The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-12-01
were offered by Alderman salinper:

sail Board on behalf of the Mayor and
Aldermen of Jersey City. on the 21st day
of this month. for furnishing a supply of
pure and wholesome water to this city, to
be delivered at the receiving reservoir at
Belvedere, in accordance with specifica-
tions% prepared by the Chief Engineer of
said Board, and
Whereas. 1t is estimated by said Board
that the city will require a minimum
daily supply of %, 900, 900 gallons with the
right to acquire not exceeding 3d. 00, 900
gallons per day in the future. and
Whereas, The said specifications are SO
drawn as to exclude all other sources eX-
cept the R~ockaway River. and
Whereas, The said Rockaway River is
subject to contemplation by the sewerage
OF the towns OF Boonton aud 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 De taken at any point below the
town of Dover, and
Whereas, Therefore only that part OF
the water shed of the Rockaway River
which Is above the Town of Dover is
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
reservoirs are known to be pre-empted by
the water syndicates which have hereto
lOLO Oi1IEOA W 1doLCn u WdUEI CUuLEdCI
upon this city; and
Whereas, Public opinion in this city
has uniformly in the past condemned the
policy Of purchasing water by the million
gallons, thereby rendering the city de-
pendent upon the stability and good faith
of the syndicate or contracting company,
and the Judgment of the citizens In con-
demnation thereof, and in favor OF re-
tanning absolute control Of its water
supply has been heretofore empnatically
expressed by this Board in resolution
adopted October 20, 1889. and in memorials
addressed 10 the Legislature February
10, 1891, and February 90, 1892. and
Whereas, The experience OF other large
cities whose water supply is in the hands
of private corporations. and so are re-
moved from the control of the citizens,
has uniformly resulted in dissatisfaction.
misunderstanding and inefficient admin
istration; and
Whereas, The experience of our sister
city, Of Newark demonstrates that the
original specifications for q water contract
however stringently drawn, originally, for
the protection of a municipality, will in
the end be awarded in favor of the con-
tractor, and the interests of the COM
munity sacrificed at the bidding of the
syndicate; aud
Whereas. The privacy which has been
observed i'll the preliminary proceedings;
the practical exclusion from the speclf-
cattons 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 discus
sion, all afford ground to suspect coIlus-
sion. with certain favored interests and
convince US that His Honor, the Mayor.
has given his approval to the proceedings
under his apprehension of their effect;
and
Whereas. The city is in possession of
its own pumping works. and in the year
1881 was able to supply It's Inhabitants
with 2l,25O,00O gallons per day at an ex-
pense for maintenance and operation, in
cluding the High Service works, of $l49,-
465. As. or Sl9.27 per million gallons; and
Whereas. The city of Newark, under
its contract for the ownership of its own
aqueduct. Is entitled for an annual paw
ment of 100000 il the form OF interest
upon S4,000,0 600 of 4 per cent. bonds TO
receive "a, 800, 900 gallons of water daily,
amounting, with al addition of 20 per
for maintenance and operation, to
Sl5 81 per million gallons; and
Whereas. No water company can as a
business proposition. afford to supply
water at the above rates under a contract
for a term of twenty-iveyears, with the
contingency that its works will be thrown
upon its hands at the expiration of that
period; aud
Whereas. The action of the Street aud
Water Board shuts out OF consideration
the method Of improving the present
water supply by the processes of filtration
and aeration, and also excludes all COM
petition by parties not having q foothold
in the water shed OF the Rockaway River;
and
Whereas, This Board. and the great
body of our citizeus firmly believe that
the public interest requires that the
CITY should have absolute control of It's
water works from the source of
supply to The point of consumption and
should therefore either adhere 60 its pres
ent 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, ii upon ex-
animation by competent aud dislnterested
this method proves to be the
most economical aud efficient; and
Whereas, The said specifications, not
Wlthstand1ng all past action of the city
authorities to the contrary. undertakes to
commit this City to the principle that the
water Howing In the streams of this State
is private property. and that a perpetual
and exclusive right to impound, divert
and appropriate the same can, or does,
exist, in individuals or private corpora
tfous, and is capable of being effectuaIly
conveyed, transferred or guaranteed to
this. or any, city by a private contracting
party; aud
Whereas. This doctrine is opposed to
public policy and is subversive of the
of the State, and is destructive of
the freedom which the cities aud towns
OF this State should enjoy to supply them
selves with this necessary of life, and Is
relied upon by the water syndicates to
give them a monopoly of the great water
shed or this State. and cannot be accepted
by this city without a betrayal of the
common cause; therefore be il
Resolved, That we, the members of the
Board of Aldermen of Jersey City, do
hereby make u solemn protest against
the execution of any contract based upon
the propositions aud specifications CON
templated in the present advertisements
OF the Street ana Water Commissioners;
Resolved. That we urge the Houorable
Board OF Finance. who are, by the Char
ter. intrusted with the Clty's finances,
to concur in any action tending to
fasten q water contract upon the citizens
OF Jersey City;
Resolved, That we respectfully appeal
to His Homo the Mayor. PeterNKe Wanser,
to decline to further sanction or
any official resolution passed by any mu-
nicipal board of Jersey City in favor of
said proposed contract.
Resolved, That these resolutions be
spread IN full upon the minutes. and that