The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-02
NO WATER CONTRACT.
Mayor Hoos Declares That
He Will Not Approve
aS9,O oO,0 900 Scheme.
ALL BIDS WILL Be THROWN OUT
Street and Water Board Will
Advertise for New
Proposals.
ALL BIDS WILL Be THROWN OUT

II. Flynn yesterday afternoon. The only
reason they did nos was that aMyor Hoos
reason they did not was that Mayor Hoos
commit himself.
AS told in '.The News" no contraci
would be awarded Flynn unless the
Mayor pledged himself to approve the
award.
In all his experience Mayor Hoos was
never put against a harder game than he
was yesterday. Commissioners Hauck,
Nolan and Smith of the Street and Water
Board and Messrs. -Heppenheimer, Bailey
and Midlige of the Finance Board had
agreed to award a contract to Flynn with
the understanding tina they sheuld not
move until the Mayor had consented to
approve their course.
The inal water conference was held
Tuesday night. The fact that the Mayor
and Corporation Counsel Nc Dermott abb
scented themselves from that conference
was regarded as a harbinger of trouble.
The Street and Water Commissioner
nevertheless were to have acted yesterday
if the Mayor was agreeable.
In order to ascertain just how the
Mayor stood, Robert Davis was requested
to consult with him. He did so. For an
hour they were together. Their talk
avaiIed nothing. Mr.. Davis retired, not
knowing whether the Mayor would APP
prove or disapprove an award to Flynn.
The Mayor would only say that it was
time enough to cross a bridge when one
was reached
Soon after Mr.. Davis retired Engineer
Ferris had an inning with His Honor.
Ferris declared that it was absurd to buy
a 1000, 0OO-gallon plant at this time, hold
ing that a 80, 000,~ 000-gallon supply would
meet all requirements for many years to
come. Ferris urged the Mayor to keep
his hands off the Flynn proposal. Twenty
minutes after Ferris left the Mayor
Counsellor William D. Edwards. who is
looking after Flynn's interests, gained an
audience with him.
The salient features of the Flynn plan
were discussed. In his customary elo-
euent manner, Mr.. Edwards told the
Mayor of the many advantages the Flynn
plan possesses over all the others.
The Mayor listened attentively, but he
exercised great care to refrain from say
ing a word tina might bind him in any
way. Mr.. Edwards felt keenly ~disappoint-
ed when he left.
The next caller was Counsellor Charles
J. Peshall. He told the Mayor all about
the Inman plan, warned him to wash his
hands of the Flynn system and concluded
by asserting that an award to Flynn
would be certioraried without the slight
est delay.
Just before meeting time Commissioners
Hauck, Nolan and Smith called OF the
Mayor. They told him they believed it
their duty to award the contract to Flynn.
The Mayor told them to do what they
considered for the best interests of the
city.
Twill you approve our action il We
award to Flynn?' asked President Hauck.
Gentlemen" answered the Mayor,
"you may do as you wish. If you think
the Flynn plan is the proper one for the
city, then you should act accordingly.
You must not. however, ask me what I
will do. I will act at the proper time. and
that will be when an award reaches me
for my approval or ~disapproval-"
A hundred leading questions were fired
at the Mayor, but he answered every one
of them evasively.
Finally another scheme was tried. The
Commissioners announced that they
would drop the water subject altogether.
That didn't move the Mayor. we
think the people want pure water" said
President Hauek finally. Our Board is
ready to acquire an unquestionably pure
supply, That being the case, ! consider
it would be wise for US to make an award,
and then the public will be able to ascer-
tain just who it is who is o~bstructing
the efforts to procure a new and whole
some supply of water.
This made the Mayor smile.
Il am willing to shoulder any RESPONSE
bility / assume" he replied. Messrs.
Hauck, Nolan and Smith retired. There
was only one more card to be played.
hi Finance Commissioners were sched-
uled to meet at four O'clock. A messen-
ger was sent for Commissioners Midlige,
Heppenheimer and Bailey. By the Street
and Water Commissioners they we're
urged to talk with the Mayor.
The Finance Commissioners conferred
with His Honor for nearly an hour and
left without getting any more satisfac-
tory answers than those who had pre-
coded them.
Corporation Counsel McDermott, who
it was thought welded great influence
with the Mayor, was sent for. He was
~ "a ~ IA
Rather than take a chance on the May
or's disappearing an award to Flynn. ac-
tion was deferred by the Street and Wa
ter Commissioners. The Board viii meet
again next Wednesday. In the meantime
no stone will be left unturned to induce
the Mayor to sanction an award to Flynn.
If he declines an award may be made
The officials decline to discuss possible
action in the future.
A rumor was current at the Hall this
morning that the bids now pending will
be rejected and new proposals advertised
for.
For the last month the East Jersey Wa
ter Company has been making strenuous
efforts to have the present bids rejected.
The c~ompany's representative, Mr.. Nc
Dewitt, has been in the city working to
that end. If new proposals are called for
it is said the East Jersey will enter into
the competition. Mayor Hoos, it Is said,
would like to draw that ompan into
the contest, as he believes it is in a po-
sition to give a bountiful supply OF water
at a much cheaper price than any other
water syndicate.
Mayor Hoos has knocked out the move
ment to award a water contract to
Patrick H. Flynn for $S,950,000 This
morning His Honor notified the Finance
and Street and Water Commissioners that