The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-13
WATER QUESTION
Congressman McEwan Dis
cusses the East Jerseys
Position.
Jersey city, July p, 1898.

E2 "a. TArxvrgp -
To the Editor OF Inc Jersey NAS
Tho fact thar IFS CITY authorities have
aoain chosen 10 repeat the t~hreadbare
PET ~ e,,Irnit Mans and proposals for
sf,,Tnisb,ne . new water supply for Jersey
Titv dnaS mi render flrther discussion
- tba nononIev water uuestion inappro-
or tne to t Z lime wa'ei a. was pointed out
r. nv letter Of June 9th ult.. it viii be
iahnr 1asf "a contract with any other par
ties than the Morris Canal Company, or
Ton 1Tss nrovided the new supply is to
he drawn from any of those branches of
the Passaic River which are feeders of
he canal ;Rut while the possession of
the exclusive franchise to purvey these
waters for public water purposes carries
with it a corresponding duty to the pub
lie If has not heretofore been within the
power Of Jersey City to make a direct
cali upon the Canal Company to accept IT'S
responsibility in the premises and submit
a proposition by which 1t will STAND or
In order that the city may do this now,
it must adopt, at a popular election, the
act of 1876. and avail itself Of the proaa
powers therein given TO enable citles 70
supply the inhabitants. thereol Win pufe
and wholesome water IN TINS way oh1y
can the Canal Company pc colnpelieG ~
either exercise It's Irancnlse W supplsl T.
Jersey city, or virtually apanaon y ~ u
clining to act as its charter REQUIRES, N
which latter event the surplus go, so
Ieeders WVuIu pe ny 5thort afffordinr the
LOT munieipai USE, q I ~ which 10 base
COMPANY teiiaDiS = ;nin.c~
a claim lot el.nsI ualHaseiH IL dntv Under
ZION. lne Ssaa,ol uo,la mareover.
suet earfaitsre If fhe conananv's
VOTE II osrtainlv &c wo,Ild the per-
etaitsi' nr af M eanaI ;tself IN nayi-
natian n u1o,ld not he a Sufficient de-
$500 h.t tbe comnanv had under its
ah =, = ~ nrovided in the mast. a water sup
nIu Far the Nomination Of Newark. the
rr,}e e that rights and especially fran
ahisas- are made forfeitable not only by
ahsol,ite non-user. but by disuser also.
The "Evening Journal meets the propo-
sifion and cites the Newark water con-
tract TO Support it: that the Lehigh VAL
lev Railroad Company having as ~lessees
heen authorized in the act of 1871 to act
for the Canal Company in converting
these surplus waters to public use for the
water supDIy of places adjacent to the line
If the canal. for such compensation as
NAV be mutually agreed upon. the lessee
itself a substituted can substitute for
Itself in the e-zsrssse of the franchise a
third party. such as the East Jersey
Water thereby qualifying the
last arrival to act for the Canal Com
many and so discharge that company's
d11fy under its charter. to the State.
such a delusion seems a natural OUT
growth of the doctrines that the water
Of streams is itself actual property, cap
able Of private ownership. and who's
alleged owners NAV choose to whom and
npon what terms they will part with it.
Franehises such as those of the power
IN exercise the right of eminent domain,
g,anted n a citv or the exclusive light
70 divert certain streams. granted to the
Morris Canal Company. cannot be as
siened like nersonal property. or trans
ferred from hand to hand on the plea
that s1eh transfer is an application of
n nc ,rincinla If arencv IN re contrary.
! aan anIv ne eyarcised for the henefit
~ fbosa 10 whom The Grant distinctly
na,nts ." francbise is . branch Of the
pa nreropative s1'hsjstine in fhe hands
80 s,biacf Nv aran from The King
! - rega5 "a is Ma "a the terms az
= uarrS e ra1al ebarfar The nart which
t ne Tost $500 yvater Gnmnanv cn1,Jd
Inc IL ~, ~ . ,ont hafveen a
lsWin,y td I'm ~ az Sasrnany far . water
cry ~ mnst he no16ned 70 Thai of . srh-
supply must pc c91iiIea % INA q q SUI
conlfSctpr' y pall1' ~ ! 4 Re uaaessarS
agresa, ~ tlolu, w p rnase - +he e SanJ
worksi pue . - aSpde arnn+aa tberanf
a. d prelenusu slanees ny ~
TO convey lily ~ Maee ieA eiie az