Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-04-08
CLARK ATTACKS
ALDERMEN ON
CERTAIN BILLS
FaIsehood, Fraud and Wi|Iful
Imposition Are Words He
Uses in the Session
LIABLE TO ARREST, CLAIM
Shades for Firehouse and for
Printing of Tax Bills
of City

Declaring that persons submitting
certain bills to the aldermen iast
night were guilty of "falsehooo,
fraud and willful imposition ana
that the aldermen who approved
the bills were equally liable to ar
rest. Alderman John j. Clark last
night made another verbal attack
on the manner in which bills are
being paid by the city.
One of the bills, he said, was
such as to cause the majority 10
have It crossed off the list of bills
which came before the board for
approval last night. The bill was
for shades in three of the city's fire.
houses the fifth ward alderman said
and was presented by Barney Av-
chen. According to Clark, the prices
charged by Avchen were different
in each instance although the
shades were Identical. The prices
being charged the city for the
shades, Clark said, were four times
what they were worth. In one case,
he said, the shades cost $5.57
apiece, IN a second firehouse they
were $500 and in third $3.50. L
can get the same shades for $1.25".
the fifth ward alderman declared.
AS the bill was struck off the list, 1t
was not voted upon last night.
Another bill which brought forth
the wrath of the fifth ward alderman
was that of Joseph l.. Chambers for
$3.50 for laying sewer pipe in Elm
street." 81 thought we awarded a
contract for this work and the con-
tractor is laying the pipe" Clark
declared. "Who is Chambers and
why should we pay him $720 for
work which should be the part of
a contract which has been awarded p
There was no explanation given of
this bill by any members of the
board. When a vote was taken on
this bill all of the members voted
In favor of 1t with the exception of
Clark. Alderman Mcclure was abb
sent on account of illness.
The next bill to be opposed by
Clark was one for three items, one
of which was the replacing of the
running track in Wonderland Park
which was damaged by the trunk
sewer contractor. There were two
other items for work on Johnstone
street and Elm street, the three COM
ing to S54. This bill was inserted
by the city engineer and Clark main
tanned the sewer contractor should
stand the cost of all damages done
by his work and not the city. This
bill was held over.
A bill for $1S2.15, submitted by
the Perth Amboy Record for print
Ing $4,000 tax bills, was attacked
by Alderman Clark on the grounds
that II was excessive. "One year
ago as chairman of the taxation
committee I told the collector to
have 1900 tax bills printed. He
secured them from the LaRoe
Press. The price was $124," the
fifth ward alderman said. When a
vote was taken on this bill Alder
man Sofield joined Alderman Clark
in voting against it but the "ayes"
were sufficient to pass it.
The other bill objected to by
Clark was one for $45 submitted
by the city attorney for drawing up
charges against the patrolmen who
were tried recently. The alderman
maintained this was part of the city
attorneys work and the city should
not pay extra for it. The fifth ward
alderman declared "the city has
been put in a peculiar predicament
by having its city attorney repre-
senting persons arrested in houses
of Ill fame and other places by the
citys policemen who are trying to
do their duty but find the city at
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