The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-12-19

affirmative. He believed, that a Staff
Board would make a supply cheaper.
These reasons did not satisfy Mr.. Con
dict. who insisted that a State Boarc
is, after all, human, and if the city Is
enterprising there should be men enougf
to get up a mpa and buy all the
skill and engineering to carr% out the
work. :.
The city has to pay a profit to some.
body; let us pay that profit and ger the
water. The people are tired q waiting
If the State Board is going to give a
long tedious wait, it won't do
A DIG AT PERFORMERS.
Ex-Judge Charles H. Voorhis, in re-
sponse to a question about the rights OF
condemnation, answered that outside OF
the rights of Belleville, Jersey City has
no condemnation rights. But some time
ago he had discovered an act giving the
City of Newark rights to condemn Tor
its own supply, and he drew an act
modifying the old bill giving Jersey City
the rights.
Il sent the bill to Mr.. Salinger and
Mr.. McEwan, asking them to introduce
it, but neither of them had the courtesy
to reply. Finally | saw that Mr.. Saln-
ger had introduced it, anG after delays
the bill was withdrawn by Mr.. Salin-
GER" daughter.
Judge Voorhis said he had re-drafted
the bill and gave it to Mr.; D.. D, zabris-
local papers made a great fuss about 1t,
crying that it was a syndicate AFFAIR,
and that the Lehigh Valley mpa was
behind it, Naughter.)
"You can pass an act through the
Legislature don't think you wil-to
give the city a right to condemn just as
a railroad does"
Congressman-elect McEwan entered
here Just in time to hear the rap, deli
cately administered by Mr.. Voorhis, for
his negligence in the bill alluded to.
So there are three ways" concluded
tract; second, by legalized direct author
ity, and third. by the State Water Board
and 1 believe that the city could do it
cheaper themselves"
IF we could get a square deal?'
chimed in Mr.. Condict.
Yes, sir, if the city gets a square
deal, and l have confidence in the pres
ent Street and Water Board and the
p Be i SaoISs oe The sPPERcIFfe4ATIoNs.
Judge Vorhis insisted that 1t was all
very well to howl about the specifica-
borne in mind that the board doesn't
draw water specifications every day.
Mr. Ward. continued Judge Voor-
after bill Well he didn't understand IT
and was afraid of it. I know there are
many people who have misgivings about
the hereafter" (~Laughter)
He was about to criticize the Board OF
Trade bill in respect of the bonds, when
Mr.. Dear interrupted him, saying that
as the law stands any beggar, by secur-
ing the contract to supply Jersey City
with water, may rise to opulence by
floating on its bonds.
Mr.. Lebbeus B. Ward remarked that If
a contract was made for twenty-five
years he would not put any money in it
pal and interest, and that was the key
of the situation. That argument, he
said, is the strongest for municipalities
n rn,1naanf for tho Gfota hill &c tba nO1;yonl
ing of the waters. The great difficulty
on the part of cities with present sup
plies is their inability to enforce. the
rights of keeping the waters pur from
the question, Mr.. Ward thought that if
Jersey City had Joined with Newark in
building an aqueduct there would have
been a great saving of money.
TENANTS ARE KICKING.
Mr.. G. c.. Jewell mourned the state of
the water from the standpoint of a col
lector of rents. His tenants, he complain
ed, are kicking. He viewed with some
degree of alarm the appointment Of a
State Board. Its arbitrary character
made a strong objection against it. He
had confidence in the present Street and
Water Board and he looked soon for a
speedy relief.
Mr.. Holt of the Good Government Club
sprung a plan for a water supply, and
that is that Jersey City should run the
matter for itself outside of a State Board.
A NEW SCHEME.
II should suggest the appointment of
a COMMITTEES of fifteen. Five to be
Court and five members to be appointed
by the Mayor. Let them attend to it
and not the Street and Water Board, who
rave enough to do, the Lord Knows, to
keep themselves busy with city affairs
MT. Holt's scheme has been adopted
by the Good Government Club of Jer-
sey City, and they thought it fit that
Mr.; Holt should present it to the Board
of Trade.
Before Chairman J. j. VOORHEES, intro
sduced the member of the Board of Street
and Water Commissioners, Mr.. Dear
of Trade has no hostile feelings against
the Board of Works. 1t was only friend
ly criticism.
Commissioner J.. j.. Cone thanked Mr..
Dear for his courtesy and Owed at once
into the question by asking if Jersey
City needed a better and larger supply
of water or not. He pointed out that In
of the water in July last, that there had
been little rain for weeks and the store
houses of water were exhausted. The
water was bad because of the drought.
In taking hold of affairs last June, he
and his colleagues were confronted with
a sad state of affairs. Limited means
and many other things at hand ~fettered
the action of the board, but even with
these what been o could be called
creditable.
Turning to the remedies suggested Mr.,
Cone doesn't think the State bill a good
one. Delays in passing it n the organ
ization of the new board, to say nothing
about the time occupied in getting the
supply, will occupy years.
"But in the meantime what are we go.
ing to do? AT least for two summers te
| come we can't have a new supply. II
| Jersey City can get a good supply quick
she can supply southern New York, aye
Brooklyn, and Hoboken, and could dis.
pose of it to her benefit"
Mr.. Cone asked the board to reply If II
would advise the city to build a system
for itself, inexperienced, and place it al
| the mercy of the heeler and politician
Would it not be better to follow in ths
| steps of Newark and have two pipe lines
| instead of one?
He deplored the issue of bonds anG
| suggested open competition, with the op
| ton to buy, and the city will then reay
the profits.
REPELLTNG CHARGES.
Referring to the specifications, abouf
which so much was said, Mr.. Gone SAID
! that although they have been challenged
| hey are a splendid set of specification.
| framed to supply a gravity supply only
"They were conceived in honesty an
acted upon honestly he said, @notwith
or any other body. We had able counse
in my opinion they are good" Mr.
| Cone dealt out this blow with strong
The Commissioner then spoke on tn.
! question of sewage, and reminded tn,
1 board that the act of 1852 only protected
the waters above Dundee lam, Will,
| high tide into Bellevile were without tn,