The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-31

CONES CLEAR STORY
A Proper Reason Shown for
Every Act Of the Street
Water Board in the
Water Contract.
HIS THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE
Clerk Bouton Testifes as to til
Records-The Serious Ques-
tion of Delay.
HIS THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE

proceedings to review the Jersey CITY
Water Company's contract to upply TINS
city with water, taken before Supreme
Court Commissioner John A. Nugent IN
Chancery Chambers, was about as ouh
and fat as the waters of the MOTIFS
canal from which the East Jersey and
Rockaway and Hudson propose TO oe.
rive their supply for Jersey City.
Clerk George T. Bouton, of the Street
and Water Board, occupied the witness
chair in the morning and rehearsed the
routine business of the board during the
award of the contract and the preliInln-
airy advertising for proposals. He quoted
from the manual, a most thrilling nara
tive of official history, and smoothed the
path for the next witness, ex-Commis-
sioner John j. Cone, a well-known ana
capable civil engineer, whose testimony
was begun after recess in the afternoon.
Mr.. Cone, in a lucid manner, described
the drawing up of the first speclhcatlohs
and said that his colleagues had consult
ed with Mr.. Theodore F. Gubelman, for
merly in the employ of the East Jersey
Company, but now hydraulic engineer
with the Allegheny Water Works COM
pany.
Going over the proceedings of his BOARD
and the Specifications which they drafted
Mr.. Cone, with his accustomed clearness
of expression, told why the sp~ecincatlohs
of March last were altered. The heao
of water was reduced from 90 to 30
feet because one of the competitors, Bon
zana and Clark, declared it would aft
feet the hydraulic line. The storage
limit was increased from 60 to 100 days
because during last year there had been
only seven hours rain and because
Newark had found it proper to have a
THAT BEAUTIFUL. PAssAIc
What do you think Of the Jersey CITY
Weart. associated with ex-Judge Blair
as counsel for the city. a,
Ever since I can remember 1t mas oesn
losing caste among the residents OF the
city. l buy drinking water, and l know
my ~neighbors do" promptly replied Mr..
Every bid offered to the city had been
carefully examined and public hearings
given. The bidders explained their plans
public to learn the watersheds offered
and the developments of the bids. rms
all took place before the award was
After carefully weighing the bids and
the proposals offered and after hearing
e eo9tr s.sl4 to t Rts. jersey q Water Com
pany on April %. 1885," Witness said.
specifications called for a gravity supply
and afterwards you made four classes
Of M bids con Mha Replied Tsfe t fnase they were all
gravity supply at High service and fl,
received for filtration, and the board
finally determined on an aI-gravity sup
ply at High service.
the Jersey City. Water Company in this
class was the best for the interests of
the city?. pursaed Mr.. Edwards.
In the hearings before the Mayor.
did the bidders criticize each others
plans pointing out to you the defects
and advantages?"
"Oh, yes, they did" ).
Did you use the Newark contract
our specidcations?'
Very largely said Mr.. Cone.
extent KITE OF the P PeeH aasel watershed
used by Newark, and asked Mr.. Cone
if he was familiar with it, and the wit
Waters Il furnished to to Newark, iH he said,
were satisfactory. and they resembled
we always kept heT the Newark speci-
fications .ssquarely before US, fashioning
deavoring. If possible, to improve on
them. They are the best extant and
t~heoroughIy up to date.
and the specifications Mr.. Cone ex-
planned, the change from go to 100 days;
he NAG at hrst suggested l5O lays but
and ansi'f finally il dxed Ia at l eSeh rsuuceu . %
Ex-Judge Frederick W. Stevens began
cross-examination for the prosecutors
by enquiring into the extent and ma
Gilman. Mr. Cones answers showed his
wide knowledge of water with its at
tons, and bids and perfectly delrged
the LAWYERS with a learned echnical
disquisition about gravity supplies, wa
terheads and pipe lines
who drew up your specifications?"
Cap, Hooker, Mr.. Macarthur, myself
Were they not all drawn by Mr..
but we decided what the terms of the
specification should be-. was the reply.
Judge Stevens evidently attached great
Importance to the drawing of these spec
iications, because he asked Mr.. Cone if
he had embodied any of Engineer Gubela
mans idea : how many? which one?
the witness replied that some may have
been copied in the Boards specifications,
say. Then the lawyer asked Mr.. Cone
Why the Board had. rejected the East
WI weighed the East Jerseys scheme
and we found 1t wanting"
What about the Jersey City Water
The old Board having reported adverse
Iy on both propositions and re-advertised
the proposals, Mr.. Stevens was eager to
know why the Jersey&City Water Com
pany's bid, as well as the East Jersey
Company.
well, while we liked the Jersey City
Water Company's water, we thought we
could perhaps get better terms from the
Company If We re-advertised. We dislik-
: ed the East Jersey water because it was
river water and would have to be pump
ed" Mr.. Cone replied.
"What was your precise reason for re-
jecting the proposal of the Jersey City
Water Company" insisted Judge Ste
vens.
Because as I said, we thought it would
be more advantageous to re-advertise,
and we could get better terms from the
Jersey City Water Company. We heard
that it's area was insufficient, but we in
v~estigated that rumor and we found it
was not true. At that time we received
an informal communication from that
Company. saving that it would add the
Longwood Valley to the territory, and
we found that such a magnificent offer
vertised, hoping that the eompa would
give us additional advantages" Mr.. Gone
added that the bid was ultimately ac-
cepted on the understanding that the adj
ditional watersheds and other improve
ments would be given to the city.
'In all your dealings with the various
competitors you used the Geological Sur
vev Report?"
Eyes, we used it; but on one occasion
your visit to the Rockaway-we asked
local authorities to confirm statements.
In response to queries, Mr.. Cone said
that he had visited the East Jersey and
- --1 al ~.