The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-30
WAASfR is WARNED
Newark Threatens to Shut
Down on Our Temper
ary Water Supply.
EAST JERSEYS BAD FAITH
The City Which Owns the Pc
quannoek System Injured
That We May Be
Caught.
LEGAL CONFLICT IMMINENT
Canistear Reservoir Plans Have
Never Been Filed with the
Newark Authorities.
Company Does Not Consider the
Reservoir Part of the Newark
Water Plant. while tho City's
Authorities Hold That II IL.

the East Jersey Water Company and the
Newark city officials have been disturb
ing those municipal officers to whom is
intrusted the management of the Newark
water supply for some weeks past. The
trouble began with the attitude of Engi-
neer Clemmens Herschel, of the water
company, in evading contract stipula-
tions that provide that Newark shall be
furnished with copies of the plans for
all reservoir work.
1t seems that Morris R. Sherrerd, the
local engineer. has never received any
plans of the work completed by the wa
ter company in the Pequannock region
last summer, and correspondence for such
data brought out an unwilling admission
from Mr.. Herschel that the East Jersey
Company was not willing to concede
that the new Canistear reservoir was
part of Newark's water plant. While
the company's representative did not
take this stand unequivocally his aliu-
sions to the subject led the local officials
to believe that such was the company's
intentions
Steps were at once taksn by Mr.. Sher-
rerd to lay the matter before the Board
of Works. The Commissioners not only
disagreed with the East Jersey people
as to the ownership of the reservoir. but
1t was decided to take the aggressive in
the Negotiations. As Jersey City is de-
pending upon the East Jersey Water
Company for a temporary water supply,
the local officials were not inclined to
take any chances Of leaving that munich
pality suddenly in the iurch in case legal
proceedings shall have to be resorted to
so City Counsel Price drafted a notice
which was served upon Mayor Peter F.
Wanser, of Jersey City. by Mr.. sherrerd
Wednesday afternoon. The notice read
as follows
The Board of Street and Water Com
missioners of the city of Newark being
informed that Jersey City has under con-
sideration certain propositions from the
East Jersey Water Company, which may
include a temporary supply of water
for Jersey City from the Peuuannock
watershed. realize that action on the
part of the city of Newark tending to
limit and reduce the amount Of water
which the East Jersey Water Company
may draw from said Pequannock water
sneu under its contract with this city.
may affect the amount of water which
the said company can supply to Jersey
Clty from the Newark plant. I have
snereIore been directed to communicate
TO you the probability that action will he
taken IN the near future to restrain the
East Jersey Water Company from con-
tinuing their present draft of water from
the Pequannock watershed.
ours respectfully, g. L. PRICE,
The announcement that this warning
had been given the Jersey City Executive
was made to the local Commissioners
after Yesterdays Board o. Works, meet
ing. Then Mr.. sherrerd briefly recited the
status Of the controversy and the causes
leading to it. The sixteenth section Of
tFe contract between the city and the
water company gives the Newark officials
the right to inspect all the work perform
ed and the character of the materials
used. It winds up with this sentence:-
COPIES OF such plans and drawings
Of the different parts of the work as shall
be prepared and used by the party Of the
second part shah be filed in the oft7ca
Of the Newark Aqueduct Board, from