The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-08-12
is THIS FATAL 2
Four Finance Commission
erS Serve Notice on the
Street and Water
Board.
ROCKAWAY OR NO WATER
Messrs. Detwiller, Simpson,
Jones and Hardenbergh
Sign a Remarkable
Communication.
STRONG APPEAL FOR AN EXPERT
ROCKAWAY OR NO WATER
Communication.
STRONG APPEAL FOR AN EXPERT
Mayor Wanser Refuses to Discuss
the Latest Deyelopment-Mr.
Bailey Not Heard From.

The following document, which has
been furnished to 1.-THE News for pub
ncation, today, tells its own lamentable
story
JERSEY CITY, Aug. 10, 1895.
Messrs. Brown, Hooker, Harding, Kaiser
and Patterson, members of the Street
and Water Board
Gentlemen-The undersigned members
of the Board of Finance, realizing the
responsibility which attaches to the city
officials upon whose concurrent action
depends the introduction of a new water
supply, and the special responsibility
resting upon that board as to the i'm
our citizens, which will be inevitable if
this improvement is carried out, take
this informal method of communicating
10 you their views regarding the pro-
posals for furnishing a new water sup
ply from the Rockaway watershed, which
are now pending before your board.
Public attention has been directed to
the engineering and financial features of
these propositions to an unusual extent,
by the publication of an able unofficial
analysis and comparison of the several
propositions in one of the newspapers of
this city. The publication has served to
impress upon the public at large the fact
that there are remarkable and important
differences between the several bids, as
to the price for which the city can ac-
quire the works under the option to pur-
chase contained in contract These prices
are. for works of 5o.ooOOOo gallons daily
capacity (with a double pipe main in
each case) as follows
East Jersey Water Company SO, OoO.0e0 90
Jersey City Water Company. S,55Oooo 90
tRockaway & Hudson Water
1 Company ....................... 5,Si9,0O0 %
These figures demonstrate that as be-
tween the lowest bid, that of the Rocka-
way & Hudson Water Company, and the
next above it, saving of s2,6O7,000 will
result to the city if the lowest bid is ac-
lcepted. In addition to this it is urged
that as between these two bids, the
Rockaway & Hudson Company offers the
control of much the larger watershed,
guaranteeing an ample supply not only
for the present but also for the future
and that the specifications of its pro-
lposal as regards the quality of work
5.x5 ,c-+or;,le ora ,,,,oL- ,,,ora cafiefac-
tory than are those of either of its COM
ipetitors, and that the purity of the sup
ply which it agrees to furnish is also
sufficiently guaranteed by the methods
which the company proposes to employ
Under the circumstances, we are unable
10 see what valid excuse could be offered
BY US to the people of this city should
I'VE vote to confer the award Of the
water contract to any other than the
lowest bidder
The following recommendation which
is appended to the analysis Of bids above
mentioned meets with our full approval:
Before the city should make a con-
tract With any of the bidders, it should
have an expert opinion from an engi-
neer who is experienced in the design
>lnd construction of dams and reservoirs,
: is to the character of the dams and
sreservoirs shown in the plans offered by
the bidder whose proposal is about to
be accepted, and the plans offered should
be altered If it should be found that
they are defective, and made SO as to
provide, dams of abundant strength and
safety"
In this as in previous proceedings aim
ing at water contract, no expert ad-
vice has been procured. This course is
in violation of all sound precedent and
argues recklessness in dealing with the
city's most vital interests. 1t will be
useless to expect the concurrence OF a
,majority of the Board of Finance in any
water contract which has not received
the endorsement of one or more conpe-
-tent and disinterested experts acceptable
to it. and who shall be engaged and
paid by the city. and who shall be IN
structed to report upon all matters that
may properly affect the policy of the
city in regard to its water supply.
Respectfully yours,
JACOB j. DETWILLER,
R. SIMPSON.
j. W. HARDENBERGH,
JOHN M. JONES.
MAYOR WANSER SURPRISED.
Mayor Wanser was asked what he had
to say about the above communication
this morning. He said he had heard OF
1t, but had not read dt, so that he would
not care to discuss it. He was sur
prised, as were also several officials
about the City Hall.
1t is probable that His Honor will have
someth1ng to say ON the subject little
later Eps aaxar Uss hase asked u n