Perth Amboy evening news., 1914-10-17
N 'CULL0UGH AND
WILSON IN CLASH.
ON ASSESSMENTS
Assessor Appears Before Al
dermen to Offset What Had
Been Said Before-"Not All
Assessors SaIoonkeepers."

Henry Mccullough, an assessor
for street improvements, and Alder
man William C. Wilson clashed upon
the subject of making assessments
correctly at the committee meeting
of the Board of Aldermen last night.
Following a discussion at the preyi-
Gus council meeting, started by AL
derman John ]. Clark, Mr.. Wilson
declared the whole proposition sim
mered down to the necessity of haV-
Ing good and capable assessors. Mr..
Mccullough appeared before the al
dermen last night to impress Mr..
Wilson and others that the assessors
were not at fault. 1t was reported
among the aldermen that the as
SCISSORS would demand an apology
from the first ward alderman. col
league of his declared today that he
would be foolish to give one.
The whole controversy started
over the passage of a resolution at
the last aldermanic meeting to re-
duce the assessments per individual
property owner for the Miller and
William street sewer extensions. Re-
publican Office holders declare it is a
toss up as to whether the Democratic
aldermen or the commissioners of as
sessment for street improvements
were at fault. They declare that af-
ter bids had been received for the
work it was decided necessary to in
stall larger pipe and to make some
other extensions, which brought the
cost up to more than twenty per cent.
than was ever paid for a similar i'm
provement in this city. Assessors in
cluded only such property owners as
were directly benefited, it was
claimed by these Republicans, with
the result that assessments came up
to $50, $40 and $50 a lot, whereas
they should have been below the $40
mark.
Property owners complained and
two threatened to bring the subject
into civil court and certiorari the
proceedings. Passage of a resolution
to have the commissioners re-assess
followed. 1t is now stated that a
greater area will be included SO as
to bring the cost for the Miller and
William street sewers down for each
lot.
Mr., Clark declared at the last
council meeting that there would be
a shortage in the amounts necessary
when errors of assessment were
found and corrected He also de-
clared that a provision of the law to
hold public hearings to enable the
making of protests was not observed.
Mr.. Mccullough appeared last
night in an effort to offset what had
rnyin oil oair tot nc n
that errors in assessments could not
be the mistakes of commissioners,
inasmuch as they worked upon maps
usually supplied by the city engi-
neer. He declared that notices were
published in newspapers to- give
property owners an opportunity to
protest, but stated few if any ever
needed the notices. City Attorney
c. G. Hommann bore him out later
stating that he had often waited for
an hour or two to hear objections,
when no one appeared to make
them.
Mr.. Wilson said he was sorry as he
had not known that Mr.. Mccullough
was a member of the assessment
commission, having believed that
they were all saloonkeepers. He ex-
pressed qualification upon learning
that but two out of the three esses-
sors were rum dispensers.
Later Mr.. Wilson exhibited a bill
to show that the assessors had made
a mistake In assessing for a sewer
connection in Brighton avenue,
which was not made. When asked
why he did not bring that up when
Mr. Mccullough was present, he de-
clared it was needless to stir up
further in the controversy. Repub-
l1cans maintain that they have prov
ed mistakes in assessments have
been made and that there has been
Juggling In the Miller and William
street case, which Democratic alder
men and assessors have not collabo-
rated upon to straighten out.