The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-04-20
BIDS REJECTED.
/ Board of Trade Approves
] Mayor Wanser's Plan for
r Water Supply.
sYNDICATEs' OFFERS TOO HIGH
Engineer Croes Sends a Letter
Rockaway Water Shed Pro-
nounced the Best.
sYNDICATEs' OFFERS TOO HIGH

and endorsed Mayor WanSer'S scnSihS
thet the city shall buy it's own water
supply. And then. rot without verbal
sparrng. Mr.. Joseph A. Dear managed
10 carry through resolution to the
-effeer that it is the sense of the Board
of Trade that of the two formal propo-
sitions now before the city. that of the
Rockaway Water Shed is the better for
a water supply.
But said President j. j. voorhees,,
s'you have already thrown out the city
bids. one Of which is the Rockaway, and
now you tie the board to that which you
have rejected
..Oh no." corrected Mr.. Dear, there
! are two or three bids from the Rock
8 away, and this doesn't bind the. board
l. at all, excepting that we believe the
!. Roekaway Water Shed is the best source.
The old we reject is another matter.
All the discussion originally sprang
from the report OF the Emergency Com
mittee, presented by Counsellor 81; v.
. had at the expense OF 500, secured the
!, a,,servfces CT Mr.. j. j. r. Croes to .esti-
Tlondict presented long letter from
1, r. Croes with figures. These figures
rhesere published in THE jersey city News
If II April 8, and practically mean that the
" olant. etc, ought not TO cost more than
fuls4 5OG, eco. Mr. Condicr said he would
sndorse Mayor Wanser's scheme and be
OSSN
D'-- CITY OFFICIALS AT FAULT.
D Mr.. Dear read extracts from the En-
gineering News which analyzed the bids
now before the city, and connenting
on one OF these. Mr.. Dear said the
Mayor, Board of Finance and Street ana
proper counsel. They should have. he
said, engaged the best legal and engineer
ling advice in every phase OF the mater.
I'D Exactly what the Board OF Trade TRADE
'7fwanted the city to do" said Mr.. Voor-
s,E Mr.. Dear, continuing, read Mr.; Yer
yheme above Powersville and added
,tif1n the statements he had read shoWeo
ger ssnli these good gentlemen" ne said, /
OF firing to the bidders, have at the
sF,edit Of Jersey. city. They expect to to
sp.oat The bonds by. our aid ana on our
& { Eyes. and You may add New Jersey
Is Avs for their benefit added Mr.. Voor-
suess sss- SARR9aoceaRa nR cRoEs, LETTER
III letter from Mr.. Croes. the Cisil s En- E9s
!, .sser, was read in reference to the nlds
~ sA1fldy furnished.
NE estimates for the pumping works are,
E n my opinion very large. Taken in detail,
- i Eve no doubt that the intake works and
- snes1house. on the river below Beattie's s
Dam and so located as not TO interfere
WIN Beattie's s water power in any way. couid
have estimated il.
The price for pumping engines is oased on
the prices bid in 1894 for several engines OF
nat cspacity in different parts of the coun-
try, and IS made larger than the hlghess
psacs hid anywhere.
The reservoir at Great Notch is estimated
ts cost double what detailed estimate of
lis cogt rradc in 1879 showed to be pracucapie.
..:'e !;:ee fes pipe is very aIs hlgh, for ab-
s.~aetis,5g l.ee0 eco gallons a day from the
1aazaic River is based on my knowledge of
and Dundee. and is at least . per cent. great
or than think commission would award
the companies damaged.
NICE PROFIT FOR SOME ONE.
have not the slightest doubt that an in
dividual or company furnishing the works
complete would make clear profit of % pei
cent. on the cost I have estimated
With reference to the estimate OF the cost
of delivering water. I have based the est
mates on the actual cost of pumping and
maintenance and repairs OF plants for the
last three years in the largest municipal
pumping plant IN the United States. and have
added Il per cent. to that cost for my figures
OF You understand that the cost OF
water delivered is given in my estimates
hased on municipal construction and opera
four per cent bonds, assumed at 100 cents
tire dollar; but I believe that the profits
on the construction of the works at the prices
have estimated would be sufficient to pay
the contractor per cent. on the actual
Investment and fair profit on the operation
besides
III
the citizens of Jersey city in general
and the, Board Of Trade in particular
that at last. they had arrived at a stage
when they decided not TO swallow ready
made doses of corporations and syndi-
Gates. Other means could be found than
by adopting the bids of todav. The pres
ent bid should be rejected, he said.
Why shouldn't Jersey City go to Lit
tie Falls 81 aad condemn as well as syndi-
Mr. Booraem claimed that even after
contract had been made and the CON
could not give the city the loi supply ". I
needed.
.sThey won't have the ability" he
MAYOR WANSER'S PLAN END oRsED
Mr.. Booraem suggested going into the
various districts and taking. several con-
gets one supply, initiate Brooklyn and
take the streams for future use. He
heartily endorsed Mayor .Wansers plan.
the sense of the Board of Trade that
the propositions of the Jersey City Water
Supply and an Eass Jersey Watsr COMPANY
Mayor Wanser's plans to build cur own
works and condemn the necessary land
Don't YOU think that would mean
more litigation II jersey City d:d it,"
incurred Mr.; "; G. cudlpp, but Mr.
by the, Jersey CITY Water Company.
When that concern he sad, found It
could not get Jersey City to contract
its value would fall
"Why,H said Mr. Booraem, f'the pond
jS worth double today what it was sixty
days ago. Before this discussion of water
the pond, with It's land. fish and water
rights could be bought for $4,000
After a little more discussion, Mr. Con-
diets motion was agreed to unanimously
While this was satisfactory to all, Mr.
Cudlipp wanted to go further, and moved
that the board should favor some local.
1--WE don't do anything but criticize
and find fault and generally move on
negative lines. We should do something
positive"
This was Mr. Dear's opportunity, which
he promptly seized by moving that the
Rockaway watershed was in compari-
son with others preferable.
One member thought that the best way
TO get pure water was to have an inde-
PENDENT water commission appointed as
in New York and give them that subject
for their consideration The old Street
and Water Board was nearly over and
new members would come in and be ex-
pected to grapple with the complicated
projects. The Legislature would meet in
June and could not a bill be passed legal
izing such a commission of competent
men?
IF you could get the attention Of the
with a sly grin at Assemblynan Drake.
II will hold up my hand, but 1 DON be-
lieve you could get it. = (Laughter)
Mr.. Banks moved and Mr.. Anderson
seconded to lay Mr. Dear's motion on