The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-06-28
WATER BIDS SCARCE
Weary Of the City's Inde-
cision Companies Hold
A1oof From the New
Scheme.
EVEN M'DEVITT is MISSING
Mayor Wanser Is Determined to
Have a New Supply However
= Informal Proposals
Expected.
EVEN M'DEvITr IS MISSING

There Is a surprising lack of interest
being taken in the reception OF BIDS TOT
the furnishing of a new water supply
on Monday next by the Street anu
Water Commissioners.
The advertisements calling for bids
have run the prescribed time, but unlike
the previous occasion when bids were
received, New York contractors and
bankers have been scarce. No one
seems to know whether there will be one
bidder or twenty, and the quiet turn
affairs have taken is causing Mayor
Wanser and all the officials concerned IN
a contract considerable uneasiness.
Only two days remain before bids Will
be called for and Unless some activity
hobs up today the officials will expect
little or no competition between formal
bidders.
There is ran impression prevailing that
several Informal bids will be submitted.
The officials expect this by reason OF
the declaration of bankers. when the
last bidsnwere pending, that Jersey City
is only s..monkey;ng'' with the water
problem. This ~ so-ealled "monkeying'
necessitates bankers tying up 100000 for
a long time, and just at present that
sum can be utilized to excellent ad-
vantage in the active markets of New
York. 49, 0H
LACK OF, INTEREST APPARENT.
For a week or ten days before bids
were received last time, at least a half
dozen bankers or contractors, or their
representatives. called at THE News
office every day to find out there
was new in the water situation and to
enquire into. the possibility of a contract
being made. Clerk Bouton of the Street
and Water Board was .hesieged every
day by contractors and bankers to such
an extent hat they became a plague.
Mayor Wanser was compelled to give
audiences to promoters of water schemes
every morning and every afternoon at
his office in City Hall, and he frequently
returned to- his home on Mercer street
only to find two or three gentlemen
Interested in. ~a5ncontract waiting for
him. sAoi' ! psE 70 -
ing about the various city offices and
the bank buildings and walking up. and
down Montgomery street with an air or
mystery about him. Alderman Michael
Day was also rushing about with a
poorly signed petition to cert;orari az
proceedings to the Supreme Court ana
there were signs and tokens in the air
ssH TIE MYSTERIOUS MDEvITT.
McDevftt, the mysterious representa-
tive of the East Jersey Water Company,
was continually lettering about the City
Hall and eHerythlng Se9m was 20 gong 1iiulca on
and that the city was in a fair way 70
procure a new supply of pure and whole
This time there has peen or is no agi-
tation of the water question. Even the
.cranks'' have kept under cover. Dr.;
Quimby is the only man who has raised
his voice on the subject and that was
because a general attack was made upon
the city because of the filthy Passaic by
q NnU York naWGnanaT r-
1T would appear" said an official this
morning, that no one cares whether a
P Feopils are qe So ~a tired 6 Of Tearing hearing that new
water is in sight and then being disap-
pointed that they are losing all conf
ter in charge. 1 never recoliect seeing
things so quiet. 1t may be the usual
calm before a storm. Monday will settle
decent proposition is submitted On Mon
day next that a contract will be awarded
after the usual Investigation Of the source
Of supply and plans. The Finance Com.
missioners, that is at least three OF
them. will concur. As I understand, there
are regrets already that the Jersey City
Water Company's proposition was not
concurred in. go
to have new water that ne will approve
a contract IT 1T issa desirable one
The Street aISl Water Gommqissio ane
taken in the reception of bids, particu-
larry by water scheme promoters. One or
two of them fear that nos formal pro-
think hat there is too much legitimate
profit in a contract with this city par
~ricularly for a term of twenty-five years
for New York bankers and contractors to
let it slip through their fingers without
making an effort to get it.
PROVISION AGAINST PROTESTS.
when bids werealny1ted last time q
half dozen or more protests We're flee
ers charging that too short notice had
been given banker to raise the necessary
money and contractors to raise plans
for a work of such extent. There will
sion. as ample time has been given to
contractors.
There were only two formal bidders
before They4were the East Jersey and
were informal bids presented by High
Riley. Wo1tnann. Keith & Co., and w.
E. Read. and one other New York firm.
All of the informal bidders declared at
bids that If ample time had been given
them. formal bids would i've been
If they are as determined as ever to
bid for the contract, there should be
Monday nextg A bid from the East Jer-
sey Water Company is regarded as a
SIRE thing. Whether the Jersey City
Water Company will bid or not is caus-
ing much speculatiomqJItgtg said upon
does BID, its Price wifi exceed its Former
price of 81. 800 600. by at least $500. 600.
Hugh Riley and Carroll. Porter Boiler
formal proposition. AS soon as practi-
cal, after bids are received the various
sources of supply will be inspected. Def
mite action may be expected If any