New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-04
BROOKLYN'S WATER JOB.
MORE LIGHT ON THE ATTEMPT TO SWINDLE
THE CITY,
pRAzBN EFFRoNTERY OF THE PLoTTDRs-TRY'
ING TO SELL THE PROPERTY OF PRIVATE

STAPLES. and the fgurchcad president of the Long
Island Water Supply Company, on December IL
wrote letter to the Mayor, the Controller and the
Auditor of the city of BROOKLYN, in which ne
offered to sell the company to the city for Sl,10o-
600 In that letter le said that the company
owned fifty miles and 4,074 feet of pipe lald.
lie also remarked A great amount of money has
been spent in establishing the company and III
fitting it to supply the population Of the present
Twenty-sixth Ward" This letter will bear cX-
animation particularly the statements as TO the
mileage of pipe and the fitting it TO supply the
population" The tax records of July last show
only nineteen and onc-half miles of pipe.
IL is a well-cstablishcd fact that ever since the
town of New-IOts was annexed to the city OF
Brooklyn and erected into the Twenty -siXth ward
the Long Island Water Supply Company has stead
ily refused TO extend its water mains into any
new territory 10 keep pace with the rapid growth
of the district. The uniform answer to every
property owner was that the pipes could be eX-
tended for ore. hut If the property owner
wanted to lay pipes himself and extend the mains
at his own expense he was at liberty to do So
and the company would turn the water into his
mains for a consideration. The result OF tins
course IN establishing the company and i'll hitting
it to supply the population" was that private prop
crty-owners have put down about twenty miles
Of water mains at their own eXpensel Whole tracts
Of land were bought and opened up by cntcrprlS
ing real estate men, who plotted the land, opened
streets and laid waterpipes at their own expense
The Long Island Water Supply Company is now
turning In this pipeagc TO the city as part OF ITS
own plant. A list of not less than fifteen owners
of real estate in the Twenty sixth Ward who put
down pipes at their own expense, after the COM
pany had refused to extend its mains through
their property, can be given. Edward L. Linton,
the wel-knOwn real estate operator and banker,
laid five miles of pipe in the territory he was
developing. DR.. Palmer is said TO have laid two
miles, and z. II. Granger one mile. Others laid
0nehalf mile three miles as the necessity of their
property demanded, This company now calls
those pipes its own While the property -Owncrs
have been doing this. and the company has refused
TO supply the legitimate demands of the people
of the ward. there have been put down during the
last year 90 new fire hydrantS, Tor which the
city pays $50 each.
The Long Island Water Supply Company has
a charter. It's patrons put down water mains for
it. 1t furnishes them with water stolen from the
city of Brooklyn. The city of Brooklyn sends
wagons and tools and men out into the Twenty
sixth Ward to put down lC0 hydrans. Then
the city pays the company $500 wear for them.
After that the Long Island Water Supply Com
pany takes the private pipes, the stolen water.
the Brooklyn fire hYdrantS, and tries TO sell them
to the city for 81 100000.
There is no law that can authorize fraud
said Jesse Johnson the other day.
The Commissioner of City Works has said that
the connection between the mains of the two sys-
tens was made 10 give additional pressure in
case of fire. 1t is a wcll-known law of hydro
states that pressure depends on the height of the
column of water above the point where the
pressure is applied. The two reservoirs are on
,be camo hill of Pidoa,voo1 4 nnrSon fo-mprlV
connected with the Department of City Works,
and particularly familiar with the waterwOrks,
said yesterday that the static pressure of the two
water systems was exactly the same. That fire
pressure will not hold water any better
than the tapped mains kept the city's water out
of the Twenty-sXth Ward.
That hill up at the reservoir recalls a story told
by resident of the ward. The substance of ii IS
that shortly after Staples the broker, bought the
stock of the water company, some of the real
purchasers of the stock went out into the Twenty
sixth Ward to examine the property. They went
up onto this hill. There were three of them. and
one much taller than the other two. lie lifted
up his hands and pointed out the different feat
ures of the estate he had purchased for himself
and his companions lie stood there with pride,
and well he might, for lie was really the master
of il and all else he There was no need for
the people of the new ward TO ask his name. All
knew him. BY the public at large he is called
"The Boss TO his faithful followers he is known
by the afectionate title Of" The Big Fellow"
Who owns the stock of the Long Island Water
Supply Company? Edward Frec Thomas +.
Nevins, C. c. Adams Hugh McLaughlin-' and
still there's more to follow
Alfred c. Chaplin, Mayor of Brooklyn, signed q
contract on December - to pay $3.50, 600 for
the Long Island Water Supply Company, which,
competent engineers say is worth not more than
100000. Princes and lords are but the breath
of kings"
BY the terms of the contract for the purchase
OF the water company, the city was to assume
two mortgages of S25O,000 each, made by the
Long Island Water Supply Company. Al the
time when these mortgages were made 1t Is be
yond question that $500, 900 was high valuation
Of the property Within a year 1t has been as
sessed for only ISL go. No one VIII for a mo
ment imagine that the persons who took those
mortgages paid in any great amount OF money Tor
them. II they paid 40 cents on the dollar they
were advancing fully as much as the plant vas
thirty cents. According to the contract with the
city these bonds were 10 be assumed. In other
words, the city 10 become responsible for their
payment, dollar for dollar, together with the in
terest at per cent for some ten years or more
The effect of this guarantee would be 70 make
these bombs worth from 1870 to 40. and the hold
ers would realize handsome profit Does any
body know who holds these bonds that the city
was about 10 make 50 valuable?
Commissioner Adams is reported 10 have SAID
YESTERDAY that his reason for not allowing a J1b-
une reporter access to the records Of the cOnnec-
ton of the water mains at Broadway and Man
haitian Junction was that the Corporation Counsel
had them. Why didn't he say 50? Nr. jerks
takes the position that the city officials have
been cited to appear IN court TO make an answer
to the charges brought against them and that
relieves all departments Of the city government
from showing 10 any person any papers in any
way bearing the case, or that can possibly he
used against these officials No more prcpoSrerOGs
position could be taken. The papers are public
records and whether they may help or hurt the
defendant officers, they are still subject 10 inspec
ton by attorney newspaper or citizen.
The person whom Thomas +. PcarSall so gladly
offered 10 show the list of the stockholders of the
Long Island Water Supply. Company on Friday
followed up the invitation yesterday, but received
a positive refusal from Mr. Pcarsall TO complete
his part of the arrangement.
The case Will come I'D in the Snccial Torn of