Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-10


handling public trust funds
I'VE reduced the pay roll OF the
water department by rs per cent. by
getting rid of lot of useless and
worthless incumbents, pensioners of
the Republican party. We saw that
every man who worked faithfully In
this department received an adequate
living wage, and we are proud that
we took this action.
ION November /, 1913, we were
able to pay our sinking fund and in
terest charges of $4,000 in one
lump sum, and not in instruments as
the Republican party had to do dur
ing all their long tenure of misman-
aged control. And, gentlemen, when
the last day of 1913 came, our books
showed that we had made profit in
the water department of $99,1S2, and
this despite the increased cost of
wages, materials. etc.
Cash Balance $4,000.
1.-THE cash balance today in this de-
partment is over $4,000, and when
ON next November LIST we pay
the heavy mandatory obligation for
sinking fund and interest we will
have q surplus of over $3.50, 900 on
hand.
THE law should be altered SO that
one municipal department can bor-
row from another; and thus save the
exorbitant interest charges caused by
borrowing in the open market under
financial depression such as we are
row experiencing.
I'VE propose to share these profits
with the public by reducing the rates
from $1.06 to $1.00 per 1000 cubic feet.
] believe you will all agree with me
that the Democratic party has proven
its right to a continuance in office;
that we have demonstrated our abil-
ity to conduct your municipal affairs.
"All these statements, gentlemen.
are based on actual figures, and we
invite you to visit the department,
have accomplished. This invitation
is expressly made to the Newark
Evening News. Let them come down
and go over our books.
ut is conceded that one of the most
important factors in the success of IA
city's life is the care of its Streets
those great arteries of travel through
which flow the lifeblood of the COM
munity
Streets in Better Condition.
Gentlemen, the Democratic party
has not been idle in this great work.
Our streets are in better condition
than they have ever been in the his
tory of our city. I make this state
ment unqualifiedly and emphatically
our streets are in better condition
than they have ever been in the his
tory of our city.
During the year 1918 fifty-seven
contracts for paving various impor-
tant streets in the city were started
and completed, at q cost of $3.50, 49S. 10,
with total mileage of ten and one
half miles. The long-delayed repay
ing of High street, from Market
street to Clinton avenue, was COM
pleted late in the fall of 1918, and the
residents of that thoroughfare have
q pavement of which they feel proud.
market street, from the fennsyl-
vania railroad to Bowery street, and
the repaving of Elizabeth avenue,
from Peddie street to the city line,
were also finished, and the contract
for the repaving of Warren street,
from South Ninth street to Orange
street, was awarded during 1913, and
has since been completed.
THE work of repaving Bowery
street, from Market street to Ferry
street, was started during 1918 and is
now done
1.-THE contract for the paving of
Hawthorne avenue, from Elizabeth
avenue to the city line, was delayed
until late in the autumn OF 1913 by
the necessity of laying double tracks
and switches. The whole work was
finished the early part of this year.
It's completion is a great satisfaction
to property owners in the vicinity,
who for many years had suffered
great annoyance and inconvenience
from the almost dangerous condition
of the highway.
"a contract for the repaving of
that very important artery, Spring
field avenue, from Market street to
Morris avenue, wasa awarded during
1913, and the work of repaving the
same has practically reached the
state of completion.
Work or Alley Paving.
"The important work of alley paw
ing was continued during 1913 with
the result that all pubic alleys in
the centre of the city are paved with
modern and durable payements.
THE Board during 1918 also in
augurated a new form of pavement
for use on streets where the traffic
is very heavy. This is known as
mapped and reclipped' granite paw
ing, by which the old granite blocks
on streets which have been repaved
are reclipped and recut SO as to form
new blocks.
This gives a strong, durable gran
lite pavement to the property owners
at a much lower cost than new gram
lite and serves the same purpose.
During 1918 one street was paved
with this form of pavement. and dur
ing 1914 the board awarded contracts
and the work is practically done on
all of the following streets: Long
worth street Baldwin street. Duryee
street, Jelliff avenue, Lackawanrla
avenue south, Lackawanna avenue
north and Warren street, which lat
ter street was awarded in 1913 and
completed this year.
Congested situation Relieved.
"a contract also has been awarded
and the work partially completed for
the repaving of Orange street, from
Broad street to High street.
"When we took charge in 1913 we
realized that the congested situa-
lion in the centre of the city neces-
STATED immediate relief. This condi-
ton was promptly met by the board
of 1913. passing during March OF that
wear an ordinance for the opening OF
Branford place. from Halsey street
to Springfield avenue. at an esti-
mated cost of about $1,000,000.
"The various preliminary work
necessary has been completed in this
matter. part of the physical work mas
been done and a contract awarded to
grade, curb, flag and pave the same
with grouted granite, so that 1t VIII
not be long before the new street Is
open to traffic, thereby relieving the
congestion on Market street and
Springfield avenue.
delaney street was also opened
from Wheeler Point road to the New
ark bay, giving public street TO the
no., f,o..+ civtxy faaf in width