The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-11-16
SALINGER'S SPLURGH.
Impossibilities in
the Water Supply Issue
"A Finger in the Pie.

For the first time IN many months tnere
was a little excitement in the Aldermanic
| Chamber last night. The excitement
was a little set-to between the ever pug
nacious "Max'' Salinger and President
Allen.
At eight. Aldermen Salinger, Day. Nc
Entee, Farley, Lahey, and keogh, and
President Allen were the only members
present. AT fifeeen minutes past eight
| O'Clock, President Allen raped for order
and directed City Clerk Scott to call the
roll.
The roll was called and Alderman Sal
! niger, who was busily engaged in reVls-
ing q preamble n dresolution he intended
| presenting. did not notice that a quorum
| was not present. President Allen de-
clared the meeting adjourned just as Al
derman Dusenberry entered the ~chainbers
| Mr.. Allen Put on his hat and was about
to depart when Alderman Salinger raised
one of his old time kicks about adjourn
mept being ordered in such a amer. In
| his complaint he was ioIned by Alderman
Dusenberry.
81 have adjourned this meeting" said
| Mr.. Allen. and we will meet again neXE
Tuesday evening""
sit is not right that this meeting
should be adjourned" said Mr.. Salinger.
1Ou, MI GSlQ6Au huoW L HC0 Il z u
resolutions to offer touching upon the
water question and l think it is an out
rage that this matter snould have to go
over"
Alderman D%usenberry had his little
say, but all to no avail. The Board stood
adjourned.
A SENSATIONAL PLURG
Alderman Salinger's resolutions were
of a highly sensational character. and al
though they were not adop ed last night
Il special meeting of the Board is to be
called for Thursday evening, at which
time an attempt will be made TO put them
through. The resolutions were as fol-
lows
whereas, The Board of Street and Water
Co commissioners. with the approval of His Honor
the Mayor, has advertised that proposals will be
received by said Board on behalf OF the Mayor
and Board of Aldermen of Jersey City on the
21st day of this month, for furnishing q supply
of pure and wholesome water to this city, to be
delivered at the receiving reservoir at Belle
vile, in accordance with specifications prepared
by the Chief Engineer of said Board, and
Whereas, 1t is estimated by said Board that
the city will require a daily minimum supply of
%, 900, 900 gallons, with the right to acquire not
exceeding 50,0C0.0oO gallons per day in the future,
and
Whereas, The said specifications are so drawn
as to exclude all other sources except the Rock
away River; and
to contamination by the sewerage of the towns
of Boonton and Dover and the population located
upon its banks between said towns, so as to be
unsafe as a permanent source OF supply if the
water be taken at any point below the town of
Dover; and
Whereas, Therefore only that part of the
watershed of the Rockaway River which is above
the town of Dover ig available and within said
area, storage reservoirs must be located, if the
specified volume of water is to be obtained from
said river; and
Whereas, The sites for such storage reservoir s
are known to be pre-empted by the water syndi-
Gates which have heretofore striven to fasten a
1 -AANr rfra YInnn ri 10 oifu on6
Whereas, Pubic opinion in this city has uni
formly in the past condemned the policy of pur-
chasing water by the million gallons, thereby
rendering the city dependent upon the stability
and good faith of the syndicate or contracting
company, and the Judgment of the citizens in
condemnation thereof, and IN favor of retaining
absolute control of its water supply, has been
heretofore emphatically expressed by this
4 Board in resolutions adopted October %, 1889,
and in memorials ,H 1sds. ADDRESSES snd FseIn TO the ne 1segi and
Whereas, The experience of other large cities
whose water supply is in the hands of private
corporations and so are removed from the con-
troll of the citizens, has uniformly resulted 10
dissatisfaction, misunderstanding and inefficient
administration, and
Whereas, The experience of our sister city,
Newark, demonstrates that the original specIfi-
cation of a water contract, however stringently
drawn for the protection of a municipality, will
in the end be waived in favor of the contractor,
and the interests of the community sacrificed at
the bidding of the syndicate; and
Whereas, The privacywhich has been observed
i III Du6 pEcllluludiJ PIOSCCAlhGo, IAo pIhCUlCdl
exclusion from the specifications of all but a
single source of supply; the brevity of the notice
given by advertisement; and the consequent
lack of opportunity given for public discussion,
all afford ground to suspect collision with GER
tain favored interests. and convince us that His
Honor the Mayor has given his approval to the
proceedings under misrepresentation of their
effect; and
Whereas, The city is in possession of its own
pumping works and in the year 1891 was able TO
daily at an expense for maintenance and op err
alton, including the High Service Works, of
$149, 465 .4s, or 81 sl9: q per E million gallons: and
contract, for an annual payment of $16l, 900, in
the form of interest upon 81. 600, 050o 4 per cent.
bonds, is entitled to $500, 0O0 gallons of water
daily amounting to Sl5.94 per million gallons;
and
Whereas, Nc water company can, as a bust
ness proposition afford to supply water at the
above rates under a contract for q term of
twenty-five years with a contingency that its
works will be thrown upon its hands at the ex-
piration of that period; and
Whereas, The action of the Street and Water
Board shuts out of consideration the method of
improving the present water supply by the pro-
cess of flteration.and a%eration, and also excludes
all competition by parties not having a foot-hoIi
in the water shed Of the Rockaway River; and
Whereas, This Board and the great body of
our citizens firmly believe thatth public inter-
est requires that the city should have absolute
control Of its water works from the source of
supply to the point of consumption, and should
therefore either adhere to its present pumping
system, improved by the method of filtration,
or in lieu thereof should proceed to construct
for itself gravity works connecting with an ire.
proacnable source of supply, if upon examina-
tion by competent and disinterested engineers
this method prove TO be the most economical
and efficient; therefore be It
Resolved, That we, the members of the Board
of Aldermen of Jersey City, do hereby make
our. solemn protest against the execution of any
contract based upon the propositions and speci,
fcations contemplated in the present advertise
ment of the Street and Water Board,
Resolved, That we urge the Honorable Board
of Finance, who are by the charter trusted
with the city's finances, not to concur in any ac-
ton tending to fasten a water contract upon the
ciIizens of Jersey City,
Resolved, That we respectfully appeal to His
Honor, Mayor Peter F. Nanser, TO decline to
further sanction or approve any official resoiu-
ton passed by any municipal Board of Jersey
City in favor of said proposed contract.
The resolutions meet with The approval
of some of the Democratic members, and
it is just barely possible that they may be
adopled.
Ran Over a Three-Year-O1d.
August Peiser, twenty-one years, of No.