The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-22
WATER SUPPLY IN SIGHT
City Officials May Award
the Contract This
Afternoon.
DETAILS OF THE FLYNN PROPOSITION
Some Doubt as to the Mayors
Position But It Is Thought
He Will Approve.
DETAILS OF THE FLYNN PROPOSITION


afternoon. A water contract is to pc
made. and there is just a probability
that an award will be made this after-
noon If the wishes of two members
of the Board are respected, the Board
win adjourn this afternoon to meet on
Saturday morning at ten O'CLOCK al
which time an award will be made.
Last night Mayor Hoos, the Flnahce
and Street and Water Commissioners
Corporation Counsel McDermott and the
representatives of the P. H. Flynn syn
dicate discussed the water problem pc
hind closed doors.
The officials met Saturday night, but
no conclusion could be arrived at The
cause of the disagreement on Saturday
was over 100000, which Finance Com
missioner Ringle fought hard to save the
city. Under plan /, which all the OIL
cials favor, the city is compelled to pay
s.. .5s5. 900 if it acquires the plant one year
after it's completion. If purchase IS not
made until the end of five years, the cost
price will be 81, ,995, 900. Commissioner
Ringle wanted the Flynn representatives
to drop the additional $400,o0O if acquis-
ition is not made within five years.
Counselor Edwards and Engineer Con-
molly maintained that the dropping OF
the $780, 900 would doubtless abrogate the
contract. On that point Mr.. Ringle
wished to be advised, and he would not
consent to do anything until he heard
what the Corporation Counsel had to say
on the subject Last night Mr.. McDer-
mott upheld what Mr.. Edwards had said
That settled the case for Mr.. Ringle, and
he is now desrous of voting for con-
tract, provided the plant is acquired
within one year after its completion
The plan favored by the officials is
known as plan No. 1. Under it daily
supply of 5000oO0o gallons is assured as
soon as the plan is completed A strong
feature of the proposition is that while
only 5O,000,0O0 gallons day are pledged
the company gives the city sufficient
drainage area and storage reservoirs to
insure a daily supply of 100000 gallons
whenever the city may desire to acquire
that quantity. If the city buys within
one year of the date of completion the
price is 1886, 900. and $7,995,0OO if ac-
QUESTION Is not made five, ten or fifteen
years after completion. For the same
plant as No. the Flynn concern asked
IS. .745, ,000, should the plant be capable OF
delivering 10000, 000 gallons a day when
completed. During the term which Flynn
and his association will retain the plant
the city will pay s36 million gallons for
. all water used up to 25,000,0e0 gallons
day; $32 up to 30,000,0 600 gallons day; s24
up to S5, Co., 900 gallons a day. and $40 for
all water up to 100000 gallons, and up
to the entire capacity Of the plant.
Plan No. l. as offered by Flynn. gives
the city 1000 900 gallons day, with the
lands, reservoirs sites, water rights and
easements necessary to enable the city to
divert and use 20. 900 gallons day. The
water is to be taken from the Rockaway
River watershed with the main intake To-
Gated on the Rockaway River, at Old
Boonton. This intake reservoir which
win also serve as a storage reservoir, will
have an area of 949 acres, a maximum
depth of 1o2 feet at the dam, and more
: than 75 per cent. of the whole area of the
reservoir will exceed s feet in depth.
1t will have a capacity above the efflu-
ent pipes of 1862 million gallons an eleva-
tion at the floor line of 292 feet above
mean high tide The elevation of the ef-
fluent pipes will be 256 feet.
The dam at the outlet of the reservoir
elusive of the foundation, and will be
constructed and equipped according to the
most modern methods. There will be
tributary to the intake the entire flow of
the Rockaway River, having a watershed
and gathering grounds of 1221s square
miles, including the waters of the Long
wood Valley, Green Pond. Denmark Lake.
Beach Glen, Split Rock Lake, Dixon S
7 Tsaly of7d atb tber- ihffra Y1y
streams.
TO supply only 5O,Ooo,o0o gallons day
this one reservoir at Old Boonton will be
all that is required. The water will be
conveyed by gravity from the intake
through single steel conduit of rs riches
inside diameter to Hook Mounatin, through
Hook Mountain by tunnel brick lined
having an inside diameter of feet; thence
by a single steel conduit of rs inches dia-
meter to Watching Mountain, through a
brick lined tunnel; thence into single
conduit to the reservoirs at High Ser
vice The water will be delivered at
High Service at head of 210 feet above
mean high tide.
The whole quantity of drainage area
which Flynn offers is 1.2R acres. The
works are so constructed by Flynn that
he can at any time enlarge it by raising
the reservoir dam so as to give the city
10000. .000 gallons a day or more. To give a
supply of 70.0o0.O00 gallons a day or more
it would be necessary to lay an additional
main. That could be done at slight cost,
fnasmuch as there is.room for two con-
dufts on the right Of way which Flynn
gives the city
When the contract comes up before the
Street and Water Board there win be five
votes for it. Commissioners Boltwood
and Heintze were backward at first. but
stree they have been assured that no
pollution can creep into the plant they
favor its immediate acquisition. In the
Finance Board there will probably be
only four votes. They viii come from
Commissioners Heppenheimer, Midlige.
Bai1ey and Ringle. Mr.. Simpson has up
to this time failed to commit himself and
his attitude is such that his colleagues
think he will oppose the award. The
reason advanced by two Of the Street and
Water Commissioners for making the
award at ten O'Clock Saturday morning
is that at eleven O'Clock the Finance
Roard meets.
BY following that programme an award
could be made at ten by the Street and
Water Board and coTcurred In at eleven
br the Finance Board.
Just where Mayor Hoos stands no one