The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-10-11
JOHN KEAN'S RECORD
Chapter One is the Story of
the Disreputab1e Perth
AmboY Water Job.
GOVERNOR ALBEIT KILLED 1T.
The Idea Was to Force the Sale
Of a Worthless Plant to the
City for $500, 600.
KEAN HAD $13, 600 In BONDS.
Sc He Used Every Sert of Means to
Push the Bill Through the
Legislature.
GOVERNOR ALBEIT KILLED 1T.
KEAN HAD $13, 600 In BONDS.
Special to the Jerseu City Ne,cs.

Special to the JERSEY City Ne,cs.
PERTH AMBoY. Oct. 10. 1892. Mr.. John
Kean. Jr., the young millionaire Of Eliz-
abeth, who is importuning the citizens
of this State to elect him Governor, is not
likely to receive much support from the
voters of Perth Amboy. The more-holy-
than-thou attitude which John is assum-
ing and the vivid pictures which his man.
ayers are painting of the political mil
1enlum, which will dawn in this State
when the Republicans obtain possession
of the government, deceives no one in
this ancient town. When they hear how
johns heart throbs in anguish at the
many burdens which a goddess Demo-
cratic administration has heaped upon
the poor downtrodden taxpayers Of the
State and how he yearns to relieve those
burdens at $4,000 per annum. the good
citizens Of Perth Amboy wink their off
optic, and say, go to -, we have met
John Kean before"
Perth Amboy has met John Kean be-
fore and all the fervid and impassioned
spellhindery of John Griggs and Colonel
Murrell can't make them better ac-
quainted with him and his deep regard
for the downtrodden and overburdened
taxpayers.
About eleven years ago. when Perth
Amboy was rapidly becoming the thriv-
ing little city it now is, its citizens felt
that they needed water supply which
would meet the wants of the large COM
mnnity which their town promised to be-
come. While they were agitating the
matter, the Perth Amboy Water Company
came along and represented that it had
just what the city wanted. Accordingly,
the city made a contract with the COM
pany whereby it was agreed that the COM
pany would furnish the city with a supply
of pure and wholesome water for period
of ten years at something like $50 hy-
drant. The amount which the city pail
the company was between s., 900 and 81, 900
a year.
AN INADEQUATE SOURCE.
The source of the company's supply
of ''pure and wholesome water" was
little ravine within the city's limits
water shed Of about one and half square
miles. Through the gully ran small
brook which was practically dry in the
hot summer months, and at its best. when
swollen By the freshets of early spring :,
was never 60 wide that a man could not
step across it. The company damned
the gully and formed storage reservoir
for the supply Of the city. All the water
which accumulated there caHe from the
tiny brook and two springs. In fact the
greater part of it came from one of the
springs.
As time went on, the quality of this
water became worse and worse. The mud
which accumulated at the bottom of the
reservoir and the leaves which fell into 1t
from the trees which surrounded the
basin made the water unfit for potable
purposes, If not, in fact, detrimental to
the public health. Moreover the quantity
did not increase with the demand, and as
the city grew rapidly, it soon became ap-
parent to the authorities that it would be
necessary to obtain new supply.
Things went along until November,
1890. when the water became so bad that
immediate action had'to be taken. So at
the election held that month, the citizens
adopted the act which enables city to
buy its own water supply. After the act
was adopted, in order to have no trouble
with the Perth Amboy Water Company,
the city offered the company 500. 900 for
its plant. This the company refused and
demanded much higher sum.
FORCED TO GET A NEW SUPPLY.
The city then gave notice that it would
apply to the Supreme Court for the ap-
pointment of Commissioners to condemn
the company's WORK, as under the law
they had the right to do. The Commits
sioaers were appointed, and as the case
proceeded, the city became convinced
from the testimony given before the
Commissioners that the company's sup
ply could not be increased, and IL they
purchased the works they would have to
go else where to obtain an additional sup
ply. They therefore caused their counsel
to have the condemnation proceedings
discontinued aud went over the Raritan
River to the Tenants Brook vatershed,
which drains an area of twelve square
miles and is situated about six miles from
Perth Amboy.
The city was about to make contracts for
ereGting works there when they were en-
Joined by the Court of Chancery from
taking any proceedings in the matter.
The injunction was raised upon a bill
filed by the Water Company, alleging
that under the act whereby the city ought
to obtain a new water supply it was first
bonnd to purchase the company's plant.
While this matter was pending in the
Court of Chancery a bill lifted it's head
i'll the Senate. which amended the act
hereinbsfore referred to in such a man
ner as TO compel the city to purchase the
company's plant before it could obtain
new supply. the very thing which
1t claimed in its Chanc-
cry bill. the act already pro-
yided Mr.. John A. Beekman, City
Counsel of Perth Amboy. who was a
member OF the Assembly ar the times