New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-26
BUTCHER ANSWERS COLER.
DOLEs OUT SOME INFORMATION ABOUT
THE RAMAPO WATER COMPANY.

THE RAMAPO WATER COMPANY.
Silas B. butcher. president of the Ramapo
Water Company issued a formal statement yes
terday IN the shape Of reply to certain III
quiries which Controller Coler recently maze Oh
him concerning the company which seeks 10
make a contract with the city to furnish 100
100000 gallons OF water daily for forty years
at cost to the city of about S5,0OO,OO0 year.
The statement is a voumnous one. Here is the
meat of 1t:
You ask upon what the offer Of the R lam pc
New-York is based: The offer Is based upon tne
demand Of more than twelve hundred properly
banks bankers, real estate men, hotel keepers,
insurance men and others. representing hundreds
signatures are attached to the petitions embodied
In the memorial of the Board OF Fire Underwriters
pr June Il @ TSfse %
owners and taxpayers. asked the city to provide a
supply Of water by gravity under a pressure s1ft-
cent 10 make pumping unnecessary as protec-
tion against fire and for sanitary uses.
The company has offered 10 furnish such sup
ply. and has secured and has vested In It all the
rights necessary to enable 1t to do so but It has
cept its proposal unless the officers charged with
Of the city. That is. and will continue to be- our
position: The necessity that provision shall be
by the oa nd s bee spR
by the public during the recent dry season. The
newspapers have repeatedly called upon the city
authorities TO provide more and better water.
FIRE BUGABoo USED AGAIN
The fearful danger of a fire in this city like that
OF Chicago in which property greater in value than
the entire assets of all the Insurance companies in
s s Of f be the T the wsS
sufficient pressure and the consequent dependence
Of Insurance men referred to. The awful calamity
OF the Windsor Hotel fire. and the failure TO get
Building when it was burned are not forgotten .
The water pressure In New-York. as shown by
any other large city in the United States: it is the
lowest on list of three hundred cities towns and
Cincinnati. Detroit. Pittsburg. RlchmoTd. AlbahS
writers gave list of some thirty cities using
york; As shw Of BY as Official ea than n
sumption of water in brooklyn already exceeds the
@ in ManSasn aSa % The Bronx nearly
For many years New-York has taken water by
iS cents per one bundled cubic feet. Which sinonnts
TO Sl73 million gallons. and sells It TO tie people
million galons and understand that ffcre are
eleven private companies now selling watst tho
limits The e.. city has ! am Informed. tyenty-Sas
contracts with these companies some OF them OF
long s'ahoihs' - 1919
DEBT LIMIT DRAGGED IN
company will furnish will cost as estimated by the
City.'s Engineer, from 100000 to sl0o0ocoJ 1t
that the Croton Aqueduct and reservoirs would
cost SEQ oo. 1y They have already cost sSs.onOO.
about three times the length OF the Croton Aque-
construction Of the necessary works the day after
the contract Is made The city Is not prepared to
time come; and TO do so IT must increase its debt
TO an amount far above the constitutional limit to
the exclusion OF all other public works until the
You ask to be Informed as to the financial abu-
ity of the company, its capital stock bonded debt
assets and liaelites The company has debts
capital Is sta cd
certificate of Incorporation. $4,000 Its financial
ability is sufficient to enable 1t to meet its obliga
lions under the proposed contract The COMPANY
has the powers that conferred bv law
upon railroad companies to secure property needed
Gures It TO TO enaoe 1T 10 carry out the proposed
t curale surveys and other preliminary work
has secured all the property and rights necessary
to proceed with the construction OF its works at
COPIES OF MAPS REFUSED.
You ask for copies Of all maps made as n re-
suit OF surveys for the company Our proposal is
There are forty-four maps covering the Esopils
and Catskill watersheds, in Ulster and Greene
counties. which sheds will yield supply Of $50
drawn from reservoirs less than 80 feet tu above we
maps are filed as REQUIRED by law. in those coun-
II is not practicable TO give you copies Of tbem
but chief engineer will give your engineers ali
plans Of engineers you ask for cover period Of
many years of continuous work upon our water
been made. They include the elaborate cacula-
tions Of the late William J; McA!gne. who was the
ports are too volumnous TO be copied and they
the private property of the company Thov
should not go out OF its possession or be made a
part OF the public records.
As the city will not have any responsibility for
the work and cannot be involved I'm any loss on ac
count of it. II cannot be necessary for your en-
gineers to pass upon our plans. Our chief engineer
will, however. give your engineers any data relat-
ing % them that can be properly made public:
ton 10 our plans that you will think II necessary
TO have. The estimates OF engineers made for
the company 10 the cost Of construction are also
private property.