The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-09
ftZ#%NE1N 80
N[WARK'S MIXED DRINKS.
Trouble With the East Jersey
Over Pay for the
Pequannook.
A LESSON FOR JERSEY CITY
Company Claims That It
Need Not Supply Excess
Except at It's Own
Rates.
A LESSON FOR JERSEY CITY

low service distributing reservoir in
Branch Brook Park is empty, the city is
consuming 10000 9 gallons daily. an ex-
cess of ]. 100000 more than the East Jersey
Water Company agreed TO supply without
extra pay, and the city is pumping we'll
water at the BellevilIe pumping station
to make up the deficiency.
The East Jersey Water Company con-
tended tina It is not legally bound to sup
ply Newark daily with one gallon more
than the q. 100000 gallons contract limit.
because II must supply Jersey City and
other customers with water, and the wal
ter supply in the P~equannock watershed
is reduced in volume during the urnmer
months.
The city contends that the East Jersey
Water Company IS bound by the sixth
section Of the agreement and contract Of
1889 to furnish all the water needed by
Newark over and above the n. 100000 gal
Ions limit at S6 per million gallons.
But the water company claims hat by
the city's exercise In 1892 Of the option
to purchase the -Pequannock water plant
and water supply outright, when the city
paid 100000 of the 49, Geo. 600 contract
price, section sixth of the contract was
made void. and, therefore, that if New
ark wants more water from the company
1t must make a special contract at a spec
ial rate per million gallons.
1t is probable that the city and the wa
ter ompan viii have a contest in the
courts over this mooted point.
1--WE are pumping drivers well water
at the Belleville station Engineer Sher-
rerd said, but we pump only one or two
days a week, taking just enough water
to make up the deficiency.
aFor about three weeks. or since the
hot spell began. Newark has consumed
about 9,00o,0 600 gallons daily. This is an
excess of 100000 gallons daily over the
amount the East Jersey Water Company
contracted to furnish US daily.
1--WE are using the driven well water
to make up the deficiency in our daily
supply, because it is less expensive than
to buy extra water by the million gall
Ions, and also because the Water Com
pany SAYS it is not bound to supply us
with more than p, 500. ec0 gallons daily.
The company claims that the agree
ment to supply Newark with water at
$36 per million gallons does not hold good
now. as the city never exercised its OPP
tion to buy by the million gallons. and
that therefore if the city wants more
water now 1t must pay well for it.
II hope a satisfactory arrangement
viii be made with the water company to
supply Newark with the Pequannock
water we may need in excess of 1900, 900
gallons daily, at a fair price per million
gallons. But the ompan claims that it
must first keep the contracts with Jersey
City and other customers VIC are buying
water by the million gallons"
Mr.. Sherrerd was asked how much
water the two big mains which carry
water from the %impounding reservoirs in
the mountains can deliver daily. He re-
piled hat the limit is about 6s.G0o, 600 now,
which taxes the water company to meet
its contract obligations with customers,
and that 1t is now evident tina the com
pany must lay a third big main from
the mountain reservoirs.
How long has the low service reser-
voir in Newark been empty?" Mr.. Sher-
rerd was asked.
Upward of a month"; he replied. 1T
had sprung a leak again, and the water
was drawn off. 1t will be repaired in a
week or ten days. In the meantime the
water is served direct from the Belle
vile reservoir through the big main 20
the low service district. That is why the
pressure is so great at night down town
of late,
Mr.. Sherrerd said that from 4,5oo, 900 to
s. coo, 600 gallons of water can be Drawn. if
necessary, daily, from the driven wells at
B~elleville.
"The lawyers for the water company
and the city," Mr.. Sherrerd said. have
the questions of extra water for New
ark and the payment of the $2,0s9,0eo cash
or bonds under consideration. | suppose
the questions win have to be settled in
court
According to the terms of the contract
agreement between Newark and the water
company. my suit by the city against
the compan for non-performance of con-
tract must be begun before September "A,
1900.
Joseph Coult, counsel for the water COM
pany. who was counsel for the city when
the agreements or contracts with the
city were drawn and executed. said that
if the city wants more han q. 500. 600 gall
Ions daily it can have it, as the company
has plenty of water.
s.But the trouble isl Mr.. Coult added,
that the Board of Works is trying 10
make believe that 1t can get a big enough
supply from the Belleville driven wells to
meet the demand.
IF the city wants more water it must
pay the company a fair price for it by The
gallon. Section sixth OF the old contract
was ~abrogated when the city exercised its
option to purchase the water plant, and
80 Inv matter nv tho million gallons