The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-13
MAZET PROBING AGAIN
NOW TRYING TO THROW LIGHT ON
THE RAMAPO WATER DEAL.
Attempt to Get Five Million Dollars
from the City of New York-COm-
missioner DaIton's Testimony.

eating committee resumed its sessions here
to-day.
Assemblyman Hoffman said that as
representative of the Democratic party, he
would ask and insist that the full
truth of the Ramapo water deal
be made plain without regard to
the politics of witnesses, and that
to that end he thought 1t necessary that
Senator Platt be called. The Ramapo Water
Company proposed to lease to the city GER
tain water rights for the sum of 100000
year for forty years. The contract came up
Unexpectedly in the Board of Public I'm
provements and was only defeated on a tie
vote.
Frank Moss, counsel of the committee.
said he had received information three
months ago that some move was TO be
made in the Ramapo water case. An in
vestigation was made and showed the city's
water supply to be so abundant that mil
lions Of gallons were going to waste every
year. but that the system of distribution
was faulty. I'VE got plenty of evidence to
sustain these two propositions" said Mr..
Moss and then, just as we were about TO
adjourn at our last session, the news came
that the expected was about to happen. 1t
did happen, but owing to the good citizen
ship of many of our people and the vigil
lance of the newspapers the Ramapo deal
Is now declared to be dead. 1t was a stock
jobbing concern, with no ability to do aught
toward carrying out its contract, but able,
perhaps to make money by disposing of its
stock and securities. When the attention of
officials was called to these facts they still
persisted in jamming this contract through.
If they could not the condition of the
company for themselves they were guilty
of gross incompetence anc negligence. If the
corporation counsel and the commissioners
OF public improvements thus proved them
selves incompetent and ignorant it was in
cumbent on the mayor to remove them.
Failing to do 1t. the responsibility is on him,
and after him an officer higher than him.
These commissioners. three OF them at
least owe duty to certain organization,
which admits responsibility for them. and
whose leader has declared that they will be
punished If any wrong-doing be shown
William Dalton, commissioner of water
supplies, was the first witness called. He
produced copies of the proposed contract
with the Ramapo Water Company and
stated the reasons he offered TO the Board
of Public improvements in urging the con-
tracts These were put on the record as
evidence.
MI. MOSS OUered III evidence the Stdte-
ment made by Controller Golfer against the
contract. the certificate of Incorporation of
the Ramapo Water Company and several
annual reports of the company. Mr.. Moss
further put In evidence a statement from
the secretary of state. dated Aug. 80. 1892
to the effect that not any of the capital
stock had been paid in.
David T. Davies took the stand for a mo-
hat i'm - on
the Real Estate Exchange at auction five
hundred shares of the stock of the Ramapo
Company He paid $46 for these and a lot
OF other stocks.
Commissioner Dalton recalled. said he did
not claim any special knowledge as TO the
water supply for this city, when he entered
upon the duties of his office. Il have chief
engineer in my department., said Mr.. Dali
ton. and 1 rely on his information The
chief engineer Is Mr.. Birdsall"
Does Mr.. Birdsall advise you to go into
the Ramapo Water Company?
No sir; not that
We'll he did advise YOU concerning the
water supply and talked about the Ramapo
Company"
way. and If there was no other way, We
would have to get IL from the Ramapo
Company. Mr.. Dalton had accompanied
Engineer Birdsall and others In an inspec-
ton of the watershed and was favorably
Impressed. He was satisfied or the COM
pany's reliability. Mayor Van WICK had
nor had Mr. Croker, prior TO the time the
contract came before the board. When Mr..
Croker returned to the city a few days ago
he asked witness about the Ramapo affair
and after IL had been explained to him.
said witness should vote for what he
thought to be the city's best interests. Wit
ness hesitatingly said he had not discovered
that the contract expired i'm 1912, while the
corporate life OF the company limited
TO 1887. The corporation counsel was not in
formed on this point. so far the witness
was aware.
Engineer Birdsan was called Mr. Moss
asked him whether he had advised Com
missioner Dalton, previous to the meeting
OF the Board OF Public improvements 10
60 into the Ramapo water contract.
Not into the Ramapo contract" was the
answer. Il did not see the contract In fact
before that meeting"
Commissioner Dalton, when recalled
stated that but for the Injunction proceed
ings he would call up the Ramapo contract
again.
Mr.. Moss read from the quarterly report
of March. 1899. showing that the rainfall
had been abundant and that 81 900 900 90 gal
Ions during the quarter had flowed over
the Croton dam. The report read that all
that was necessary 10 secure a full supply
In the longest drought that might occur
was greater storage reservoir capacity
The witness said two large storage reser-
Soirs are now I'm process of construction
which viii take up and store up all the
water now running over the Croton dam.
From the report OF Engineer McLane Mr..
Moss read that the two storage reservoirs
VII be finished In lso3 and that Jointly they