The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-01-11
DEMANDOF FBR|GANDS
Storm of Protest Excited
by the Outrageous
Water Propo-
Siti0n.
WHY SUCH A GREAT HURRY?
DR.. Gordon, Max Salinger. Jacob
Ringle and Other Leading
Citizens Denounce the
Scheme of Robbery.

The fate of the outrageous proposition
OF the Jersey City Construction Company
made to the Board of Street and Water
Commissioners. to supply the city with
Newarks surplus water at $50 per mill
ion gallons is sealed.
The possibility of an acceptance OF the
proposition, or even consideration OF II,
has excited a storm OF protest among
property owners. The members OF the
Street and Water Board have been but
tonh oled by hundreds of people and al
most implored not to consider the
proposition. The result is that in the face
of such violent opposition, the PROPOSE
tion will probably never be reported
upon by the Committee Of the Whole OF
the Board of Street and Water Comm1s-
sioners.
The knowledge that the Jersey City
Construction Company is branch OF the
East Jersey Water Co mpany has tended
to condemn the proposition in the mind
of every interested person in the city.
Newark's experience with the company
is recited to the Street and Water Com
missioners IS warning.
DIR. GoRDoN's PLAIN TALK.
DIR. Leonard j. Gordon, who was op-
posed to the proposition OF the Moffett,
Hodgkins 81 Clarke Co.. is also opposed to
this one, but even more strenuously.
.'Such proposition as is now before the
Board of Street and Water Commission
ers," said he, sis not worthy of serious
consideration. To ask Jersey City
to pay $50 per million gallons for New
ark's surplus is an outrage. A mile OF
m 1oid ut ho
utmost it would cost 100000. The water
would be delivered into Reservoir No. l,
at Bellevflle. and the cost of pumping to
High Service would continue. The prop
ositlon is ridiculous one. and would
oppose its acceptance strenuously.
"Another peculiar thing Is the We ~
limited time given for it's acceptance or
rejection. January IA Is next Saturday.
Way the company Is in such rush l
don't understand. Bidders weu1d know
should think that a matter of such i'm
portance would have to run the gauntlet
seems ridiculous and do not believe any
attention will be paid to 1t. It looks like
demand on the part Of brigands." n
MAX sALINGRR INDIGNANT.
Alderman Sahnger, In speaking OF the
proposition last night night, said:-"The
people and officials of this city have gone
crazy To pay $50 per million gallons is
too much in the arst place. and If a per-
son would stop and consider q moment
it would readily he seen that the real
cost of the water to Jersey City
would exceed SIS per million gallons.
The company proposes to deliver the sur
plus water at Belleville for $50 per mil
lion gallons, and to this must be added
the cost of pumping iJ down into the city,
which can be safely estimated at $25 per
million gallons. No one would dare ac-
cept such proposition"
Alderman Kelly believes that the only
proper course to pursue in acquiring a
new supply of water is to receive propos-
ais, and then permit property owners to
decide by vote which one to accept.
SUSPICIOUS HASTE.
Mr.. Jacob Ripgls, ex-President OF the
Board of Trade. is very much opposed to
the consideration of tine proposition.
1.-The time given by the company for
the acceptance Is so short tina t
unfavorable comment IL excited at
once. Again, the price is ex-
orbitant. The question of making a
contract for new supply of water is one
alton, and the city officials should not
enter into any agreement before consult
ing the feelings OF property owners on the
subject. l am surprised that the
President of the Board of Trade has not
called an Indignation meeting"
WHO HOLMES Is.
Assemblymau Henry H. Holmes is a
Republican. He is President of the Con-
struction Company. His Identification
with the proposal is one of the connecting
links between it and the East jersey
Water Company. Mr.. Cogan is Holmes
partner in a Greenville coal business,
and they handle Lehigh Valley
coal exclusively In their yards on
Gator avenue. The firm has also done
considerable work for the Lehigh Valley
Railroad Company in the way of laying
tracks and constructing bridges for the
company. Mr.. Holmes has always Sc
cured fair share of the work given ont
by contract by the Street and Water
Board.
The Street and Water Commissioners
will meet next Friday morning and it is
highly probable that Counsellor Corbin.
the representative of the Construc-
tion Company, will file for
inspection batch of we'll
signed petitions from persons who do not
understand the true inwardness of the
proposition. The petitions will be Offset
by body of citizens who will remon-