The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-05-14
WATER AND LAW.
Mr.. Mullone's Joint Supply Bill
Before the Judiciary Committee.

cpeCtdt 10 Tue Jersey City (setcs.
TRENTON, May IA. 1890. 0.-The Assembly
Judiciary Committee gave a hearing
yesterday on the Water bill, introduced
by Mr.. Mullone, which seeks to enable
cities to condemn by the right of emil
nent domain the surplus water supplies
of other cities. The bill, it is said, is
particularly designed to enable Jersey
City to secure water supply from the
Pequannock water shed, whereof there is
to be reason to fear Newark would, othe r
wise, acquire exclusive control under the
contract which that city has made with
the Lehigh Valley Railway Company.
FOR THE BILL
Mr.. Joseph A. Dear, of the Journal,
was here on Monday to advocate the bill,
as the hearing was to have been held
that afternoon. He was obliged to go
home last evening. Mr.. L. B. Ward ap-
peared for the bill, however, and spoke
at some length. esaid in substance
The provisions of the bill are nearly
tions of the act approved April 81, 1876,
IAN act to enable cities TO supply inhabi-
tants thereof with pure water with the
exception that the original act provides
only for the acquisition by any city
OF the works of any water company own
ing water works within said city, mean
ing the entire property of such water
company. The present act provides for
the acquisition by any city of a joint in
terest IN water works heretofore con-
structed when such works are available
for the supply of such city, either alone
or jointly with other cities. Such ac-
QUESTION may be by direct purchase or,
in case Of inability to agree with the
owner, by the exercise of power of emil
nent domain, in which case condemna-
tion proceedings may be taken.
THE NEWARK CONTRACT.
The main object of Mr.. Wards argu-
ment was to show that the contract made
between the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Company and the city OF Newark at
Newark and the adjoining townships of
Belleville, South Orange, East Orange
and Clinton from participation in the
waters of Pequannock water shed. Sec
tion Is of the contract obliges Newark
not TO supply water to other territory
than the places named, and Section Is
siiiiissass-the Z -eehsgh Valley Company not TO
divert or take away water from the
Pequannock water shed or permit any
other party to take water from it except
that supplied to the city of Newark under
the contract after thes city of Newark
shall have completed the contract pay
ments to the railroad company.
ut I6pQIb VI tut 0LhL6 w Al6T GOIll-
mission of March, 1884, points out that
the Pequannock water shed is available
to supply $4,000, COO gallons of water per
diem. and recommends a plan for utiliz-
ing this source of supply for the entire
district embraced in Hudson, Essex and
Union counties, together with the cities
of Passaic and Paterson in Passalc
county, embracing a population in 1880
of 4S0, 900, or forty-two per cent. of the
nOnlllafIOn of the State
The Lehigh Valley contract with New
ark is direct attempt TO thwart the
project of a collective water supply for
these cities under the auspices of the
State and to coerce the cities of Jersey
City, Elizabeth, Plainfield, Perth Amboy,
etc., to purchase water from the water
syndicate. which claims to control the
waters of the northern tributaries of the
Passaic.
The effect of bill No. 5S2, if passed, will
be to break up this com bination against
the welfare Of the people of the cities
named. The bill is important in view of
the fact that an attempt will be made to
force water contract on the citizens of
Jersey City during the coming year.
Mr.. Ward answered number of ques-
tions addressed to him by members OF the
committee. No one appeared in opposi-
tion to the bill. The committee will give
another hearing next Monday afternoon,
when the other side of the question will
ha nrpsantad