The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-06-14

at a reasoable price should not follow.
Pending the study of water sheds. con-
domination of the necessary land ana
rights and the construction, of adequate
should be taken at once to either acquire
the rights to utilize as a provisional sup
ply the surplus water from the PeqHHa 4
Jersey Water Company, through a cor
~nection made at Bellyille by laying a pipe
an alternative. tina an %efficient filtration
plant be constructed at the Belleville
works and in connection therewith
that a moderate amount of expenditure
be incurred in the Improvement of the
present mechanism for pumping, SO as
to effect greater economy in its opera
ton. The ~Pequannock water could. be
delivered under a greater pressure than
tina now furnished by the pumping plant
at Belleyille; with not only a eonseqqent
plant, but with the further advantage of
an increased pressure and the delivery Of
the water at a higher elevation IN az
G%reenville sections of Jersey City, which
receive their supply direct from Belle
VILE; the same Improvement in pressure
can, we are assured, also be readily
attained under the alternative plan men
toned.
The immediate adoption and execution
of either of these plans viii give our
citizens adequate and prompt relief from
the present water troubles, while neither
of them would necesSitate more than a
triding net increase in the annual water
account provided the legislation advocated
by the municipal authorities of this city
and enacted during the session lately
closed, placing it within power OF this
city as stated IN your letter, to obtain
control by condemnation of rights IN
water not now controlled by sister muni-
cipalities, extends to the CONFORMATION
lock Aqueduct. the right to dispose
of which the East Jersey Water. Co,
reserved to itself in the contract with the
city of Newark.
Your Honor desires our views especially
| as to whether the Jersey City Water Co.,
for the sum of $7,000,00O for the water
shed from which they propose to take and
store the water ordered could settle
p&arties Wa'f because rngn's of the storage o Of
the water. so that the city could, have
the water supply and IL also iota Wnet IN tb 1t
Rockaway River, below the, storage
points so that the river could be drawn
upon, in the winter when the Morris
stored water used in summer so as to
leave the canal. and water powers the
fowage of the river during that season"
outside of our power to determine. we
wish. however, to express and empha-
be entered into until the status of such
claimants of water rights and franchises
for the use of water as would be at
thereon of the appropriation of the water
in the manner suggested, has been in
v~estigated and passed upon by the most
eminent counsel in hat department of
the law, aided by scientific experts. and
the researches of the Geological Survey
as to the flow of the Rockaway river.
We dissent from the opinion held by
the late Street and Water Board that the
city should not attempt to settle the
question of water rights. It is our con-
viction. and we are gratiied to learn
that you agree with us upon this point.
that the question of water rights is of
| vital Importance and lies at the founda-
ton of the problem of water supply, and
therefore should be settled at the very
outset.
In accordance with this view we felt
bound in arriving at a conclusion with
regard to concurrence in the award of
| a contract, TO consider the protest filed
! b the Morris Canal and Banking Com
pany against the abortion of the proposal
of the Jersey City Water Company. on
the ground that the water com
pany is attempting to dispose of
| the water right of the Canal
| Company without it's permission or con-
sent, connecting Herewith the further fact
that one company, claiming to own
vested water rights. offers the entire
| Rockaway water shed above Boonton,
with a double pipe line and consequently
more reliable service, at a price that
would make a saving to Jersey Civ of
more than one million dollars ($1, 600, 000)
| when comnared with the bid of the Jer-
sey City Water Company.
CTo be Continued.)