The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-02-18
ORATOR|CAL FLOOD,
Mullone'S Water Bill Dis
CuSSed for Hours Be-
fore the Assembly.
MAYOR HAYNES ON GEOGRAPHY.
Jersey City Stands on Strictly
Legal Basis-Principle and
Interest.
MAYOR HAYNES ON GEOGRAPHY.
roDAY's DoINGs AT TRENTON.

uTCu OOocpu ~ AtcnA JSoNNANNJ
afternoon in the Assembly Chamber as he
tried in vain to make the Ice water In the
cloak room give up some moisture
The Assembly sat as a committee OF
the whole, with Mr.. Campbell of Mon
mouth in the chair to consider Mr.. Null
lone's Water bill There was a large dele
cation present from Jersey City,
including ex-Speaker John ID. Carscallen.
Frank Stevens, ex- Commissioner Humph-
rey w. Carr, Alderman Hoos, Commits
sioner Jacob RingIe, president of the
Board of Trade; DR.. Isaac N Quimby.
ex-Judge Stephen B. Ransom, George
Jones, Edwin S. Manners, Joseph A.
Dear, Reuben Simpson. William IL.
Lewis, Norman l.. Rowe, Henry Lem
beck, L. B. Ward, George L. Record,
William A. Lewis, James Flemming,
Elijah S. Cowles and w. H. Dougherty.
Mr.. Mullone began the proceedings by
moving that the time of debate De i'm
ited to one hour and each speaker to i've
minutes. Mr.. Hardin of Essex opposed
this motion, and advocated unlimited de-
bate. There was much discussion over
the question, and the matter was finally
settled by resolution OF Mr. Potts tnat
the committee arise at half-past hye
O'Clock and that the speakers be limited
10 twenty minutes each.
NEwARKS THIRD.
The first speaker was William A.
Lewis, former member OF the House.
He said:-'1 am surprised to find that
our neighbor, Newark, is opposed to our
obtaining supply of pure and whole
some water. IL the act OF 1876. creating
the Water Commission, was sufficient for
ms, as the Newark gentlemen say, then
ask what is the necessity for the Water
hin of 1890, which was passed for Newark.
You provided in that act that we should
have this legislation and why is it opposed
nowf The law OF 1890 is au exclusive bill
and under it Jersey City cannot act be-
cause OF the wording OF the statute
Newark says that after she has paid
large sum for water supply we come
forward and want to takeiher water with
out paying for it. That is not so. The
bill has a proviso which fully protects
Newark and which compels us to pay for
the water 1t also provides that the
supply Of Newark shall not be interfered
with. This bill is not in the interest OF
.Jsrsey City alone, 1t Is in the interest or
every city in the State.
IF we 90 TO Newark for water she may
after finding out that she has paid too
an exorbltant price. IL we go to the syn
dicate they will do the same. All we ask
for is that we have the benefit OF the con-
demnation act the same as any railroad or
any OLner corporation WHICH Nduto "
take property for public uses.
Newark is not bound by this bill, why
does she oppose it? There is another ele-
raent opposing US here. The Lehigh Val
ley Railway. The Lehigh Valley is the
lessee of the Morris Canal, and has Sc
cured the passage of bills allowing it to
furnish cities with its surplus water. 1t
has also secured the passage OF another
bill permitting the canal company to
abandon the navigation of its canal. and
thus all its water becomes surplus. You
have given Newark, the Lehign Valley
and all these other people legislation in
the premises, now give us some. DO not
cut us off.
"The State has the right to give Jersey
City and the other cities the relief we
ask"
Mr.. Lewis time was up, but he was
given an unanimous extension. and he
quoted from the message of Governor
Green. and cited the law of eminent
domain TO show that the State had the
paramount right in all the waters in It's
territory no matter who claimed to own
them, or what legislation there had been
on the subject. He could not see why
Newark should act like a dog in the
manger, and take more water than she
needed. He said that when Moses smote
the rock, and the waters gushed forth In
those days when the children of Israel
cried for water in the wilderness, if New
ark had been there she would have cried
out:-
Hold on Mosesi There is a little set
tlement coming up in Jersey which will
need that water some day. Don't give it
away like that"
NEwARK's SIDE.
City Counsel Coult of Newark, then
took the floor for his city. He began by
apologizing for his presence by saying
that he had no interest in the matter, but
being public officer he had been re-
ad nv his QirV N down and
speak against the bill.
A map with the water sheds of Northern
New Jersey clearly marked, hung against
The wall over the reporters desks and
''Picnic" Joe Haynes, Newark,s festive
MtyOr, sat on the steps OF the Speakers
platform and prompted Mr. Coult as he
pointed out the various water sheds on
the map The Counsellor's argument was
to show that there was plenty OF water
for Jersey City nearer to Hudson county
tha# the Pequannock water shed which
Me- re had taken up. He claimed that
it ) much cheaper for Jersey City to
nd ze some of the sheds nearer her ter
ri ry- Newark had been obliged to go
as%4y up among those hills for water be-
cause she could not get sufficient fall
nearer home to supplying the upper
portions of her city.
He answered Mr.. Lewis arguments on
the eminent domain phase of the question
by arguing that property condemned for
Ou6 puOnC use OOti4Q uOt DC COuuc4ucu
for another.
FAIR TO ALL"
Mr.. S. B. Ransom followed Mr. Coult in
behalf of the bill. He claimed that the
measure was fair to Newark and Jersey
City, and that no man could find fault
with its provisions. He drew attention
to the fact that the paid officials OF New
ark were present to oppose the bill. Nine
wears ago Newark and Jersey City To-
gether opposed water bill, which was
passed and which was vetoed by Governor
Ludlow. That bill did not contain one
half the iniquitous legislation which the
bill did under which the Lehigh Valley
Company and the East Jersey Water Com
pany claim to own all the waters of the
northern part of the State. Mr.. Ransom
claimed that the bill did Newark no in
Justice, and confined himself to the legal
phases OF the question.
s'PICNIc JoE's' YwAP.
sPicnic Joe'' was the next speaker. He
cleared his throat and said he would ad-
dress the Legislature on the subject as
one who was interested, although IL
would be with an effort, as he was suffer-
ing FROM a hoarseuess