The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-28

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year, ...... ........ go 81
Mr. Joseph A. Dear followed Mr.. Cole
with a minority report, which, condensed
stated that Mr.. Rafter had admitted thai
the water offered by the East Jersey
Company was pure and Wholesome, and
that the price asked was reasonable. AS
to the contract, there could be no ques-
ton as to it's validity and binding ma
ture No advantage could be taken MOI
liability shirked by the contractor AS
to the question of appeal to the courts
the report said, that If the Rockaway
& Hudson Company did not exercise 1t
no one was likely to do SO. While Mr.
Rafter, the report said, made a serious
objection to the insuficiency of the water
shed, yet the proposed shed is larger
than the Pequannock, from which both
Newark and Jersey City has derived thetr
supplies during last year.
Mr.. Charles S. Furst moved, and Mr..
w. E. Pearson seconded, that the mi.
nority report be adopted; but a motion
coie css ana d0s seconaed on = + by MT. aAA John
J. Voorhees, that the majority re-
port be substituted for the other, and
it prevailed. Then the fun began, and
of course, it originated with Mr. Cole,
who, after a few sallies directed at Mr..
Dear, proceeded to fay everybody who
upheld the wicked award
The first part of his racy and extreme
-
tions that for nearly fourteen years Jer-
sey City had been menaced by a gang
of bandits who had secured control OF
the water supply and the State govern
water except from a private corporation.
The mosh important part of the whole
question now, he said, Is the specifica-
tons under which the accepted bid was
made. These specifications were e. made
by Mr.. Vermeule after a hasty examin-
alton. The first time that Mr. Vermeule
appeared in Jersey City was as a partner
were looking for a contract. We next see
him as the paid engineer of the Jersey
City Water Company and defending the
which was riddled by the courts. Later
he is employed by the city
Mr.. Cole criticized the contract of the
said, would hamper Jersey City in any
effort to cOntrol its own WaterWorks and
shed. and he didn't think the city should
Another reason" pursued Nj. Cole.
why the company ought not to have the
contract Is because Of f., the grave financial
nal9 recently said that the city's debt has
decreased. That is a lie. Since Mayor
Wanser has been in power it has increas-
pipes the city has been taxed slsS, ,oo6' aos
Should men who have SO misused their
power have this matter in their hands?
AS ycu regard your honor don't hand US
over to syndicate which will crush life
out of those who come after u.s." (Ap-
plause)
Mr.. Dear in replying said that Mr..
Coles reference to public officials was
an insult and his position was monstrous.
Then Mr. Dear started in to explain his
recent change of front in respect to the
East Jersey Company, which hitherto
ne had opposed. Since, however, other
competition had come into the field and
pulled down the price charged. Now
that reasonable offer had been made he
favored the contract
On a former occasion I criticised Mr..
Yermeule. knew nothing about Mr..
Vermeule personally only knew that
ne was connected with a company which
sought TO gain the contract by bribery.
lt Gid obtain this contract, but it was set
aside BY the courts I know that bribery
was attempted, because they had the I'M
pnaenee. to try and bribe me. qronical
Did you take it3', ipnocently asked