The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-01-11
THE WATER PROBLEM
Shortage Of Cash Places
the City's Supply in
Hourly Danger.
DELINoUENTs MUST pAY UF
Taxes or Bonds to Cover the
Defciency-Heavy School
Consumption.

President Boltwood of the Street and
Water Board. and Commissioners HaucH
and Heintze, met with the Finance Com-
missfoners last night to discuss the wateI
situation.
The officials have become alarmed over
the deficiency of 100000 in the water ae-
count. They met last night to devise
some plan whereby the situation may be
remedied
President Brautigam, of the Finance
Board, acted as Chairman of the confer
ence. He read to the officials the reports
Street and Water Board and City Treas
urer, showing the condition of the water
account.
us there any way the expenses of the
department can be cut down?' asked Mr..
Brautigam.
~ think not replied President Bolt
wood. I'VE have discharged men when
and where we could. We have cut down
the expense account, and In every way
possible we have tried to save money. 1t
is impossible for US to make further re-
ductions in our working forces. We must
have men at Belleville and High Service.
at the pumping stations, as the recent
break in the water main showed. Again.
we must keep just as many men on hand
10 repair water pipe. Scarceiy a gay
breaks in the main. The breaks are as a
rule, in the old cement mains, which we
mains. No relief can be looked for in the
direction of further reductions just at
present"
The Finance Commissioners agreed that
the Water Department is being more
economically conducted than ever before.
The Mcneil Pipe and Foundry Company
has refused to give, the city any more
pipe. The company has not been paid a
dollar in many months, and it is naturally
growing a little anxious Its refusal at
this time has caused the city much un-
the Finance Commissioners that in the
event of a break in the mains on the
Hackensack River the city has not
length of pipe with which to make re-
pairs.
.It is enough to allow that condition
of affairs to continue said Mr.. Heintze.
'"The pipes across the Hackensack mead-
ows are in bad shape and are apt to
break at any time If they should the
city would be in an unpleasant position
The Finance Commissioners at once con-
cluded that pipe had to be procured. The
| only proposition made which will enable
the city to spend a little money and get
| the necessary pipe was that part of the
money now on hand should be used. There
| is now to the credit of the water account
about $50, ,000. The first lien against it is
| interest. The second is that of the East
| Jersey Water Company, which amounts
| to 100000. Under existing agreements
| these two claims have to be paid first
| The officials decided to request the East
| Jersey Water Company to accept part
1 L
| to ask the company to accept about $780,
| 600. If the company will agree there will
| be left in the account about $4,000. 1t is
proposed to use that sum in paying for
1 water pipe already furnished by the Nc
Neil Pipe and Foundry Company, and
buying new supply of the sizes of pipe
required. If there is any money left 1t
| is to be devoted to paying certain urgent
| claims which have accumulated Every
| thing depends upon the action of the East
| Jersey Water Company. The officials be-
| lieve however, that the company will ac-
| cept the city's offer in order to help tide
1 over the present difficulty.
1t was suggested by one of the officials
| that the Finance Board should make
! provision for each city Board, so that it
| can pay for the water it uses. The FL
| nance Commissioners replied that such a
| course is entirely out of the question. The
| law distinctly prohibits the raising OF
| money by direct taxation for the benefit
| of the Water Department. Some one sug-
| gested that the city should seek 1egisla-
ton which would enable the FINANCE
/ Board to raise money on bonds to meet
| the deficiency with water accounts. lThe
| proposition was not. vigorously opposed
/ nor was it supported with any warmth.
| AS whole, the officials are opposed to
| raising money by direct taxation for the
| benefit of the water accounts. The defl-
| cheney of $200000 in the water account
| must however, be met somehow, and 1t
| is likely that a bill which will meet the
difficulty will be introduced in the Legis-
| lature.
1 The of1c1alS rear, however, lnal II leSis-
| lation is procured to meet the present
| emergency it will only be opening the door
for similar performances in the future.
i The question of seeking legislation will
l be more fully discussed before uennlte
| action is taken.
/ To prevent the deficiency from growing
/ more stringent, rules are to be adopted
1 by the Street and Water Commissioners.
| At their meeting on Monday next a reso-
i luton will be passed giving delinquentS
| one week in which to settle their water
bills. If payment is not made within the
/ specified time, the water supply will be
cut off from every one in arrears.
1--WE are in earnest this time" said
1 Commissioner Heintze. People must pay
/ for their water. If they do not we pro-
/ pose giving them no supply.
| The screws are to be put on the Board
of Education, too. Some time ago., the
i Street and Water Commissioners ordered
the janitors of the schools to use water
| sparingiy. The order was disregarded,
/ and it has been found that water is al
lowed to run in nearly all the schools at
least twenty hours in a day. After Mon
1 day next, the schools will be allowed the
| use of water only seven hours day A
i record has been kept of the water used
/ and wasted in the schools and an estl-
/ mate shows that the yearly consumption
reaches S1T5.000 worth a year The Fire
i tai q S225, 900. The Street and Water
Commissioners declare that if the water
account can be relieved of that burden,
the department can be made more than
4 self sustaining. To make the several de-
/ partments pay for the water they use
| means raising money by direct taxation
for the purpose.
4 The water situation is to be made the
! subject of another conference next week.
! President Brautigam. Commissioners
Simpson and President Boltwood Of the
i Street and Water Board waited on Mayor
Hoos this morning and informed him
/ that it was proposed to make a part pay
ment to the East Jersey. Company and
use what remains of the funds on hand
4 to pay for water pipe. The Mayor mere
! ly remarked that he would give the prop
osition consideration and communicate
4 his views to the officials later on.
j The proposition to make a part pay
nent to the East Jersey Company is to
be submitted to the conpany's s counsel
i Mr.. ". IA Corhin. today. He will be
asked for an early reply
TRAMP3 SMaTHERED.
i ALLENTOWN, Pa. Jea. II, 1SsS.-Three un-
known tranlps We're found dead today in ths