The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-25

ltT were dGluuGQ l1IO the DeilGI That IlS
temporary supply would afford them int-
mediate relief and were most earnest in
their advocacy of my approving of that
resolution to the exclusion of the other
while such an action would not have
obtained for them what they need. While
those who We're not so circumstanced
forgetting that such a supply would not
reduce in any way except at Belleville the
cost of maintaining the water department
and even there only a small fraction as
against an additional outlay by the city
of 1913 10000 per annum for twenty mill
ion gallons of water per day at $43 per
that the water offered must be mixed
with the Passaic water and supplied, toe
at a cost of SAB per million gallons 9
ent furnished. that the cost Of coal, oil
labor, materials and of everything now
in use to maintain the water department
was not to be materially reduced: and
when these conditions are coupled with
the fact that two of our present Gus
toners. Kearny and Bayonne. have
made contracts for Independent supplies.
proposition from the East Jersey Water
Company for a new supply, II seemed to
been considered by those who advocated
the signing of that resolution, or by
the members of the Board of Finance,
who unanimously voted for its adoption.
So that it can readily be seen that the
disposition of the resolution was a mat
ter of greater concern and much more
troublesome to me than the resolution
City Water Company, especially. in view
of the almost unanimous desire for
immediate relief which had sprung up
made as to its cost or results. The
question of insufficient mains between
Belleville and High Service could be
obviated by the immediate construc-
twenty-five (25) years supply, but no
reliance can be put on this as a solution
of the difficulty as the resolution AWARD
taken into the Courts for review.
On Saturday last I reviewed all the
difficulties in the way of the temporary
sey Water Company on the basis of a
contract for one year, and with the fol-
owing result 1t was agreed that Har-
company or remain with the city, each
trying. to secure its custom; that the
rights of the city's contract with Kear-
my considering the resolution awarding
the contract to the East Jersey. Water
Company for a temporary supply with
his city, m ana t snoul dom marnlS0n The MAIN differ1
ence in price paid by Jersey CITY TO lne
company for its supply and the price
paid to the company NJ ny BY oytv thf fSat tow the
water instead of being delivered lnuo
the Belleville reservoir could be deny
cred into one or all of the MAINS cro oify
ing the IIGddOWS 81
could utilize the head of the
or Newark supply-n case the man "
mains could stand the pressure-so tna ma
Il they withstand the pressuren1ans
sufficient water diverted into the adadgghn
Service stand pipe to ay tbere tn and that fba
in that event the water could pc a.,
verified into the Belleville reservoir 1or d
reserve supply. I have DOUBTS oe as
it cannot be accomplishment Will be an
expensive experiment; but as 1t Is tnt
only way of obtaining. speedy rellei q
plan originally contemplated by tne
award. and as / have overcome some "
the difficulties stated before. nave uG,
cided to approve of the resolution VIII
the conditions made by me: !nasllucH
as if the results are not SATISFACTORY 1t
+ am unable to understand why the
majority of the Board OF. Finance VINO
voted against the advertising for pro
posals under the present SPECIFICATIONS
and who voted against buying wafer py
the gallon from the Jersey City Water
Company should. favor the temporaTy
stated and in view of the fact that me
JERSEY City Company's award VIII give
water of one kind pure and del1vered a. a.
High Service through the new main at
1897 ner million gallons. doing away with
all pumping. labor. GOAL, etc. Whlle the
East Jersey Water G2m'ipan y i,a snp29l sliy -
cred. as I have stated. 1t is a matter
worth noticing in passing that through
put al the years q w Of the @om waaer h bas BEEN
the particular mark for anyone to attack.
and that most of the attacking groups
and individuals are now the addxy9Sca nrano os
to my mind that too emphatic opinions,
while they may be popular. need not be
have thus given my reasons for
signing the resolutions and I can safely
add that I believe that the same or,
this whole matter will now go on until
it is finally settled.
No contract will be drawn or ATTEMPTED
until all persons desiring to review
either resolution in the courts have had
full opportunity to do SOL have been
told that. the resolution will be taken to
the courts and [ think that everyone
will be glad to see that done-especially
the oficials-as such an action will es-
tablish the construGettd6oe2n Of the lays LAYS
them and under which the purchase
of ofe' woT Wbi eah these pe so laws up are p Being rne e een-
strued in the courts, those who find the
Grand Jury a tribunal best suited TO
their purposes can ventilate and %investi-
gate. the matter from end to end. This
should be done at once if it is intended
to ever do it. 1t must be remembered that
to sign. the contract, and | will hold
myself in readiness to take advantage of
every fact and thing coming to my no.
tice, and if anything should develop that
will justify me in the interests of the
city to withhold my signature from
either contract, l will do so. Some critf-
cism entirely unjustified has been leveled
at two of the member of the Board of
Finance, who We're signers of the infor-
NAL letter signed by four az members
of that board and sent to the Board of
Street and Water Commissioners in their
individual capacity, favoring one bid and
pert; and then at a later time in a meet
ing of their board after the Street Inc
Water Board had acted by voting an
award of contract. The first action was
outside of their proceedings as Commits
sioners, outside of their duty and not
within the limits of their legal powers;
their action at their meeting was within
the province of their official powers and
duty.
If that informal letter and the unoff-
cal effort contained therein is fully con-
sidered these two commissioners are en-
titled to no criticism for occupying their
places formally in the board and voting as
they should-either to n~onconcur or con-
cur in the award before them. If the
suggestion to act in either manner, but
sponsibility for it. Had I known that the
Informal letter would be written my adj
vice would ia been freely given against
such action.
I have been much interested in watch
ing the development of this matter.
The first award of a water contract
was made by the Street and Water Board
appointed by me and was to
the Jersey City Water Company:
Which was -non-concurred in by the
Board of Finance also appointed by me.
because it believed that the water shed
was insufficient. As the legislation of
the previous year had directed the elec-
Board was nominated in open convention
and went before the people on the main