Perth Amboy evening news., 1917-07-05
CHARGE LAX|TY
At SOUTH ANBOY
Councilman Hackett Threatens
to Have Street Work
Stopped.
Bv special Corespondent.

South Amboy, July 5.-At Tuesday
nights meeting of the South Amboy
Common Council, Councilman James
Hackett, of the Republican minority
charged the street committee with
laxity In the procedure attendant to
the erection of retaining wall upon
property on upper Henry street, and
threatened to take action to have the
work stopped. He claimed that the
contract was not awarded lawfully;
that the matter should have been
brought up at a public meeting or the
council, and that the material used
was not properly mixed. Members of
the majority made no reply to this
charge, but later Councilman Hackett
was accused by Councilman Rue OF
an endeavor to stir up trouble fol-
political purposes, and with undue al
legiance to the railroad corporations.
Mr., Hackett, under the head of new
business. said: II would like to know
what the city intends to do in regard
to the retaining wall built on private
property on the upper part of Henry
street. 1t has not been advertised; no
bids have been asked for, and the
mixture used Is not right-and l can
prove It. Complaint has been made
about this. and 1 want to know what
Is to be done about it,
II do not think the city has a right
to improve private property If the
grade Is right the party should pay
for the Improvement; If 1t Is not right
the city should pay for 1t. l do moi
think matters of this kind should be
taken up at the Friday night commit
tee meeting, but that all members
should be consulted. l knew nothing
about it." Here Mr.. Rue interpolated
Didn't I tell you that you were O
back number ?"
President Stanton raped for order
and Councilman Hackett continued /:
TT makes you smile, doesn't it? Well,
maybe someone will smile on the
other side of their face. Yes. Coun-
Gilman Rue did tell me once that /
was a back number and that he was
running the council and 1 had moth
ing to say. He thinks he can run the
whole town. Well, you may have
heard about the calf that was given
so much rope that he hanged himself.
Somebody's been taking too much
rope here, and 1 want that improve
ment stopped or I'll take steps to
have 1t stopped"
Councilman Hackett contends that
the concrete mixture used was poor,
|
properly fixed. He signifed his in
tention of having an injunction issued
to stop the work If the committee
persisted in carrying 1t out.
Those present at Tuesday nights
meeting were Mayor Kerr, President
Stanton, Councilmen Rue, Hackett
and Gordon, City Solicitor Coakey,
City Engineer McMichaels, Street
Commissioners Connors and Water
Com missioner Braney.
A communication WAS read from e.
r. Berry, of the New York g. Long
Branch railroad, in regard to the re-
quest of the council to do away with
the ringing of the warni bells at
the local crossings. NE n..ed
that the bell warniN1
stituted at tbSiu
lio Utilitiaan
road VI
ever. that the road would communi-
cate with the board and that II per-
mission could be obtained the ringing
of the bells would be discontinued at
night when a watchman is on duty.
The letter was received and filed.
Appeal for the discharge of tax
sale certificate by F. M. p. Pearse was
received. and on motion of Council
The following resolutions, intro
duced by Councilman Gordon, were
adopted:
Whereas, Considerable money has
been paid on account of Henry street
and Main street improvements, and
whereas, no money has been collected
on said Improvement; therefore, be 1t
resolved, that a note of $1,000 be dis
counted at the First National bank,
at the rate of FIVE per cent per annum
for three months, and charged to the
said account.
Whereas, The Stevens avenue i'm
provement note for $4,000 becomes
due on July 7; therefore be 1t resolved
that the same be renewed for period
of three months at the rate of five per
cent per ennum."
The collectors report shows a total
collection for the preceding month OF
s1,308.8. The report was received
and filed, as was the treasurer's re-
port, which was as follows: General
account, overdrawn $6,566.76: bal
ance. water department. $S.9e7.2s:
sanitary sewer account, overdrawn,
$773.29."
Motion by Councilman Gordon to
thanak the local chapter of the Red
Cross for repairing the oity flag was
carried. Councilman Rue asked the
city solicitor what steps had been
taken in regard of making former
Water Commissioner Donlin return a
tapping machine. now in his posses
sion, to the city. Lawyer Coakiey
said that motive had been served de-
manding the return of the machine
and that Donlin contended the ma
chine was purchased from outside
sources and was not the property Of
the city. Later. however, he said that
the ex-commissioner had called him