The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-06-12
WANT A PILOT.
City Fathers Looking for an
Expert on the Awful
Water Question.
ENGINEERS NAMES SUGGESTED
The Shadow of Lebbeus B. Ward
Julius Pratt's Suggestion
Good Men Come High.


There was an important conference on
water in Mayor Hoos' private Office this
morning. His Honor had not intended
calling conference so soon but after
thinking the matter over he concluded
that postponement was unwise In re-
sponse to his call, Finance Commission
ers Simpson and Midlige and Street and
Water Commissioners Heintze, Hauck
and Nolan reported at his office shortly
before eleven o'clock.
Ny object in calling you gentlemen
together" said the Mayor, ''is to ascer-
tain if you have any suggestions to make
relative to the selection of an engineer
The water subject is an important one
and am anxious, as I know you all are
to get it under way
We are IN the same position now that
we were in two years ago." answered
Mr.. Simpson. I'VE had an engineer
then and we have none now. Personally,
] know of no engineer we can get. How
ever, two years ago, when Mr. Detwiller
and myself were scanning New York for
competent engineer, we were referred
to many The great trouble was that we
had limited ourselves to the expenditure
of 5000 in the engagement of an engi-
neer- Nearly all the eminent men we
care in contact with demanded at least
5000 to prepare plans and specifications,
and in addition we were TO pay their ex-
penses. The consequence was that one
man would eat up the whole appropria-
ton.
While we were going about, however,
we received the following letter, which
has never before been made public, and
which may at this time interest taxpay-
ers and draw from them opinions as to
the advisability of pursuing the course
mapped OUT
This is the letter Mr. Simpson pro-
duced:-
Jersey City, August 2S, 1895.
Hon, Reuben Simpson and Hon. j. j. Det-
Gentlemen cannot refrain from max
ing a suggestion, which if adopted by
you, may lead to a solution of the pres
ent complicated muddle of the water
question. do not believe you will dis
cover IN 1t any motive of self interest
When the Mayor informed me a year ago
that he would never consent TO a supply
derived from another State, 1 gave up any
nope that Jersey City would adopt the
best system. and I have from that time
only desired to see the next best that is
available Please, therefore consider nv
suggestion wholly in view of its merits
The employment of an expert by the
Board OF Finance / understand to be a
concession to a minority who have main
tanned that they were not sufficiently &C.
Quainted with this. to them, new question
and therefore they wanted more Informal
ton. the great majority of the officials
VINO have to settle the question certainly
do know more about all the essential
features In the case than any expert en-
slneer can learn in the short time al
lowed for his investigation, and if the
effect of employing him should be to sub
ma in ,a1a OF
the judgment of the eleven officials elect
ed by the people for the purpose of de-
termining this question: it would be a
ridiculous and deplorable result
Now, for the purpose of gaining for
these uninformed persons the greatest
sount of knowledge for the least posi-
the chance that the report of your ex-
pert may be biased by any occult IN
fuences, I propose this plan:-
a fee of $500 would be a fair compensa-
ton and one OF $1,000 generous COM
pensattiloana ~ for the work proposed. You
hay have A s5oa9 & appropriated 1, for it Employ
engineers to make independent examirla-
tions- Select men who are already ia
a0iliar with the questions involved and
6ho have no connections with any water
eyndicates. Pledge each one to absolute
secrecy, so that the fact of their en-
R};loyment };e nne T saaa d not be known to the pub
interested parties. Let the newspaper
ren and gossips understand that you
reasons you will not name him until YOU
get his report.
will suggest some names which come
within the above requirements.
Egbert l. Viele, who was the fret
topograp aphical engineer of this State. un-
der whose direction the first $4,000 was
ter sheds of New Jersey. who. in 1870
prepared a special map of the whole Pas,
sale water she'd
William E. Worthen who was EMPLOYED
by the State Water Commissioners in lSS9
and in connection with Mr. Ward ma1e
the able report of that Board in 1884.
cJarne James II +. Groes Ct New York. and
made extensive surveys for the Newark
Aqueduot Board in 1878 and 1879 and com
piled the most able and comprehensive re
port that has ever been published
All these men are not only exceptionally
well informed on all the points to be con-
sidered, but they are all eminent in their
profession as engineers and what is more
important they are Independent of ali
water syndicates and interested schemers
For many years the three who reside
IN New York have practiced their pro-
fession only as special CONSULTING en-
gineers, and have not been in Il regular
employ of any clique or corporation.
When you get their reports, made with
out each others knowledge, If there is
anything more to be learned than you
already know you will then discover it
and will be able to act in view of all
that can be learned on this great ques-
ton.
Let me point out the danger Of select
ing any one man as your adviser. For
instance, an eminent Boston engineer
He knows nothing of the special topo-
graphy of our watersheds and nothing
as to the relative purity of the water.
He has no time to make personal ex-
aminationS and so he seeks advice from
his intimate friend, Clemens Herschell
aBoston man, who saturates his mind
with the special merits of the East Jer-
sey Company plan. This danger will be
incurred in the case of any single expert
that you may select, especially If you
make public his name
Please accept my suggestions as made
z In the light of my best observation and
experience, and believe me,
Yours sincerely,
JULIUS H. PRATT,
$50 Washington ST.
P. S-The address of the above named
engineers is found in the New York Di-
James r. Croes. No. 66 Broad street
w +. Worthen, No. sa Rleecker street.
Egbert L, Viele. No. 80 Nassau street.
1--WE want OF go about this matter in a
business like way said Mayor Hoos. 1t
is an important subject, and one to which
we all should give careful attention. I
rather approve Mr. Simpsons proposition
to get two engineers. .
1--WE can do it this time, replied Mr..
Simpson, because we have not restrict
ed ourselves in the amount to be ex-
pended.
For Mr.. Midliges information it was