The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-23
THE FINAL ACT.
All the Bids Rejected This
Morning Three to
Two.

Promptly at ten o'clock, this morning,
the Commissioners filed into the Assem-
bly, Chamber once more to grapple with
the water problem. Commissioner Bolt
wood brought up the rear with a deter
mined look on his face.
AS soon as the roll had been called,
Commissioner Nolan, who wished to
check any move Mr.. Boltwood might
make, offered the following report from
the Committee of the Whole:-
'Your Committee of the Whole, to
whom has been referred the various pro-
posals and other matters in connection
with the projected new water supply, re-
spectfully report that they have given
the matter the most careful considera-
ton with the object of awarding a con-
tract which would prove beneficial to the
city. but owing to the great divergence in
the views of the expert engineers here
tofore appointed for the purpose of aiding
US in reaching solution and for the
further reason that your committee be-
lieves that under existing conditions an
award could not be made which would
stand the test of the courts, we would
recommend that all proposals heretofore
received on February % be rejected. and
that the Board Immediately proceed to
readvertise for proposals on such basis
as may be determined by it.
This was signed by Anthony Hauck,
James S. Nolan, Robert G. Smith.
Before a motion to adopt the report
could be put, Mr. Boltwood resubmitted
the minority report accompanied by the
resolution, which he tried to get in last
night, awarding a contract to the Rocka-
way and Hudson Company. The minor
ity report was tabled and the resolution
of award was disposed of in the same
manner.
The original report was then taken up
and adopted by a unanimous vote, Com
missioner Boltwood explaining that hav-
ing been unable to make an award to a
company which Offered great advan-
tages to the city, he was willing to abide
by the decision of his colleagues. =.
Without further discussion the following
was adopted
Resolved. That all proposals for
new water supply heretofore received
by this Board on February %, 1893, be
and are hereby rejected and that the
checks deposited by the several bidders
in connection with same proposals are
hereby directed to be returned
On motion of Commissioner Nolan the
following was passed.
That the specifications for new
water supply on the basis of which
proposals we're heretofore received by
this Board on February 49, 1898, be and
are hereby referred to the Committee
of the Whole for such revision cur
tailment. amendment or supplement as
may be deemed for the best interests
of the city. and that said committee
be directed to report the same within
two weeks from this date.
The last resolution adopted dispensed
with the services of Engineers Ferris and
vermeule.
Within an hour after the several reso-
lutions had been passed Clerk Bouton
served official copies on the Mayor. His
Honor approved them without comment.
The Street and Water Board is to meet
on Monday and talk over new specifica-
tions. The old ones will be closely fol-
lowed. An effort is to be made to eliminate
all the features to which Mayor Hoos has
made objection.
No engineers will be engaged this time.
Commissioner Nolan says the members
know enough about water now to pre-
pare specifications without assistance. It
is proposed this time to call for a supply
of not less than 50.000,0O0 gallons a day
or more than 7O0OO.GO0 If specifications
are agreed upon Monday, they will be
adopted at meeting to be held on We'd
nesday and sent at once to the Mayor
for his approval.
The Commissioners say an award will
be made within three months.