The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-02-12
DRAKE BILL DOOMED
Water Syndicate Lawyers
Say 1t Is PerniCious and
Unconstitutional.
GRIGGs LEADS THE ATTACK
Advocates Say That Water
Spectators Are Ready to
Gobble Up State
Waters.
Hearings on Important House
Bills Continued Today-EiSele's
Insurance Measures.
GRIGGs LEADS THE ATTACK
Srectal to the Jerseu Cstu Ne,re.

TRENTON, Feb. u, 1Ss5.-Garret Ho-
| bart, ex-senator Griggs and Colonel C.
! W. Fuller, representing the Water Syn
| dicate of the State, appeared before the
Municipal Corporations Committee this
morning to argue against Assemblyman
brakes bill providing for absolute State
control Of the potable waters of the
State. The hearing was an interesting
one, beginning before the opening Of
the morning session and continuing, by
permission. while the House was in ses-
sion.
The bill is similar to the Jersey City
water bill of last year, with the objec-
tionable features eliminated, and it is
said by its advocates to have the en-
dorsement of the Governor and Attor-
ney General The opponents apparently
had the better of the argument from the
start, and by adroitly appealing to the
South Jersey members on the ground that
State monies were to be used from which
thee would derive no benefit practically
settled the fate of the bill.
Ex-senator Griggs assailed the bill on
its constitutional and general features
and said in all his experience ne had
| never heard OF an act giving such abb
solute power to q. committee as was pro-
vided for in the act. The power of the
committee would, he said, be absolute,
and if inclined to be corrupt they could
steal millions, for the reason that no
provision is made for a review of their
actions. If enacted he said, this bill
would give the Commission power to
seize all the private water in the State.
! except Newark. going SO far as to take
even fish ponds up in Sussex. pump
drxr nd
! tanned down in South Jersey.
CRITICIZING TOM MEWAN.
He laid particular stress on the number
of officials to be employed and endeavor-
| ed to show that the entire plan was
| impracticable. He cited as an instance
| that if the City of Orange wanted a
| supply it would cost at least five times
| as much as the city could afford to pay,
for 1t would be unwise to build a pipe
line small enough to supply Orange only
| orange could not pay for this supplys
| he argued, and the State would be called
upon to pay the bills. No one wanted
the bill, he said, except Mr.. McEwan,
who appeared to have great interest in
the people of the whole State. Then, he
| declared that the only one who had
persistently urged and lohbyed for bill
| of this sort was MIR. Leobens =. WaTH.
arranged ra g to have one Of the Commits
/ sioners a hydraulic engineer.
! His Solrcitude for securing an appoints
ment, said Mr.. Griggs, referring to Mr..
| Ward, showed what a disintereSted IN
dividual ne is in regard to this bill.
| tion in the State. today had control OF
water rights which could not be at any
| time condemned in the interest Of mum,
! acquired the Newark plant, he said, sold
| it to the city, had made no attempt 70
| acquire additional water rights since
| then and don't propose to.
| VICIOUS LEGISLATION.
| Next he assaIed the second section,
which he said was the most vicious piece
without warrant 1t revoked franchises
! and absolutely ruined corporations en-
| gaged in a legitimate business.
! A long argument occurred here as to
| the legal significance OF several sections
| of The act between Messrs. Griggs and
| McEwan As on the gas hearing Chair
| man Codding was with the opponents OF
| the bill and no one believes it has any
cnasYg assYYNDIcaTEs 81 READY TO ACT.
Mr.. Lebbeps Ward Of Jersey C,tyi who who
was accused Of haVlaS "a 2 hTSo hiIS sfarre5 a. md
at length to the geological reports on
| the water supply. and tne repeatea ss
| State control of the water supply. The
| East Jersey Water Company. he said,
under It's charter. has the right to con-
| solidate and average with other com
! panies outside OF as well as within the
! State. They had a plan of that kind
under cons:deration ct present, and as as
| said those water syndicates would be-
| gin to sell the water required for the use
| of municipalities in this State to OUT
| side parties.
Asse mblyman Drake explained the fea--
| lures of the bill ard tried to shoW. that
| it would not cost the State anything;
| Congressman McEwan said thst the
| bill was designed simply to save the pota-
| bic waters Of the. State which have not
| already been gobbled by water 9peeuia-
| water was as divine as the right to air
| and light, and had been held so from
'Tidga Seymour of Hohoken replied to
( MIR. Griggs IN a very forcibls manner,
| and declared the custom was on between
| the oeople on the one hand, and grasp
| ing corporations acting under piratical
| nharter on The other hand.