The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-02-24
WATER MUST COME.
Jersey City Seems to be
Moving in Earnest.
AN ALDERMANIC MEMORIAL.
Messrs. Edwards and Hudspeth
Fighting Vigorously at
Trenton.

.si0u 1dob ulk ub AlQSEHldn NuCl1bbCO PiO-
sented a water memorial, which was
adopted. 1t set forth in part that under
an act of the Legislature Commissioners
were appointed ito determine plans for
the storage of anv of the waters of this
State for the purpose of furnishing to
cities and towns a joint water sup
ply" These Commissioners reported on
January s, 1888. to the Legislature. shat
it was especially desirable. with re-
spect to the district adjoining New York
bay. and the Passaic and Hackensack
rivers, containing number of rapidly
growing cities and towns which
might otherwise become competitors
for the possession of the best
sources of supply" that investiga
tions be undertaken py the State, "in or
der to prevent the conflicts and injustice
which would arise from the appropriation
of the available sources of supply either
by the more vigorous local authorities to
the exclusion of those in the field or by
private com panies." Upon this recon-
mendation the Legislature granted such
power to the Commissioners to make in
vestigation.
PREVIOUS REPORTS.
On March II. 1884, the Commissioners
reported to the Legislature "a plan and
estimate of cost of providing a joint
water supply for the district before men,
toned (including Newark and Jersey
City and eight other town and cities
from Paterson to Railway, the supply to
be taken from the PequannocK River, a
tributary of the Passaic River, having a
water shed sufficient for all probable
requirements until 1906. The river could
be depended upon TO furnish sc, 0,000,0 600
gallons of water daily, and it was the
source to which all cities and towns in the
their supply. The aggregate population
in this district In 1880 was All 400, or SO
per cent of the population of the State. :"
And your memorialists further repre-
sent that on the date of said report. pri-
yate parties and railroad and canal COM
panies OF this and other States were (and
ever since have beep) aiming to subvert
the legitimate authority of the State. as
the trustee of the public, to control and
appropriate to the use of its citizens for the
purposes of public health, the streams
and lakes which are the. natural and in
dispensaple sources of pure water supply
to it's cities and towns, and have asserted
claims of actual ownership in water,
which, If allowed, would make
subservient to them; and that
parties so claiming rights in water, have
persistently urged the government of
Jersey City to recognize their claims. and
pure water to be drawn from
streams which said parties claim
to own, but that the people
of Jersey City, has refused to entertain
any such proposition, which looks to the
establishment of a water monopoly grasp
ing the great sources OF pure water sup
ply in the State, and making their enjoy
ment by the municipalities matter of
bargain and sale and official corruption. !"
THE PRESENT SITUATION.
The memorial goes on to show that
Newark has entered into contract with
the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company for
a supply of water from the Pequannock
any of the water outside of its limits ex-
cept to Belleville, South Orange. East
Orange and Clinton, Notwithstanding
all other cities in the district have an
equal right to a water supply from the
Pequannock water shed.
The memorial sets forth that such con-
tract between Newark and the Lehigh
Valley Company was made in deroga-
tion of the exclusive right of the
State to authorize the appropria-
tion of the waters of its streams
and lakes and for that reason was abso-
lutely illegal. and that any claim made
in virtue of that contract should be dis
regarded by the Legislature as void.
WRONG AND INJUSTICE.
Further on the memorial states that
the attempt of Newark to possess the
Pequannock River will work grave
wrong and injustice. This can only be
remedied by act of the Legislature to en-
.l otba tn. inipf inf
in the source of supply of the works con-
trolling the same, as provided in the bill
now pending before the Legislature. If
not checked by Legislature syndicates will
acquire the control of the great water
shed of the State as described in the an
ent year; also that these syndi-
Gates have organized water companies
under statute which permits consolida-
tion, thereby forming a gigantic water
monopoly. That by contracts with this
and other cities like that of Newark
they hope to tbe put State f QUO OF taf
aside their alleged title without thereby
impairing the obligation of these con-
tracts, but that the passage of the water
bill will by strictly constitutional methods
prevent the formation or continuance
of the projected monopoly, and will pro-
mote the adoption of scheme of State
the communities of the State will be
guarded alike.
GOVERNOR ABBETT's VIEWS.
In his message, Governor Albeit said
I'm connection with this question of
water supply, call attention to the pre-
sentation of the matter made in my last
message | still entertain the opinion
that the attempt of private corporations
to withdraw water from rivers and
streams TO sell to the public, and obtain
monopoly thereof, under which they
claim the right to prevent
great cities and communities from
using the same for public
purposes is dangerous to the pu bile inter-
ests. The unusual and dangerous powers
which have been given to these corpora
tions should be limited and the rights of
the people of the municipalities of the
State not having contracts with these cor
poratiens should be protected. The right
to regulate the use of water for public
purposesican only be vested, in my jhdg-
ment, either in the State or in its munich
palities for the equal benefit Of ALL"
GOVERNOR LUDLOw's ACTION.
When Governor Ludlow vetoed the
Hobart water bill in 1882. he said:-"It is
we'll known that necessity now exists
for some general system by whicn rapidly
growing cities may be enabled to provide
for their inhabitants proper
supply of wholesome water. It
would seem that they should have the
first claim upon the natural public right
in the waters of Our streams -