The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-21

Of water for Jersey City. TO become
such a bidder it was necessary to ex-
surveys. locating reservoirs, analyzing
water purchasing water rights and
rights. obtaining options and preparing
detail plans and estimates required by
the specifications That this company
did make large expenditures to enable
it to become such bidder and thereafter,
in answer to such invitation, regularly
presented. in accordance with the forms
required by the. authorities of Jersey
iS eontract hear ana ela as am 70 evidence Of good e
faith. deposited 100000 in the Trust COM
pany and attached to their bid a ,certi
the order of the Treasurer of Jersey
City. That their bid was regular in
authorities Of Jersey City. upon whom
the Legislature has placed the entire
discretion in this matter.
most prolonged and thorough examina-
tlon and the fullest and freest discus
sion, and after those whose duty it was
ton. had concluded that the bid of this
company was the one most advantag-
THE coMPANy's POSITION.
This company respectfully insists
that the specifications and proposals.
when inteligently examined, show that
they can furnish the water of the purity
required at a cheaper rate per million
gallons, than is offered to the. city by
any other bidder and that their source
of supply is such that the danger of
pollution is less tnan that of any other
THE comparative value for drinking
purposes of water from mountain springs
and lakes and water from such a small
river as the Rockaway, after it has re-
Boonton. Dover. Rockaway. Port Dram
and and Hibernia Is not ascertained at once;
gravity at High Service. and water
which needs a pumping plant requires
careful investigation.
"While such comparison of the bids
is a matter of some difficulty and there
fore impracticable in the short time al
lowed US today. yet. we undertake to con-
vince the Court If time is allowed. we
do offer the terms most advantageous
to the city and it seems to me that con-
sidering the serious questions involved,
your Honor would be justified in giving
trick or falsity OF these statements be-
| fire allowisg the writ.
'The injury to this company by delay
is obvious. As said they are here at
the invitation of the city. This contract
without this delay is an extremely
sad aete one hey have bsp
which the allowance or this writ will
cause, means serious loss to them. The
expeditures already, made, in the pur-
the preparation of the bid will be idle.
The, interest on the 100000 deposited will
PRICE OF MATERIALS ADVANCING
THE prices at which materials neces-
sary TO perform. the. contract could be
obtained when the bid was made are ad-
| vancing rapidly, especially iron, the in
creased cost of which for this contract
amounts to several hundred thousand
dollars; f! There 5, is every reason to be-
| creased.
The danger that during this delay
| impediments may be placed in the way
| of utilizing the water rights which they
| now. have at their disposal. Options may
not be renewed, other municipalities may
acquire portions of the water sheds
| tract
"The bid made was based on the law
that the acceptance of it would depend
on the discretion of the public authori-
ties of Jersey City, not on the idea that
in addition to that discretion its ac
ceptance was to depend on rae subse-
quent discretion of the Supreme Court.
1t is no part of their contract. 1t
constitutes unreasonable delay in the ex-
ecEtion of the contract.
sIt is certainly unfair to this company
that damages resulting from the time
taken in f. 9onyieing Ef the snpreme cqvrt %
therefore, most earnestly urge YOUR
Honor that if you take responsibility of
tract that you win see that the delay
will be as short as possible.''
SENATOR EDWARDS ARGUMENT,
pany, said Jersey City is not contract
a Permanent supply Of water, but BY the
million gallons. Under the law of 1885 it
is provided that the city may purchase
water by the year. or a number of
years. Under the laws of 1895 there is a
modification by which Jersey City can
not obtain a fee simple to supply of
water except by and with a vote Of the
the laws of 1895. pages 76S and rs
'"she city prepared a single specifica-
tion providing for a standard of purity,
quantity to be supplied etc. Under the
Bids received the Jersey City Company
was the lowest, their bid being $3975 per
million gallons. The East Jersey Com
pany's bid was $64.50, but they said that
if the city would take water from the
Rocl1away River, below Boonton, they
would reduce their bid to s42 per million
gallons. The Rockaway Company say
that if the city will buy their water
works they will make a rebate. If the
city does not buy them they will have
to pay 100000 more than is asked by
the Jersey City Company.
I'VE offer pure mountain lake water.
The other company offers water to be
taken from the main channel of the
Rockaway River
This ended the argument and Judge
Lippincqtt took all the papers. lie will
probably render decision on Wednes-
day next.