New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-08


at 70 within a pCAod Of fifteen months.
But" lawyer said, what could have been
expected? The Long Island Water Supply Com
pany was an asset of tie ring by subservlency to
which all the officials concerned owned ther
elevation to a greater or less extent Inc Mayor
is ambitious for higher hOnors. Mr.. jackson
wants to he Mayor The only way that either
knew to fortune however upright personally he
may be- is the old way Of keeping in with the ring
This is a political catastrophe. How weary the
men who paid $40 a share for the stock OF the
Long Island Water Supply Company in the hope
of selling it to the city for $500 must feel wheh
they read 4 entertain grave doubts as TO
whether power on the part of the city ohiclalS 10
purchase under the Annexation act did not end
with the termination of the period of two years
during which the City might have exercised the
power of eminent domain
IF that is good law they have spent nearly
5000, 900 for concern that, according to thelr
own statement, on May 81 was worth only
SS3,120, and now have it on their hands and are
not able to sell il even at fair price TO The
city. Moreover, they must continue to carry On
the works. unless they can unload on some one
and must in future pump their own water for ac-
cording to the Corporation Counsel stealing water
is crime.
CHAGRINBD OFFICIALS.
The persons interested in the purchase were
much chagIned by the decision, but most OF
them managed to put on a pleasant face One
of the leading members of the circle sad to
Tribune reporter, when asked for his opinion
Il haven't been over to the City Hall yet
You know it isn't polite to call OH the family
when the body is first brought home.
Thomas f. Pearsall, counsel for the water com
many expressed much the same sentiment. lie
remarked I'm not troubling myself about 1t.
| worried myself good deal before TIE argument,
getting things ready and now, if it is not right,
let my clients worry. | haven't seen either the
Mayor or the Corporation Counsel. I'LL give
them time to read the opinion inst. don I know
Just what will be done next.
Cyrus f. Staples did not wish to talk. The
MAYOR felt about the same way. and at noon lett
the office for the day. Mr.. jerks was also silent
\ lawyer, speaking of the arguments OF Mr.
jerks and Mr. Pcarsall, said:
II was too funny to hear them one after another
The latter began 10y knocking down everything the
Corporation Counsel had said. Mr.. jerks argued tllN
the water company had no privilege. " or IMMUNITY,
as Judge Bartlett insisted on interjecting' but u
soon a. Mr.. Pearra got up he began to enlarge up3.
the extensive privileges the company had when could
6er 5S the d G Ills OBJECT %s1 to show that
company had something which the city mus pay a
that ii had privileges that were not tho,c i1na IN
the nature Of things. DO you remember me Juuees
question. Did the city buy anything tiat was noi
represented by the stock Mr.. jerks answered
YES" forgetting that that something else could De
nothing but a privilege ! am not surprised at the
decision was in court a little while yesterday, and
| could not see chance for any other view: hG.
be much worse for the limited field it covers. 1t
looks to me like two removals.
MR. GAYNOR NOT SURPRISED.
Mr. Gaynor did not care 10 talk about the case
yesterday. lie was prepared 10 carry 1t on when
ever necessary lie neither surprised nor
elatcd A lawyer was prepared to have anything
happen to his cases. The case, in the ordinary
course of events, might perhaps come before the
courts again in about SIN weeks.
Corporation Counsel jerks is said 10 have re-
marked that he would also be ready for speedy
trial Perhaps however, the issue Of fact may
never come to trial Justice Bartlett plainly IN
dictated his belief that there was good ground
for Mr. Zicslcr's contention that there was no
law authorizing the purchase, because Of the two
year limit In the act applying TO the power OF
purchase by negotiation as well as by right OF
eminent domain If the city officials believe that
this suggestion is likely to meet the approval OF
other iudaes and courts, they may hesitate some
time before p!acng themselves and the stockholders
behind Staples the broker, in the position OF nav
inr 10 90 on the witneSsstand 10 answer questions
thai Mr. Gaynor might ask about the Transaction
They could not then escape BY casulsilc afldaNlts'
II would not be agreeable for an expert who
had sworn that the property was worth Sl,5O0'Ooo
10 be asked to make up that estimate plecemcal
In opening his address on Tuesday Corporation
Counsel jerks said he would try 10 meet ali the
questions Of law first and then would meet Tie
questions Of fact. One Of these questions Of fac'
was about that water connection. lie met 1t by
saving toward the close Of his speech Jhtb nc
tboucht the connection had been sufficiently eA-
planned
SOME FRANK STATEMENTS.
The Brooklyn Eagle Of last evening MAKES
some rather frank statements about the connection
when if quotes a citizen as asking where The
original letter of Chief Engineer Nevins. written
in October 1852 is 4 copy was attached - THE
affidavit presented in court. Inc person quoted
asks, Is the ink dry on 1t yet lhe Com
missioner Of City WORKS swcars that no record "l
TIE connection need have been Kept. EN-Waft
PuryeyOr Peter Milne says that a permit Tor such
work is usual. he Assistant Water PurVey"r,
Mr. Ilaggerty, declines 10 say whether theT' gre
any such records or not. while on January MI.
hawkes. the Water Purycy0r told a Tribune re-
porter that lac thought all the records Of the co-
nection had been handed over u the Commissioner
Of Clty Works.
Mr.. Adams himself. If The Eagle" is correct,
IS in an unpleasant situation. la his affidavit
about his interview with MirabetI l.. Towns ne
says: Al the time tie deponcnt was not aware
that negotiations were in progress between The
Water Supply Company and the Mayor. Controller
and Auditor Of the CITY" Mayor Chaplin says
the negotiations began eleven months ago. In
B." The Eagle Of July is published an interview
with John T. Adams on the proposed purchase, in
which he favored the purchase In Itself. but
thought the price asked TOO high As far as Is
Known. Mr. Adams his never denied the accuracy
II that interview.
Much has been said about the evils Of blanket
government" and many people have expressed
the opinion that when the whole subject ap-
reared in It's tue light II would be seen 10 he all
hight. y They criticised the secrecy Of the nc@O-
liations. but thought that there was 10 other
'roublcl Justice BARTLETT, however. does ~
riticise the secrecy. but the act ITSELF
prima facie case Of waste"
CHEERFUL FACES SEEN.
The faces Of many prominent citizens wore
smiles yesterday. One lawyer, formerly prom
inent city official. did not want 10 make his
successor, Fell. uncomfortable, and feiraihei
from eNnresSing tie gOod lecling tlat his face