New-York tribune., 1886-05-14
THE AOUEDUCT BILL SIGNED
RAINING TIE NEW COMMISSIONERS.
THEY ARE CONFIRMED by THE sENATE-GovERNoR
HILLS OPINION OF THE LAW.
try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE


Albany, MAY 13. - Governor Hill sur
prfscd the Senate to. day by sending In nominations
for Anueduct Commissioners OF New-York. ms WIS
the first intmation the Senators had that the Governor
had signed Senator Hoysradts bill adding three cIn
commissioners to the Board Of Aqueduct Commissioners
and dropp Mayor Grace and Controller boew from .no
board The citizens minated were Hamilton FISH, Jr
Edgar l.. Ridgw.y and Oliver III. Barnes. Senator
Hoysradt moved that the nominations should be con-
hr-ned No objection was msde and Messrs FISH,
RIdgway and Barnes confirmed by unanimous vo'e'
Hamilton Fish. jr., Of Garrisons. Putnam county, Is
OF Ex-Governor Fish, and was Republican nemoe'
of tho Assembly for five years, 1S74-9 from putnam
He is still a Republican. Edgar L. Rdcway, OF new
York is a member of the Produce Exchange lie was On
active CLEVELAND mann 1854 and secretary OF the
Business Mems Cleveland Campaign Club IN that year.
He is % Democrat. Oliver H. Barnes the scooh"
Democrat lives in New-York and is member OF the
American Society OF Civil Engineers He has done en-
gneeing for the Pennsylvania Railroad tho PttSoure
Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad the Buffalo Bradford
and Pitisburg and the South Pennsylvania. lie was
first principal AID later consulting engineer OF
the South Pennsylvania. The Governors reasons Tor
signing the Aqueduct bill are given below:
An examination of this bill shows that It's provisions
have generally misunders BOD 1t seems 10 nave
been rOniouDded with other bis pending DeIore tno
Legislature II does not increase the powers OF the
SUPERINTENDENT OF Public Works 1t does not confer any
additional authority upon the Aqueduot commission. ~
pina two OF the officials or ex- const-
tutng the present aud substituting In their
places three citizens, OF whom shall pe c''l GU
cineer. aud OF WHOM shall reside IN ono no OF a rne
,ountles outside OF New York through which the alue-
duet Is proposed TO he constructed Tne bi Also @
the annual salaries of all the commissioners rom To,VVo
TO $4,000 II passed the LeslsiatCrc nearly uhani-
mously and us there serious legal or cohslit-
tional questions involved sufficient reason for With
holane NV approval Is apparent ~ .oun,,.. o,t.,de
represented that the people III the counties ousue
of New York tholgh which the aqueduc Is heng con-
structed are defous OF having representative upon
the commission especially protect their interests and
the Iegisl has endeavaed to granny thelr NlHes
There force to the claim OF slca och
lies and IL anticipated that possible harm can re-
suit from permitting such proposed representation tl
further represented eiher the Mayor nor the Con
of their OncrDus OnCla ultle>
sufficient time aud proper attention 10 the
WORK OF and that the eflcency OF thht
body VIII he greatly promoted by the SUBSTITUTION Oh ct
zens who hvld no other office whatcver, and who can
give their entire time II necessary. 20 the fthinl ana
enerreiic discharge OF their duties as COMMISSIONERS
These are considerations which certainly NOT Whout
weight, and wnich must unqdestonaby nave nnuehced
the Legislature IN the passage ~ this act
claimed he desirable tnat one or the proposed
commits should he civil engineer ana the ll 80
pro No OF the present commissioners has ever
had any prtctica experience In the constr ctioh u
tunnels or an ducts, and the nid aud advice OF
skilled aud pr ict1cal "a member OF tne co MS
sion. without the commission being compelled 10 always
rely upon the Judgment of employees or Outsiders upon
engineering questions, wouhl seem To ne very ai'an
Tue scandal ariSng out or GlH"renceS
,yren the chief aud the construction en-
queer of aqurdlct wOnd, II il believed nave nee'
avoided the presence the commission itsen OF an
expe Tenced civil er glneer.
The bill is in al respects what would ave recon-
rended or preferred the Legislature seems de
sirous Of making change, and rs immediate "cipn upo
the measure demanded In order that the new crnis
s;oners he lectei and conirlned by the 'cnae
have, with reluctance, concluded TO formally ap-
nIn va lp