The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-12-23
TO Watt ON BARTLETT.
The Street and Water Board
Tackles the Water
Again.
THE NONTCLAR COMPANY FAVORED.
The Water Question Argued, and Q
Conference Observation-Disclosures
for Street Contracts.

At the meeting of the Street and Water
Board this morning communication
from the North Hudson County Railroad
was read, asking permission to commence
the erection of columns for the proposed
elevated railway on Central avenue The
communication was referred to the Com
mittee of the Whole.
The Committee of the Whole, to whom
was referred the recent communication
from the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com
pany in reference to the water supply, re-
ported adversely on that company's prop
osition and recommended a conference
with the Montclair Company's represen-
tatives with view to entering into con-
tract with the latter company as soon as
possible for furnishing Jersey City with
pure water supply.
ARGUEING THE POINT.
The reasons given by the committee are
substantially as follows
That the new water supply had been
before the people of this city many years,
and with the increasing pollution OF the
source from which it was now drawn,
those who have looked forward to the
growth of the city have some anxiety IN
regard TO the source for new supply,
and with alarm at the enormous outlay
necessary to purchase it.
All the larger cities in the county had
been reaching out in the direction of
new water supply. Privat, enterprise,
always on the alert for new field of
operations, had taken up the agitation here
with broad and comprehensive view
that embraced the cities in Northern New
Jersey.
An ample supply had been offered to
various cities at q price far below the cost
of any public undertaking, but the cities
did not reSDOnd at the time.
Since then Newark had entered into
contract with the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Company for a supply at $50 per gallon.
Montclair had contracted with the
Montclair Water Company, the City of
Bayonne with the same company, for the
term of twenty five years to pay $50 per
million gallons, and the City of Passaic
had also entered into a contract for a sup
ply.
time, so far as official action was con-
cerned, in this city, but we were for
tunate in not being confined to one party
for supply.
A LOWER OFFER
There were two propositions before the
city government for consideration and
either of the parties was doubtless
capable of furnishing an ample supply of
pure water.
The committee could not recommend
making "a contract with the Lehigh
MQntelair company offers to furnish the
supply at less price.
L. The committee, realizing the pr essing
necessity of a new water supply, sug-
gested that it could not be furnished any
too soon, because 1t will be two or more
years at best before water will be deliv-
cred after the date of the contract.
The committee had therefore taken up
the whole subject for consideration, and
felt it would be neglectful of the best in
TO rr1d no f1IfI of ff1n nit
if it failed to make any recommendation
on the subject.
The proposition of the Montclair Water
Company had been considered.
1t was found that the company already
controls ample water rights and natural
reservoirs with means practically unlim-
tied for the acquisition of further lands
and the construction of reservoirs aE the
needs of the city may grow.
The proposition of The Montclalr COM
pany was $40 per million gallons, or So
less than the price offered by he Lehigh
Valley Railroad Company. A contract
with the Montclair company would
necessitate no increase of the city debt
nor increase in the water rents now
charged to the people.
EARNINGS, FOR SUPPLY.
The committee deemed the suggestion
made recently by a committee of citizens
to Mr.. John r. Bartlett that he
should take entire charge of our
wafer WOFhS anu UQe ulSIr1DuGlOD
and supply of water to our citizens to be
illegal and impracticable and one that
would never be submitted to by our peo-
pie, even if the law would permit of such
an arrangement.
The committee recommended the adop-
tion of the following resolution
sarhat the law officers of this city be re-
quested to confer with the Montclair
Water Company and report to this Board,
the very best terms that company will
make for a contract TO supply sufficient
quantity of pure and wholesome water to
be delivered into the reservoir at Belle
vile, now belonging to this city
OTHER BIDDERS.
There Were five bidders for the contract
of erecting the Ninth street sewer, from
Monmouth to Brunswick street. They
were Michael Mullerey. Henry III. Holmes,
THOMAS Kelly, Henry McGibney and
Thomas Donohue Donohueis is the lowest
bidder.
For the improvement of Danforth av
enue the bidders were O,Dopnell 6
Ormsby, Thomas Hogan, p. l.. Reil, |
Thomas Cavanaugh, Thomas Harrington
and Michael Mulley. For Linden av-
enue. from Garfield avenue to Old |
Bergen Road the bidders were Michael
Muilery, Thomas Hogan, Thomas Har-
rington. Thomas Cavanaugh, O'Donnel &
Ormsby. John NJ Shannon, the last |
named the lowest bidder
For Sherman avenue, from South to |
Bower street, bids were received from
O'Donnell g. Ormsby Thomas Harring |
ton. Michael Mullerey, II. II. Pitcher,
Dennis Byrnes, Thomas Cavanaigh and
Patrick Ryan. Harrington probably the
lowest bidder.
For the Improvement Of Germania ave-
nue. from Manhattan avenue to Bleecker
street, the biggest job on the list there
were ten proposals, including those of
Henry McGibney, George w. Kiess, p. L.
Reil, E. H. Pitchen, Michael Mullery,
O'Donnell & Ormsby and Thomas Cavan.
GDonnell g. Ormsby are probably the
lowest.
Commissioner Dugan reported that
nothing had as vet been done in the mat
ter Of selecting school sites. The salary
of Water Purveyor Coar was increased
to 81 500
Mother and child Burned.
A woman's screams in Sixteenth street,
- ~