Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-13
PROBING INTO WATER DEAL
Masst Committee Investigating Rsmapo
oompany's Proposed Contract
IT WAS ONLY DEFEATED BY A TIE VOTE
offered to Lease New York City Ger
tain Water Rights for s5,Oo0,ooO
n Year for Term of Forty
Years.

here today. Assemblyman Hoffman said
that as a 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 the
witnesses and 10 that end he thought 1t
necessary Senator Thomas C, Plat be
called.
The Ramapo Water company proposed 10
lease to the city certain water rights for
81, 900. 900 a year for forty years. The con-
tract came up Unexpectedly In the Board OF
Public Improvement and was only defeated
on u tie vote. Frank Moss, counsel to the
committee, said he had received inforna-
ton nearly three months ago that some
move was to be made In the Ramapo water
case. An Investigation was made and
showed the Gity's water supply to be so
abundant that millions OF gallons were go
Ing to waste every year, but that the sys-
tenn Of distribution was faulty.
I'VE got plenty OF evido0ce to sustain
these two propositions" said Mr.. Moss.
land then as we we're about to adjourn 1t
became known the unexpected was about to
happen. 1t did happen, but owing to the
good citizenship OF many Of our people and
the vigilance OF the newspapers the Ram
apo deal Is now declared to be dead II
was a stock-jobbing concern. with no apil-
ity to do aught toward carrying out Its con-
tract. 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. II they could not see the
condition OF the company for themselves
they were guilty OF gross Incompetence and
negligence.
1T" continued Mr.. Moss, 1.-THE corporation
counsel and the commissioner Of public i'm
provements thus proved themselves in
competent and ignorant, it was
ON the mayor to remove them. Failing to
do 1t the responsibility is on him and after
him an officer higher than him. These COM
missioners, three OF them at least, owe a
duty to a certain organization which ad-
mite responsibility for them. and whose
leader has declared that they will be pun
iehed II any wrongdoing 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 OF
the reasons he offered to the board OF pub
lie improvements in urging the contracts.
These were put on record as evidence.
Mr., Moss offered in evidence the state
ment made by Comptroller Coler 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 state
ment from the secretary of state, dated
August 80, 1899, to the effect that not any
of the capital stock had been paid In
David T. Davies took the stand for a mo-
ment and swore that in 1894 he bought on
the Real Estate exchange at auction 800
shares Of the stock OF the Ramapo company.
He paid s4s for these and a lot OF other
stocks.
D.Ito -aoo1lel zay1 hn Ala
not claim any special knowledge as to the
water supply fer this city when he entered
, upon the duties OF his office. II have a
chief engineer in my department" said Mr..
Dalton, land l rely upon his information.
My chief engineer is Mr.. Birdeall."
Did Mr.. Birdsall advise you to go into
the Ramapo contract?"
mo, sir: not that"
well, he did advise you concerning the
water supply and talked about the Ramapo
company"
He said that we must get water some
way and II there was no other way we would
have to get It from the Ramapo company"
Engineer Birdsall was called. Mr.. Moss
asked him whether he had advised Commits
sioner Dalton previous to the meeting OF the
Ramapo water contract.
mot into the Ramapo contract" was the
answer. ~ did not see the contract, in fact,
before the meeting"
Commissioner Dalton stated that but for
the injunction proceedings he would call up
the Ramapo contract again.
Abundan supply of Water.
Mr.. Moss read from the quarterly report
OF March, 1899. showing that the rainfall
had been abundant and that 81. 900. 900, 900
| uaJlona duripp thu 1uortar bad Nnuad ouar
the Croton dam. The report read that all
that was necessary to secure a full supply
In the longest drouth that might occur was
greater storage reservoir capacity. The wit
ness said two large storage reservoirs are
now in process OF construction, which will
take up and store all the water now run
ming over the Croton dam.
From the report Of Engineer McLane Mr..
Moss read that the two storage reservoirs
will be finished in 1903 and that Jointly they
will hold rs 1886, 900, 900, 900 gallons, or a sup
ply OF 200, 900, 900 a day for thlrty-six days.
"Is the Ramapo job the first you ever had
a hand in?" asked Mr.. Moss.
what do you mean by job?" demanded
Mr.. Dalton. zone might speak OF the rob-
bing of a bank as a job"
We'll that's what / mean. Did you ever
before have a hand in a job where you vio-
ldLtl the uTSl principles Ol Inc party tudl
elected you by appointive power?"
NO, sir"
President Brough OF the borough OF
Queens said his borough had been cursed
with water supply companies, Long Island
City had a plant OF its own now which cost
about $500, 900.
The witness said that a contract had been
entered into by Commissioners Dalton and
the Board OF Public improvements witt the
Citizens Water company of Newton to sup
ply water to Long Island City.
Adjourned until tomorrow.
Mr.. Dalton had accompanied Engineer
Birdsau and others on an inspection Of the
watershed and was favorably impressed.
He was satisfied Of the company'e reliability.
Mayor Van Wyck had never spoken to him
about the contract. nor had Mr.. Croker
prior TO the time the contract came before
the board. When Croker returned TO the
city a few days ago he asked witness about
the Ramapo affair and after 1t had been
explained TO him said witness should vote
for what he thought to be the city's best in
t~erests.
Witness hesltatingly said he had not dis
covered that the contract expired In 1912
while the corporate life OF the company
was limited to 1887. The corporation coun-