The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-03-06
THE
sWIHDLEcATEs.
Hudson County Citizens
Show Why the Feeney
Water Bill Should
Pass.
ABRAMS ODD ATTITUDE.
Give the People the Deciding Voice.
The State Should Exercise
the Right of Emi.
nent Domain.
[special to tl.e Jerseu citu Me.es.l


TRENTON, March 5, 1Ss9.-Five men
came up from Jersey City to Trenton to-
day to cry to the Legislature, Save us
from the grip of the water syndicate" All
had the comfortable look of men able to
back what they say with cash, and wore
black neckties. They were:
CARscALLEN, j. D., closely trimmed
whiskers, and appearance of bank presi-
dent.
VAN REIPEN, GARRET g.; ex-Mayor OF
Bayonne; sported eye glasses.
GORDON, DIR. LEONARD j.. the principal
speaker; beard cut square, and hair which
got excited as the argument proceeded.
BooRAEM, LOUIS "; black hair and
black moustache; looks like a lawyer and
is one
SHEERAN, PATRICK white haired and
cl can shaven; looks like a good man to
borrow from if you can talk him into it.
They sat at one end of the Senate Com
mittee room and talked by turns at the
Senate Committee on Riparian rights
Most of the talking was done at Senator
Adrain. He filed a big armchair, tapped
over, and wore a bright red neckle. SEN
ator Gardner, the Republican section of
the committee, laid his head on the back
of his armchair and kept. it there
Once DR.. Gordon got offended be-
cause he thought Senator Gardner
reflected on the visitors from Jersey City,
and then Senator Gardner got o1fended
because DR.. Gordon thought SO ana re-
NAMED in that mood during most OF the
hearing. The third member OF the COM
mittee, Senator Edwards, did his duty
nobly by his constituents by clearing up
obscure points. There were also present
Corporation Counsel Fuller, OF Bayonne,
with his imposing voice and whiskers, and
slender young man with silk hat who
was frequently referred to as the paid
agents of the water syndicate" Ills name
otherwise is George l.. Record, and he is
lawyer.
EMINENT DOMAIN.
DR.. Gordon explained that what was
desired was that the State should exercise
the right of eminent domain and acquire
the water rights to supply cities
with water This led to a discussion dl-
rected by Senators Adrain and Gardner as
to the right Of the State to dosuch thing.
Senator Edwards urged that this was
among the powers of the State, instanclng
land acquired for railroads and parks as
similar cases. Senator Adrain Thought
that such taking of lands might pc uncon,
stitutional, but Senator Edwards proved
that it was not and Senator Gardner
added that it seemed to him that the
question was whether the State and munl-
cipalities should go into the water busl
ness as proposed.
DIR. Gordon concluded by explaining
that while Jersey City's water supply was
all right now, the plans of sewerage along
the Passaic and Jersey Citys rapidly in
creasing population would soon make new
sources OF supply needed. ,c
Mr.. Carscallen next took the floor. 'We
want no contract with private, corpora
tion," he said. "We have still one re-
source left-fltration."
"Why don't you filter your city govern
ment?" Asked Senator Adraln..
1--WE have come to the Legislature for
that said Mr. Casscallen. He described
how the syndicates had been buying up
rights until they must sell water or be
Iuined; how they had circulated pam
phlets intended to cause alarm concerning
the water supply, and how they We're ac-
cused of subsidizing the press 'All we
ask y he said, lis to be let alone by these
syndicates; is that the people shall be al
lowed to vote whether or not they want
this water That is very reasonable. " He
offered to bring certificates from sixty
physicians that Jersey City had good water
and plenty of it.
THE CITY's RIGHTS.
Ex-Mayoc Van Reipen said that. the
swindlecates proposed to store water above
Passaic Falls and would thus prevent the
natural down flow and interfere with Jer-
sey City's rights. That was one thing
they wanted to prevent. This Dill OF Mr.
Feeney's should be passed, y he said. III
the question is submitted to vote OF the
people we are saved.
eve come to you for relief DIR. Cor
don replied. "We would rather deal with
the State than with private corporations.
Under the law as it stands the contract
would be made with the Board of Works
and the Board of Finance. A majority OF
the Board of Works are now under ind1ct-
ment and we have no confidence IN the
Board of Finance"
CHANGE THE BOARDS.
"Why don't you change the boards If
YOU have no confidence in themY' de-
manded Senator Adrain.
1--WE. in Jersey City," was the earnest
reply. i'spend one-half our time attending
to our private business and the other hall
at prayer meetings trying to devise means
to change the city government. In ABOUT
two weeks you won't hear much here ex-
cept Jersey City's charter"
1he text of the hearing was the bill in
troduced in the House by Assemblyman
Feeney and providing that any contract
to supply city with water must be sub
nitted to vote of the Senate. Two bills
introduced by Colonel Heppenheimer were
also referred to- One repeals the repeater
law passed in 1879, which was described
lists, while the other re-establishes the Odd
proposed State Board of Commissioners,
Who shall have charge of the water sup
ply.
Mr.. Sheeran put himself in evidence to
show that the water was good. He is
sixtv-five years old and has been drinking.
it ever since it was put in. He then spoke
of the effect OF contract such as is sug
gested on the finances Of the city. The
city has to pay 5000, 900 year interest on
would be as much more. Many a widow
and orphan would lose everything they
possessed in consequences of the increased
| taxes. The State should take charge OF
the water supply.
A PROPERTY OWNER SPEAKS.
Mr.. Booraem said he came to the hear
! ing because it had been asserted that the
| property owners took no interest in the
question. He appeared as representa-