supply
of hose. This arrangement would not
only serve to cover section of the
city now to certain extent unprotec-
! ted, but would also permit of stabling
accommodations on Broadway as well as
In the contemplated or proposed build
ing. The efficiency of the fire depart
ment is a necessity and we should not
be falsely economical when the standard
of the firemen is at stake. The project
herein outlined is well worthy of your
earnest attention and 1 suggest its care
ful consideration.
Sewers.
The popular verdict in favor Of
sewers and of the bonding project to
meet its cost should encourage you
to renewed activity to complete the
whole system.
| The work Is so important, how
ever, and it's magnitude so great that
we will probably derive greater and
more lasting benefit If we make
haste slowly" Since the maps con-
template doing the work In sections,
! feel 1t would be the part of wisdom
| to have but one section in course of
construction at any one time. Then
from the first work we can derive
valuable experience for the succeed
Ing sections and with the least pos
sible delay, consistent with proper
| oversight and supervision, have a
practical and completed system in
operation.
City Finances.
AS a general proposition all money
due the city should, If possible, be
collected. Delinquent taxes where
uncollectable should be transferred
to the loss account, the books thus
balanced and the charge eliminated.
The taxes due from the coal COM
pany l presume shall be compelled
to await the result Of litigation. The
city attorney should be instructed to
use all possible diligence to secure a
speedy and successful termination to
the suits. The particular matter of
money due and owing us to which l
would direct your attention, how
ever, is that relating to outstanding
assessments for curbing and tagging
This money should without fail be
collected. Where for any reason the
assessment may be considered harsh,
wrong or improper, 1t should be ad-
justed. If necessary to accomplish
this end let new assessment be
made and justice done to all con-
cerned.
Some Of these assessments are out
standing for years, and it is now
high time that borough matters
should be balanced and that the city
with it's prospects should be unham-
pered with the delinquencies of the
past.
Make an earnest effort in 1910 to
close out all possible accounts and
begin one year from now with clean
and creditable record.
City Hall.
The city hall needs considerable at
tention. / perhaps will be pardoned
if / recommend some sweeping and
radical changes in the whole build
ing. When it is considered that the
building has been in use for a genera
tion and that no material change has
been made in all those years, 1t will
be readily seen that at this time i'm
provement as applied to the building
will not be out of place.
The present council chamber
should be abandoned as such, and
the upper hall devoted to the busi-
ness sessions of the council The
oh hnr hn "