The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-12-02
Ward ON WATER.
The State Commissioner
Warns Jersey City Against
Newark'S Selfish Pc
quannock Raid.

get bill through the Legislature which
would enable Jersey City to share with
Newark the water which the latter ex-
poets TO obtain under its contract with
the Lehigh Valley Railroad. He bad a
bill introduced late in the session which
grew out Of the act which gave the city
OF Newark the right to condemn waters
and lands necessary for the construction
OF the new aqueduct to bring the water,
TO be obtained under the contract. to
Newark.
The act. Mr.. Ward said. had a great
deal Of Significance for Newark, and was
an attempt on her part by lndirection to
Obtain possession OF the Pequannock
water sned. The water sheds for the
supply of cities Of Northern New Jersey
were very few. and no one should be az
lowed to take them up, rs some one
would be left without a water supply In
the future.
The State Water Commissioners, in
their first report to the Governor. said
that the State should act as the guardian
Of the whole State and watch the source
OF water supply so as to protect those who
came late in the field. AtthaG time the city
OF Newark assented 10 that declaration
Governor Green, in his firstmessage, said
that II was time some efficient legislation
was obtained to secure to our citizens the
lake and mountain streams OF the State,
so that they could have pure and whole
some water supply.
THE WATER COMPANY DOUBTS ITS RIGHTS
The Lenigh Valley Railroad Company
represents TO Newark, Mr.. Ward con-
tinued, that it owned the rights IN Pc
4quannock, Wynockie and Ramapo water
sheds. That foreign railroad company
claimed to own the Pequannock water
shed, but doubling that IL really did il
stipulated that the city of Newark should
place certain condemnation rights at its
disposal. 1t had TO 20 to the State to get
that right and the act that was passed
was smuggled through.
In order to protect the citizens of Jer-
sey City against the monoDolistic pro-
visions of that act, Mr.. Ward said that he
had prepared bill TO be introduced into
the next Legislature. This bill provides
that any city OF the State needing new or
additional water works may erect or con-
struct, or may purchase and own the
whole or joint interest in water works
heretofore constructed, either alone or
jointly with other cities or towns OF this
State. This bill. Mr.. Ward explained.
whatever advantages Newark has ac-
quired under its contract with the Lee
nigh Valley Company.
Mr.. Ward instanced the case of Perth
Amboy, to which a private water COM
pany was unable to furnish al adequate
supply of water, the want of which for
manufacturing purposes has greatly re-
tarded the growth of the town.
THINGS IN A DEPLoRABLE STATE.
Mr.. joseph A Dear spoke of the con-
ditiOn of the legislation upon the ques-
ZION of the water supply. which, he de-.
clared, was In adeploraole state. inasm1ch
as It tended to give TO private corporations
the States right OF eminent domain. Tne
Legislature had for several years been in
favor of private water companies and
against the cities, which had complicated
the matter to a great extent The further
action in this matter, he said, depended
upon this city. and whether 1t would be
better for Jersey City to take action to
protect the rest of the State, or whether
she should look out for herself alone, be
declared was matter of doubt to his
mind.
"At present it is questionable.' he con-
tinued, "what we can do. Mr.. Wards
act is intended to carry out the object
which Governor Albeit was trying TO
secure when he required to be
Incorporated in the bill giving Newark
the right to contract with the private
company the clause that nothing therein
contained should be construed so as TO
prevent any municipality from acquiring
py purchase or condemnation. lands,
water, personal property, rights or priv
ileges necessary or proper for supplying
water from any source whatever, the
same as if the act had not been passed
Mr.. Dear did not think that Mr.. Wards
bill would pass, but he thought the
Legislature should pass some acts in
favor of the Municipalities
Mr.. Flemming said that Newark went
down on the banks OF the Passaic and To-
Gated its water works there without any
Legislative authority. Its power to take
| water from any source was rather defec-
tive, and that may have induced her 10
make contracts with the East Jersey
Water Company. But with Jersey City
it was different. She got her authority by
Legislative enactment. In this authority
was clause which he thought would
enable Jersey City to have much of the
water this private company had usurped-
| He thought this would be an important
| factor in helping Jersey City to obtain
her rights Jersey City has the right 70
take all the water from the river it needs
and If Newark went above our intake
and took our water it is taking away
what was given to US by express grant of
| the Legislature This was a matter of
vital importance TO Jersey City. If New
ark has a right to squat on the Pequon-
noe, he wanted TO know why Jersey City
could not go and squat above her.
TINE SOMETHING WAS DONE.
1t is about time We did something and
stopped harping conuuuslly upon our
water supply. Mr.. Wards bill he con-
sidered timely one and II ought to be
brought to the attention Of every citi-
zen.
DR.. Isaac n Quimby thought the bill
was an important one, and differed from
Mr.. Dear in his opinion that the bill
could not pass. From conversations
which he had with members Of the Legis-
larure last winter the Doctor was Inn
pressed with the idea that il Jersey City
would take decided stand in the matter
The hill xyoulu become law
Mr.. Booraem declared that the people
of Jersey City should at once maze mp
their minds as to what they were going
to do in this matter as something should
be done at once. Mr.. Booraem then
preached long sermon on the text, Its
time things were stirred up" and drew
doleful picture OF the depiorable condi-
ton OF JERSEY City in ferry. horse car.
TRANSPORTATION and electric facilities.
Something. he declared, ought to be done
about the water, which was as deplorable
as everything else
Mr.. Dear wished that the theorists who
had spoken should try and outline
something to be done. That was the
burning question Of the hour Idle talk
Is a bad thing and makes those who take
mart in it ridiculous. Gentlemen come
and sit and olink a. each other and talk
about the condition Of the water, the
GreenvilIe cars and Railroad avenue. but
do nothing This stirred Mr. Flen,-
ming up TO propose that the meeing ap
prove the bill Mr.. Ringie objected 10
that as the meeting was so small Other
people may have other ideas. and he
| thought they all ought TO be heard before
| final action was taken He himself
a 4. a.