The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-13

costs s., 100000 more than another that is
offered continued Mr.. Condict. "The
situation is this: We are drinking sewer
water now There is water of the purest
kind at the Rockaway Watershed. ! dare
say the purest in the United States. It
is at our hands. and we want to get it,
but in the proper manner.
You propose to give us water costing
IS, 100000 without even consulting an ex-
pert. DO you constitute yourself an ex-
pert?''
81 won't delegate my powers to any
man" declared Mayor Wanser.
mot man in the Street and Water
Board is an EXPERT on this subject"
continued Mr.. Condict. mot one of
them has sufficient knowledge to act on
this question They sent this award to
the Board of Finance and the members
of the latter Board declared over their
signatures that the Street and Water
Commissioners are dealing with this tre
mendous issue in a reckless and unbusi-
nessli,ze manner. It is a tremendous
question when one considers the amount
involved. Just think of it. sS000,0 0O0!'
"You know. Mr.. Condict." interrupted
the Mayor. ''that we cannot buy water
plant We have to buy water by the
million gallons
'If you make an award to the Jersey
City Company" retorted Mr.. Condict,
1--WE can vote only for or against the
plant of that company. The whole ques-
ton rests on you. Mr.. Mayor and the
people look to you. The Street and
Water Commissioners placed the respon-
sfbility on the Board of Finance and the
latter Board throws it on your shoulders.
The responsibility is a heavy one, and
we do not think you capable of dealing
with it without advice We don't see
why you should give away s2000.o o00.'
Mr.. BLAIR CORRECTS CONDICT.
"Pll correct you," said Corporation
Counsel Blair. 1.-The city cannot buy
any water plant. The city is buying
water by the million gallons and We
are taking it at the lowest price offered
| by the competing companies. The vote
of the people stands between the city
officials and the purchase of a plant.
If the people do not want the plant
they certainly do not have to take il"
What will we do ther?' asked Mr..
Condict. go right on buying water
| at the cheapest price, replied City At
torney Wears
SIN twenty-five years we will have
paid out S130oo,oOo by that operation,
and still not own the plant" said Mr..
Condict
Have you ever read the specifications
and proposals." asked Mayor Wanser.
YES" was the reply. but l do not
believe that any of US would build a
house without consulting an architect"
81 have studied this qpestion for three
years" said the Mayor, land 1 think I
know a great deal about it. 1 have
and l am, Mr.. Condict, better posted
on this subject than you are. There are
many things that will come to the sur
face to help straighten this matter out.
You, Mr. Condict, cannot deny that you
came to my office privately and asked
me to make private contract with
the East Jersey Water Company for $50
a million gallons"
1T was at $40 per million gallons" in
terrupted Mr.. Condict. who began to feel
uneasy.
low do you know that the specifica-
tions are not full of ,imperfections
asked Mr. Condict.
"What are the imperfections? de-
| manded City Attorney Weart.
''Point out single one if you can"
said the Mayor.
'.Who told you that the specifications
| were perfect?" asked Mr.. Condict.
Men of sense and intelligence, engi-
neers. legal lights and water experts
pronounced them perfect responded the
| Mayor land now who told you that
| they We're not perfect?" asked his
Honor.
Mr.. Condict did not answer, but to
stir matters up more he asked
did the engineers of the Jersey City
Company tell you they were Perfect, Mr.
| Mayor
.sYour expert cost the city $l50, ,00O" re-
| torted the Mayor land you spent $500
| to get his report made up to defeat that
previous excellent contract
81 have the report of that expert
| here" said Mr.. Condict, and wish you
would read it before you act. It says a
plant can be built for $4,500,900, and still
| allow 25 per cent. to the contractor.
| That brings the true cost down to So, ,00e,-
O00 He is one of the best experts N
the country, and who can gainsay him?"
COST OF AN EXPERT.
81 am'' quickly replied the Mayor.
s'Any man who says Jersey City can get
Ian unpolluted supply of water for three
or four or five million dollars does not
know what he is talking about. Newark
paid $6,O00 900 for a plant. and the East
! Jersey Water Company lost s7000.000. I
looked into this matter thoroughly. and
you can't get an expert to tell me about
| it, Was this expert alive when we re-
ceived bids for water?" asked the Mayor.
/ "He was replied Condict.
"Why didn't he bid for this work.
| then?''
There was no response. Continuing,
the Mayor said: "To begin with, do you
want me to consider amy plant that starts
off with sewer fifteen miles long to
protect it's water? When we make a
move it must be a lasting one. If we
cannot get supply that will never be
polluted we won't get any. and people
may as well know that now as well as
any other time"
this time. and suddenly Garret D. Van
Reipen. who sat in the rear of the Of
/ flee, sprang to his feet and shouted
1--WE are the people of this city, and we
came here to be heard. and we do not
propose being interrupted by the chief
magistrate of the city or any of its Of
i ficers. When we get through / hope you
will speak. but not continue interrupting
u.s.
i t'Mr. Condict's remarks compel me to
4 interrupt" said the Mayor.
t'Well, I demand that you keep your
mouth shut until we get through. You
have got to keep your mouth shut