The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-08-06
VIGOROUS PROTEST.
Jersey City Water Company
Objects to the East
Jersey Company's
Flyer
SAYS IT HAS STOLEN FEATURES
Queer Rumors About the "Jour-
NAILS" Alleged Experts Report
Probable Successful Bid.

The Street and Water Commissioners
met this morning., No action was taken
on the water question, and it is dt
full m it would have come up in open
meeting at all had not the following
i1lteres ting document been submitted
Once of the Jersey City Water Co.,
81 Exchange place,
New York. Aug. 8, 1895.
Hon. Board of Street and Water Com
m:ssioners. Jersey City, N. j.
s;rs-We nave observed from the news
papers that at your meeting on Tuesday'
July 30. 1885, an addi tional proposition
was made for a new supply OF water
for Jersey City on behalf of the East
Jersey Water Company, whereby that
company materially modifies its supple
mental proposition No. 5, heretofore
made to your board, by placing limit
upon its cost and by changing the loca-
ton of its intake and storage reservoirs
and the sources of its supply BY thls
proposition the East Jersey Water COM
pany abandons the project of supplying
Jersey City from the Rockaway River
above Boonton, and practically adopts
the carefully prepared plans OF the Jer-
sey City Water Company by locating
it's reservoirs in Black Glen and Long
wood Valley. We most respectfully pro-
test against any consideration OF TINS
or any other proposition not presented
in answer to your advertisement and al
the public bidding hereunder.
When former proposition OF the
Jersey City Water Company was before
the Board of finance for consideration
chaving been passed upon favorably by
your predecessors the Corporation Coun-
sci advised the Board of Finance that no
change could be made in the proposal
furnished ito the city under the call for
formal bids. This company was at that
time prepared to make certain mod1f1ca-
tioas i'm it's bid which would have rem
dered it more acceptable to the city.
We ask that the same rule 9be applied
to our competitors as was enforced
against us.
It was not the intention of this COM
pany to make a proposal under the
present bidding, and we only did so
when assured by the officials OF this city
that no informal propositions would be
received or entertained after the bids
were opened and the plans of the several
bidders disclosed. If we remember right
y,
an earnest protest was made by Mr..
Corbin, in behalf of the East Jersey
Water Company, against the reception
of any bids or propositions after the
bids had been opened. Notwithstanding
this protest a number of informal prop
os1ions We're received from various
would-be bidders, all of whom promised
to present them in formal shape if an
off nf1
other chance was granted to bid, and
not one of these informal bidders made
good his proposition-not one of them
bid for the works; not one of them
made the deposit required by the speci-
ncations. This company has from the
sfirst. through a number of biddings, pre-
sented plan for the furnishing OF Jer-
sey City with pure and wholesome
water, uncontaminated by sewage or
canal or river water. This same plan,
enlarged and prepared, is now before
you 1t has cost this company years OF
labor, and our ideas should not, with
the encouragement of the city, be taken
and appropriated at this late day by
our rivals, especially when they have
criticized it adversely in the past, we
submit that is the best plan that has
ever been offered in Jersey City, and
that its practical adoption by the East
Jersey Water Company at this time is
no slight proof of that fact. Again we
contend that your board has no legal
right TO make the contract proposed
in this late day proposition Of the East
Jersey Water Company. The city can
only contract under the law, as it now
stands, to purchase water by the million
roi in an
option for the purchase Of the works
at a fixed price, but the city cannot
agree to buy the works at this fixed
price without vote of the people. I'm
der this late day proposition the city
must purchase the works before having
vested the same and agree to furnish
the contractor the capital to build the
works with, including a profit of e
per cent, by the issuance of its bonds
'.as the work progresses" Quoting the
language of supplemental bid No. 81,
which will draw interest from the date
of issuance.
The time fixed for the completion of
tho works in this late day proposal is
three wears; the amount of bonds about
90 oOD 900 The company requires for the
cost of the land for reservoirs, rights of
vav and water rights in round mum
hers. 81, 500 600. This would, presumably,
have to be paid at once. Assuming that
tins balance Of the bonds, to wit, $500 600,
would only run on an average fer
one-half of the period of three years, I'VE
have an interest charge made up against
the city at four per cent. per annum.
amounting in the aggregate for three
years to $685. This in fairness must
be computed as part of the price and be
added to the cost of the city. The city
would be compelled to pay over $4,000
in interest per year before getting a
drop of the new water supply, and this
sum would have to be raised yearly by
taxation and for the three years al
least constitute taxation without benefit
ON the other hand, the Jersey City
Water Company has agreed to complete
its works to the satisfaction of the city
within two years without the advance
of a single dollar. and at the end Of the
| two years, the city may at its option
| after having thoroughly tested and ex-
arnined the same. purchase the works al
a cost not exceeding that now demanded
| in this late day bid.
In the meantime the city will pur-
chase the water from the company by
! the million gallons at a cost for less
MATTERS OF FACE
Stores. factories and institutions can nov
| get their supplies as good as any N. r
\ house can serve them. Complete stock. Low