The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-09


city shall give notice Of its intention TO
purchase one year in advance Of such
purchase, the sum of nine million two
hundred and forty-five thousand dollars
(S9, ,245, ,000).
Be it further resolved, That the Cor
poration Attorney be instructed to pre-
pare, subject to the approval of the
Corporation Counsel, contract to carry
out the terms Of this resolution. and that
His Honor the Mayor and the President
of this Board be requested to execute the
same, under the seal of the City, to be
attested by the City Clerk, on behalf Of
the City.
Each Commissioner responded to the
call of his name in firm voice. MOI a
word in the way of discussion of the con-
tract was said. A motion to adjourn
was put and carried Immediately after the
resolutions had been adopted.
The Commissioners and Clerk seemed
relieved of a heavy burden. Since last
August Flynn's proposal had been under
consideration, and there We're times when
it seemed highly improbably that solu-
ton of the water problem would be
reached. The Commissioners inspected the
watershed offered by Flynn collectively
and individually Mayor Hoos viewed the
water shed with disinterested experts.
All reports were to the effect that the
Flynn plant was the best one ever Of
fered the city.
There was one thing in the way of
awarding Flynn a contract It was that
his plan encroached upon certain estab-
lished water and land rights of the East
Jersey Water Company. The plant was
approved by the officials. They were
entirely satisfied with the sources of sup
ply and were confident Of Flynns ability
to finance the big operation. Conferences
almost innumerable were held; but no one
could see any use in voting a contract
to Flynn since the East Jersey Company
remained an obstruetionfst After several
weeks had passed the Flynn agents
opened negotiations with the East Jersey.
representatives. Eminent lawyers bat
tied for supremacy. Months passed, but no
agreement could be reached The city Of
fieials positively refused to act until they
had been given assurances that the East
Jersey Company would not obstruct an
award to Flynn. The officials were tired
of heaping expense upon the city in call
ing for new proposals and then having
all their work set aside in the courts.
When the officials finally announced
that they would make an award to
Flynn. provided that there would be no
litigation the warning companies settled
down to business. with the result that
yesterday no less than thirty agreements
were filed in the office Of the New Jersey
Title Guarantee and Trust Company, adj
justing these disputes. OF course the
agreements are private property and all
they contain will probably never be
known to the public
1t is reported, however, that one is for
the payment of 81, 100000 to the East Jer-
sey Company by Flynn for its water
rights. Others are the surrender of GER
tain rights of societies and companies
having possessions in the region to be
taken by Flynn for a watershed. The
city officials have seen the agreements
and under them they say the city's in
terests are protected to degree never
before dreamed of in connection with the
acquisition of an independent supply of
pure and wholesome water.
AS soon as the agreement had peen
safely lodged in the Title Company
vaults. the officials made the award. An
official copy of the important resolutions
was sent to the Finance Board within an
hour after their passage.
The Finance Board met last night but
no action was taken on the award. One
reason for non action was the absence of
Commissioner Bailey. Important business
prevented him from attending. The
Board will meet again on Monday after
noon. Mr.. Bailey will be on hand ON
that occasion. and beyond all question tile
award will be concurred in.
After the Street and Water Commission
ers had adjourned Commissioner Boltwood
took occasion to say
& feel that all the members of the
Board have done a great service for the
city. It is my honest conviction that
had we not made an award to Flynn this
time Jersey City would never get another
opportunity to secure the Rockaway
River watershed as a source of supply
The headwaters of the Rockaway are in
disputably the purest and best in the
State. Under the Flynn plan the water
is gathered in the widest kind of region.
The water as it will enter the reservoir
viii be pure and sparkling / have been
convinced for q long time that the Flynn
plant is the best one ever offered the city
and / consider the price reasonable one.
The longer the city waited the more ex-
pensive water supply became. We have
acquired supply just at the right time.
At one time l thought the sources might
become polluted. / have studied the
Flynn plans carefully and I find
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