The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-21
THAT TRIP TO
CROTON DAM
Mayor is Now Posted on
the Details of Water
Plant Construc-
tion.
DID NOT STAY ALL DAY WITH LEBBEUS
His Honor Still Refuses to
Make Public the Names
of McEwan's Kick.
ers.
DID NOT STAY ALL DAY WITH LEBBEUS

How to dam water. how damned water
looks. and how the damned Croton tastes
are subjects that Mayor Hoos is now
very familiar with. This newly acquired
information was obtained yesterday
when His Honor was the guest of Lib
beus 3. Ward on an inspection of New
York's great water plant.
The main Croton dam is situated in the
neighborhood of Sing Sing, where the
conditions for constructing a dam were
found to be most favorable
Coleman, Blanchard & Coleman are
building the great dam which is to cost
S., 100000. The reservoir which the dam
creates possesses a capacity Of $1,000, 000,-
900 gallons, bringing New York City's sup
ply up to 1900 900, 900 galolns a day. The
watershed tributary to the great reser-
voir is capable of furnishing 28, ,O00, ,O00 900
galolns day in the dryest periods. The
foundation of the dam ranges from 80 to
100 feet below the river bed.
The dam is constructed on rock foun-
dation and is built of rock gneiss and
limestone. The dam is 700 feet long, 200
feet wide and is 290 feet high. OF $4,000
square yards of masonry to be laid S40,-
600 yards have been finished. When COM
pleted the dam will be of sufficient re-
sisting power to Withstand ten times the
weight that can possibly be thrown
against it by storing water.
feature of the dam is that the spill-
way is cut through solid rock. This pre-
vents any strain from being imposed on
the masonry portion of the dam. Every
part of the work on the great plant was
| explained in detail to Mayor Hoos by
| American Society of Civil Engineers. His
Honor is consequently equipped to discuss
water plant construction in addition to
supply, prevention of pollution, and so on.
Before acting on the Flynn award now
| it is expected that the Mayor will care
fully review the proposed plans of con-
| struction. If he detects what he con-
sders weak spots, he will cause them to
be altered to his way of thinking.
| 1t appears that the Mayor did not stay
with Mr.. Ward all day. He met Joseph
| Cook, an old customer of his, andsnfe-
| mained with him. Mr.. Cook is assisting
Alfonso Fteley, who has charge of the
| work. The Mayor says that his trip yes
terday allowed him to collect valuable
information which will serve him well in
disposing of the Flynn award.
| On Monday the Mayor will probably re-
ceive letters from Corporation Counsel
| McDermott and Counsellor W. D. Ed
wards on the merits of the Flynn award
| Mayor Hoos has given ex-Congress-
man McEwans attempt to conceal the
names of the persons he induced to sign
protests against the proposed water cons
| tract award a black eye. This morning
| His Honor sent McEwan the following
| letter.
"In accordance with your request, I
have withheld from publication the
| names of those who signed petitions
| against the proposed water contract. This
action of mine, i. e., Withholding the
names at your request, has aroused con-
| siderable comment. Now, it appears to
! me, that in justice to those who favorf
the proposed contract and whose names
were published, the same method should
| be pursued with regard to the petitions
handed me by you. 1t is my desire to
act intelligentIy on this question and to
| be perfectly fair with regard to thesd
petitions. I therefore request that you
release me from my promise not to pub
lish these names as otherwise I shall
have to return the petitions to you, and.
| so far as they are concerned, act as
|
regards this matter, would inform you
that I have communicated with one OF
the signers of the petition CAfr. Corcoranl
who says that he has no objection to hav-
! ing the names published as opposed to
| the proposed contract"
| In response to the Mayors letter.
| George McEwan, brother of the distin~
guished Thomas, called on His Honor and
demanded to know what the letter meant.
The thermometer dropped several degrees
on the inquisitive gentleman. The Mayor
was brief and caustic.
McEwan refused to allow the names to
be made public. Just why, he refused
to state. When cross questioned he be-
came confused. He demanded the pro-
tests. Mayor Hoos quietly but firmly res
fused to surrender them. McEwan de-
parted feeling pretty hot about the shirt
| band.
Immediately after McEwan left the
office Mayor Hoos summoned Messengef
Peter Golden, and enclosing the remon-
strances, which are now regarded with
no end of suspicion, in an envelope, dl-
rected him to deliver the papers to
| Thomas McEwan in person.
| Mayor Hoos, as a precautionary meas
ure, has taken copies of the protests, so
that if McEwan attempts any funny
business" he will be able to answer any
assertions he may make in reference to
the protests.
Mr.. McEwan, the Mayor expects, will
returning the papers.