The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-10-27
Reject TIE WATER Bids
Horace Farrier Tells the Street
and Water Board All Pro-
posals Are Illegal.

At the meeting of the Street and Water
Board yesterday Horace H. Farrier sub
mitted letter upon the water bids now
pending. 1t was ordered on file. In his
letter Mr.. Farrier starts off by stating
that he is a property owner and as such
has been and is very much interested
in the water contract project. Refer
ring to the bids of the Rockaway and
Hudson and East Jersey Companies,
which are now before the Board for con-
sideration. he asserts that neither will
stand judicial inquiry, both being infor-
mai. owing to fagrant departures from
the provisions of the specifications. The
first informality he points out is that
the bidders, particularly the East Jersey
Company. have failed to provide under
specification IA for the delivery of water
at High Service at a head of 127 feet;
at 30 feet under specification b. and
finally one-third at 210 feet elevation and
the remainder at l27 feet elevation as re-
quired>snder specification &C.
The naxt defect cited is that while the
specifications clearly state the exact loca-
tion of dams and reservoirs must be
given, the East Jersey Cimpany admits
IN It's bid that it has not made all the
d
quence may, in the event of being award
ed a contract, locate its reservoirs at
points not mentioned in the bid. which
are by the company considered to be more
available. Mr. Farrier says that the COM
panies have not complied with the speci-
fications where it is set forth that the
character and size OF the pipes to be
charges, is paid TO the provision that the
company must use two or three pipes of
equal size and consequent capacity
The provisions of the specifications as
whole have been violated or ignored, .
says Mr.. Farrier.
Going into detail he calls attention to
the fact that under plan "a a single
pipe line of fifty millions a cay capacity
is called for. The East Jersey Company
oIfers such line, he admits but goes
further and offers gratuitously to build
two. pipe lines of twenty-five millions ca
pacity- This is a violation of the speci-
fication. Mr.. Farrier holds because the
company offers and agrees to do what ii
is not asked to- and which if permitted
would add hundreds of thousands of dol
lars unexpected cost to the plant The
next. point raised is that both companies
should have stated precisely jusH what
means they propose employing to prevent
pollution, Neither. company. he charges
apparently deemed the possible polIl1fion
provision of sufficient Importance to pay
the sllghtest attention to it. Objection
= made to the Rockaway and Hudson
Companys bid because it offers a plant
which will deliver 35 millions day at
Beileville and further by utilizing the
eltys present pipe line across the mead
oWS and building a new line capable of
carrying is millions day to deliver the
required 50 millions a day at High Ser
vice This proposition cannot be enter
tanned. Mr.. Farrier contends because no
provision is made for the delivery Of any
water at Belleville under the specifica-
tions.
The city" continues the writer. made
the specifications to suit its case. but
the companies for some reason have al
tered them to suit their convenience with
out regard to the eity's interests. Neither
proposition, IN my opinion, furnishes a
safe basis for a contract. Neither are
tree from vital errors and omissions
: Somewhat In the tone of a threat he as
serts that If an award lis made toAeither
company legal and engineering questions
will be involved and will result in the
city being cast into long and expensive
litigation.
ut is nonsense he continues. ssto saw
THAT it will be possible 10 do away with
slll these erTors and guard against others
m tine preparation of a contract Neither
bid is safe fer the city, and both should
be tossed aSida unhesttatingly | would
recommend tine Immediate reflections of
the bids before YOU, and advise that new
bids bse advertised for under revised plans
which you may select
Concluding, he says THAT it is probable
the re'advertsement for bids win bring
new companies into the competition in
timating very broadly that he is asso-
czatea with q company which will sub
nit a bid if that opportglrdty is accorded.
THE increase in the number of bidders
will. result in lower prices being offered
the city, and now that we are on the
eve Of a change in political government
change which will doubtless restore
confidence in the financial world it seems
to me that the interests of the city will
be best insured by rejection of the infor-
NAL bids before YOU, without inviting lti-
gation, and calling for new bids under
new plans and Specifications