The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-12-09

at the elevation of l27 feet; G. the sup
ply of 20 million gallons per day. at the
elevation of 12l feet. t.vr.
the whole, well framed and expressed.
There are some points on wnch more
explicit statements are desirable.
On page G, the bidders are required 70
submit plans and drawings of their
works For an easy comparison Of the
similar plans Should be drawn to the
same scale and the specifications shouid
so require and define the scales.
on page s. it is required that the water
must be pure and wholesome for drink
ing and domestic purposes rms E Is
purity is fixed and no. arbiter or judge
of the purity is named, except perhaps
inferentially the engineer.
The requirements which follow, regard
ing possible contamination of the water
by the sewage of several villages in New
Jersey and New York and the prevention
OF such contamination are lmpracctlcaDle
of accomplishment. Neither the SIty nor
the Hudson County Board of Health e
any powers ito place at the disposai
the contractor" in the premises, and the
contractor cannot construct trunk sew
ers or sewage disposal works without
special local or State authorization. Ihe
whole paragraph, under the heading
equality of Water" is of no value as II
page 1s-WORK MUST BE INDE-
PENDENT-Thi paragraph IS vague.
The tact permission given in 1t TO the
contractor to dispose OF water TO otner
communities, prior to the purchase OF the
works by the city should be clearly ex-
pressed, with such restrictions as may
Page 1sNTTME TO CoMPLETE-Oas
clause}-The determination of the "un-
avoidability OF delay" carrying VIII with II
the remission of the charge OF SzgV per
pendent solely on the certificate OF tne
engineer in charge of the work NO
expIanation report or statement OF rea.
sons is reuuired-simply the certificate OF
one man. and he not a public official, but
simply an employe OF the street anu
and Water Board. ~
Page 1s-Right of Eminent Domain-The
provisions in this section are very prop
er. but bidders should be notified that
there is serious doubt as to whether the
civ possesses the power to invoke the
right of eminent domain IN pehal u
an Individual corporation.
Page 17-ABANDONMENT OF CON
TRACT-The provisions for completloa
of the work in case of the abandonment
of the contract by the contractor are DE-
fectiye The earliest period at when the
purchase of the works by the city can
take effect is on the completion OF the
works and the delivery of the water, ana
at least eighteen months notice in ad-
vance is necessary to this purchase: IN
the absence of such notice 1t IS dlTncull
to understand how the city cou!d enter
llDon and complete works in Wnlch II hau
no proprietary interest, present or pros
nective. and how it could procure the
funds necessary to pay tor the same
pending the time at whlch 3he adilotttie tba
Of the rental for water shall equal the
exnenditures for completion and opera
tion of the works. This whole secuon
needs material alteration ,-,,, ~
Page 19-THE BIDDER MUST IN
FORM HIMSELF-The provisions that
prior to the opening OF the plds, lhS
engineers who prepared these papers sRa1l
be the sole interpreters of clauses IN tne
snecifications of doubtful meaning, Is
probably correct, but such interpretations
should be in writing and copies hied Wion of
the Street and Water Board, 50 llsat
more exDlicit statements of meaning may
he embodied in the SPECIFIC contract 10
prevent future difficulties with the coa-
tractors r,ron-c
These are in a separate document ana
provide only for filtering water 70 pc
delivered into the present pump-Wells AZ
Belleville, to be then pumped at the
and esspensively operated pumplng 9aa. ma
chinerv The quality of the water after
filtrafion is not sufficiently defined ana
M nroys sion is made as to who IS TO de-
+arr,ina the question as to whether the
wa ser is proper for use by the city. IN
der such specifications as these, no tar
competitive hid for a new water supply
could be made involving hltratlon.
THE plans and specifications on Whlcn
PROPOSALS for a new water supply are
called for are not sufficiently conpre-
hensive to admit of a fair competltlon.
The combining of bids to either a supply
by gravity from restricted areas. thirty
miles from Jersey City, or simple m hltra- "a,
ton of Passaic water to pe puinpea ~
the existing steam plant, bars out all
combination cor plans involving the use OF
modern high-duty pumping mac machinery nine
either steam or electric; the utill5atlon o.
fhe water from several hundred square
niles nil OF watershed for power or supply
and the application of filtration to o suen
extent and at such times only as II may
~ There has been no attempt made to
treat the subject in a broad and com
prehen;ive manner, with view to Sc
curing for the city the most eHectiVe ana
economical results.
Respectfully submitted,
(signeI J. J; R. CRoEs, .oor