The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1913-05-06
ALDERMEN SQUABBLE
over INSPECTOR

!" Washes Get Hose Wagon
Disposal Plant Condition.
Charging that Alderman Clifford anf
Williamson, democrats on the sewer
committee, had not lived up to their
word given him at the first Of the
year and charging them with playing
politics over the appointment of 8
sewer inspector and giving the super
intendent of sewers orders over bis
head, Alderman c.. Raymond Shelley
chairman of the sewer committee
asked the board of aldermen to pay
salary due Robert Thompson as an
Inspector and to engage him as an
inspector. This the aldermen refused
to do, the three democratic members
together with Alderman Reed, pro
gressive, and Alderman Linder vot
ing against the proposition while the
republicans stood by Alderman Shell
ley. excepting Alderman Wiss who
was absent. ].
Alderman Shelley asserted thai
when he accepted the chairmanshir
the first of the year he had an under
standing with the two democratic
members that he was to have the
appointing of such men as were
needed. He spoke to Alderman Cliff
ford about Thompson's appointment
he said, and claimed that Alderman
Clifford made no objection and signed
the payroll bearing Thompson's name
after he had worked a week. 1t was
only after outside parties had brought
pressure to bear upon the democrats
that the trouble arose. The majority
of the committee had refused to pay
him for ten days work, had instructed
the superintendent of sewers to de-
stroy his reports despite the fact
that he was the only inspector on
the Cutler park work for a great part
of the time. Alderman Shelley, con.
tinuing, said that the democratic
members of the committee were al.
lowing politics to stand between them
and their honor as men in living up
to what they had promised and agreed
to do.
Alderman Clifford said that he and
Alderman Williamson told Alderman
Shelley they would not stand for
Thompson and offered a man just as
capable they claimed, in Flagg Vogt.
He denied that Thompson had filed a
report since April 18th and asserted
the town owed Thompson nothing as
the man had not worked under the
superintendent orders.
Alderman Shelley asserted that the
whole matter could have been settled
out OF the aldermens meeting as he
had offered to compromise with the
democrats by taking on Vogt as well
as Thompson as there was work
enough for two men but the demo
Gratis refused, demanding that Thomp
son be fired simply because he was
a republican and overlooking the fact
that he had worked as an inspector
previously under both democratic
and republican regimes and was an
experienced man.
The aldermen authorized the sign
ing of a contract with the White
company for the purchase of an auto
mobile hose wagon for Washington
Engine company at cost not to ex.
ceed $3,500. Alderman Reed, of the
fire committee, recommended the ac-
tion and said that until a rpeort was
made by the committee of Humane
Engine company the purchase of a
pumping engine would lay over.
That the concrete walls around the
contact beds and also some of the
walls of the septic tanks of the sewer
disposal plant were crumbling was
the report of Alderman Shelley, OF
the sewer committee. Repairs were
needed at once, he thought, and said
that because of the nature of the
work bids could not be asked for
His committee was empowered to
have the work done The cost will
be about $1,000, it is thought.
Surface water in the sewer mains
had caused the Wetmore avenue ejec-
tor chamber to work beyond its ca
pacity and in consequence the motor
was burned out, Alderman Shelley re.
ported, and another motor on hand in
the storehouse was set up and was
running within a few hours. His
committee was authorized to have
the old motor repaired so that 1t
can be used as a reserve.
That an attempt should be made to
have the trustees of the Morristown
green rescind their former action in
refusing the Revere memorial base
for the flagpole was the opinion of
the aldermen and Mayor Todd ap-
pointed the finance committee to con-
fer with the trustees in regard to
the matter. The board received a
letter from Judge Cutler, of the Nor
ristown Trust company, executor of
the will of Augustus L. Revere, stat
ing that unless the money was
claimed the matter would be taken
into court for an opinion as to the
use of the money for other purposes
or else it would revert to the Church
of the Redeemer as the Jresiduary
legatee. 1v ass
I The ordinance committee withdrew
by permission of the board the or
dinance amending the hack ordinance
introduced at the previous meeting
and requiring hackmen to wear badges
bearing their license numbers. A
new ordinance was introduced requiIs
ing the hackmen to have the license
numbers painted on the lenses OF
their carriage, lamps in numerals al
least two inches high. This scheme
was fought and beaten by the hack
men few years ago. 3e
Complaints regarding the dump al
Speedwell avenue opposite Cutler
street were received from Mrs. Hop
kins and e. Kirk Haskell. It was
charged that garbage was being
mixed with tho ashao and fha{ na