The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-08-16

ing can find any legal authority for the
purchase of a plant
"What Jersey City is trying to do is,
to buy water by the million gallons and
the only rational question before the
officials is which company is offering
the best water at the lowest price,
NOT BUYING PLANTS.
what we are buying is water. not
water plant. All the estimates on the
cost of the plant refer to an option under
which the city may purchase a plant
anywhere from five to twenty years.
For instance if you rent house at $500
a year with the privilege of buying it for
S., 00c at a time within the period of lease.
everyone understands the transaction.
II you make such bargain you ask
yourself the question is $500 rent dear
or cheap? Having leased the house, you
have tied the other fellow up and you
take some years to avail yourself of the
daily and yearly use of the house and
then you consider whether the asking
price is a fair one or not An option
such as the Jersey City Water Company
gives the city is binding upon thea COM
pany not on the city The city is in
position to reject aTe option if it desires
or let it go by default and if the public
boards think fit to accept it. they can
do so under the bill of last winter pre-
sented and passed by Senator DAILY. That
setting the whole transaction.
Here is point that the companies do
not wish the people to become particu-
larly familiar with. 1t is one that law
yers will say is right. Suppose the city
should award a contract to the Jersey
City. Rockaway and Hudson or East
Jersey Water Companies to supply the
city by the million gallons, with an op-
tional purchase price of the plant and
suppose after five or six years use. 1T
is decided that the option is excessive,
because it is discovered that the cost
of construction, water, water rights and
everything was cheaper than anticipated.
The officials should remember that it Is
in the power of the city to reject such
option and then exercise its right Of
eminent domain and condemn the water
rights, plant and every other item of
4I,o
company for any valuation that a com
missioner or jury might set on it and
might acquire the whole works at that
valuation as soon as the period of the
contract for measured water had ex-
pired. In other words no matter what
price the company asks for it's, plant,
the company has no protection extending
beyond the period of the contract. The
city holds the situation in the hollow of
its hand''
ADVANTAGES OF THE JERSEY
CTTY's BID.
The fact that the Jersey City Water
Company will at Ance lay new main
across the meadows and allow the city
to use it is carrying lots of weight with
the Finance Commissioners. 1t is one
of the many commendable features that
they had overlooked. If the Finance
Commissioners study the proposition they
will find features that are missing in
the others.
The proposition of the Rockaway and
Hudson Company to build an intercept
ing sewer fifteen miles in length to pro-
tect its source of supply at this stage
of the game is a blackeye that worries
the Finance Commissioners. They have
already been asked by hundreds OF peo-
Pile why they consider for moment
plan which presents sewage contami-
nation when they have before them
plan that is free from pollution now
and Will always remain so, and at the
same time offers water at less cost per
million gallons. The Jersey City Com
pany gives four reservoirs with a ca
pacity of more than 1900, 100000 gallons,
which is equal to a supply for 300 days
at the rate of 5o,ooo.eoo gallons con-
sumption daily.
The Finance Commissioners are awak-
ening to a true sense of their duty to
the city and people and much disap-
pointment viii be felt unless the award
to the Jersey City Company is concurred
in within a short time by a unanimous
vote.
CLAN MLEoDS MEETING.