The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-03-05
%PEQUANNOCK WATER FOR
JERSEY CITY.

Newark Evening News of March ~
AS it has lone before, Jersey City in
1uence is seeking to secure by legislation
the right to share in the Newark water
supplyA5 This time it's appeal takes the
form of a bill permitting application to
a Justice of the Supreme Court for a
commission to fix the price per million
gallons at which the East Jersey Water
company h supply jersey City f!om the
Newark pipe line until the final delivery
to Newark of complete possession of the
works in 1900. The bill makes provision
also for the extension of the pipe line.
The contract made by Newark with the
East Jersey Water Company does not
require the latter. while the works are
maintained under its management and at
It's cost, to deliver more than Il, 500,O00
gallons of water a day to the city. The
guaranteed capacity Of the system and
the p pc line is at least 50, 600, 600 gallons a
day. In consideration of the deferring of
the final payment Of the 5000, 900 Of the
contract price and of the maintenance
of the water supply system till the date
company has the right to sell the water
in excess of the 27,500,000 gallons a day.
It has already served notice upon the city
that if more than the stipulated quantity
is to be used on any one day, arrange
ments must be made to pay for it. The
East J eksey Co. would ppea under con
tract to have tlic,rish5to seilfo JerseyCity
or TO any other customers. all the water
it might have to spare after giving New
ark that quantity. It is required by the
contract to lay additional conduits-ccn-
structed for that purpose at the places
designated by the AQueduct Board, now
the Street and Water Commissioner
the management CT the system, all such
pipes laid within the city should become
the city'S property.
Jersey City, It would appear, has an IN
doubted right to make a contract with
the East New Jersey Water Company.
The bill before the Assembly is designed
to give it power to make such a contract.
terms fixed by a commission appointed by
the Supreme Court. Whether the b II
would give Jersey City rights conflicting
expert lawyers, looking for the truth and
with no axes to grind, to say.
There is one way in which an arrange
Jersey Company, voluntary or enforced.
might be of pos tive advantage to the
city of Newark. It would be to test be-
yCnd all p~eradventure the of
the P~equannock water supply system
and the capacity and endurance OF the
pipe line. Long before September "a, 1900,
proof whether the works met the contract
requirement, ability to supply so, 600, 600 gal
Ions Of water a day. For these reasons,
sis, the bill be found to convey no power
affecting the Newark works to Jersey
City, or to the East Jersey Company be;
the waterSi in excess OF q, 500. 000 gallons a
day, it is hard to see wherein it would
put Newark in a different position h a
the city would occupy if a voluntary
contract We're made between the other
two parties.
1t is not probable that the sentiment in
the countie not Immediately concerned
will permit the. present establishment of
amy effective systm Of water supply I'M
der a. State board. The giving to Jersey
City of additional powers of condemna-
ton seems to be regarded as an eXpedi->
emit rather to assist in carrying out a
contract plan than one that would help
the city to directly to undertake the work.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Gruber will nat
urally appeal to those Jersey City peo-
Pile who want good water and want it
right. away, and it may be expected that
an active endeavor will be made to pass
it. .sus M H <!
The Board of Street and Water Commits
sioners and thesCity Counsel ought with
out loss of time to ascertain exactly
what influence. the act would nave upon
Newark, and to learn whether it would
menace the city's right to use or dispose
of it's whole supply according to its own
will after the dataNof final payment. If
it in any way imperfls or infringes upon
the eity's rights under the contract, Els
sex County influence should oppose it. If
1T is as it purports to be, a measure af-
fecting relations between the East Jer-
sey Company and Jersey City, the former
can doubtless be trusted to look after it's
own Interests and its own rights.