New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-26
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE. THURSDAY OCTOBER Is. 1899
EXPIRED WATER CONTRACTS.
president CIRCUIT MAKES A REPORT TO
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT
ATTACHING THE RAMAPO SCHEME

ATTACKING THE RAMAPO SCHEME
President crout ~ the Borough of BROOKLYN al
tackled the Rarapo water scheme nv report
which he presented 10 the Board Of Public I'm
provement yesterday
Mr. Grout on April 70 last offered resolution
IN The Board. which adopted. requesting ne
Commissioner ~ Water Supply 20 make an exami-
nation q the private water companies TOW furnish
Ing water 70 the city with We" 70 t7eir con-
dennnatton and ACQUISITION by tho city itself
M Dalton N October made an evasive report.
and offered the excuse that he ID nor have money
enough 70 paw an engineering force 10 MAKE me
Investigation demanded Nr Grou' thsn SCI 10
work and with tho force A. his own 'ommand'
which Is limited made AZ investigation on his own
account and presented he facts gathered 'N n'''
n his report 70 the Board yesterday
IN his investigstitns Mr. Grout discovered that
there were nine water companies furnishing water
n the city 81 which Eve are operating under con
tracts that have come 70 an end. THESE srN me
companies which entered into contracts WITH mo
localities in which they are situated. ana WHICH
-. decision - The Court % Appeals a. inter
preed by he Corporation Counsel. nave oeen '"a'e
void The decision affected the Queens county
water Company. supplying water TO Rocka"ay
and Arverne the Jamaica Water Company. sup
ni,-ne water % Richmond Hlu. queens and HONS
districts: The Woodhaver Water COMPANY me
CRYSTAL Water Company supplying The towns o.
southAeld Mortified and Mid4lefo~n IN N'C"-
nond and ne West End Water Company. supply
ing The town u Westhed
These companies Mr. Grout SAYS. are TOW to'-
e-s,ao nv the municipality. and II IS doubtful II
.t r,o,e, maid FOR the water supplied is Legally
r.,1 IN, The charter NJ Grout points out pro
.,aes for the taking Of all companies having V7''
o,-.-a0+s with the city on the payment o. IAN
.oronensarion but tn the case % the companies
,o, having valid contracts it'is clear maj J" IN
dar,ration proceedings no claim could ne mace -
,,e oonnanies that their franchises had been en-
named nv reason % any obligation on tne P8'' u
the eft, 10 take their waters lie continues
The only questions involved are those 81 the ad
.,F,ff-, ~ the city controlling rs own 49,
supply. and the ctys financial aoAi'y 20 '0'''''
the existing private companies
Mr. Circuit points out that the city is not hnan-
,,.flv embarrassed and is therefore IN cona'"0"
- sco,,,re all the water companies doing business
IN the city. ,.,.o-
NJ Grou. attacks the report OF Commissioner
Daiton which saws he cannot undertake the "orN
~ investigation with the engineering force al MS
disposal
Mr.. Grout says
With the same engineering force and %i 5qss
II eo~ a-y additional FUNDS. ne. WIN l"e -,
dent 81 The Board Of Public lmproyeelss
a short period last summeT 49, ~ ,tfoN Of the
C-skiI mountains which embrace me @i.es ~ ~
Esopus. the upper |aitr oi h-9-~b ~ the Delaware
iae ne'lV 4 'rs.e,,ed 10 tho Board II Public I'm,
-~o,s-ra,-. report on the size adv Al. ~ an.
capacity of the following reserEop5 io,,r r. k
~~,rarv ponolo Mime Pond Lake fopviiot'' .l1e
ril coal Brook and Olive ana repyitu .i.tr,s, Is,
d,. yst4r supply of -, $1,000 gallons, ana mar
f. the .y you'd ,i ag ~ oS 90 Sup IRA, he regarded
80 srion as very thorough even tnoaBA IL
u.s. made hv MS limited engineering lol~' l.
don. from the fact that on the lntorHldlloN
g. -. .,arrfr4rfon ne based the recommendation
.Ia+ +ha ci.v OF New-YOrk enter INTO d Cyl' 49,
xi-h Tho Ramap0 Water Company 20 sutp's, - -,
OpO.0 gallons daily 10 the cly ~ ~ ~ = 10 90
s,-+,- Years ~ an annual expense or ABOUT sJVVvN
e--f, ~ The miss Toner Of Water supply, WIKI
ot,f qrrnenring his force Of engineers ana ".ltSut
additional appropriation. could make an lhNese'ea
watershed o. many thousands 81 mi4es n "a. H.
can with the same force. perform Ihe ilii.'els
smaller task 81 n kig AZ sl.T .ts sur,
the value u existing private water CyiHPa''9 sup
| Diving water In the city Of New-Hork
Mr.. Grout adds that +; Is the only consistent
course for the Board 20 acquire the franchises of
these water companies
In addition 10 the companies now supplying the
c,-v without contracts there are three whose con-
tracts Will expire next year or the year AFTER ana
twelve other contracts which viii expire In 1872.
! He says IN closing
II ,here were nothing in the situation except
these dates II would still le "A wise course LOT tne
| BOARD ID determine al an early date the pohcy 20
/ - foilouyad and 70 provide Tor taking the neces-
sary steps In furthtrarce or mat pOlcy ploiiPe'S
/ on the date ~ the expiration Of each contract
When the report was read Mr.. Grout offered a
rasoiution asking the Commissioner Of Water Sup
,iv 70 repor, on The cost and advisability Of &C
/ oriring the Brooklyn Water Company, the r lat-
! bush water company and the Jamaica " a'er
! Company This resolution was adopted.