New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-18
RANAPO SCHEMEATTACKED
CITIZENS AROUSED OVER THE AT
TEMPTED WATER STEAL.
CONTROLLER COLER SETS HIS ENGINEERS
AT WORK TO INVEsWGATE-THINKS
THE PLOT WILL BE DEFEATED.

THE PLOT WILL BE DEFEATED.
The effort Of certain Tammany members Of
the Board of Public improvements on WedAes-
dav 10 bind the city to contract with the
Rar,apo Water Company for a term OF forty
wears has astonished many OF the city officials
ard excited the liveliest Indignation among Citi-
1ers Il was declared by many yesterday to be
the most audaCiOus attempt 10 rob the city on
large scale that ever had been made or heard Of.
The success of Controller Coler in gaining delay
and his expressed determination to defeat the
plan proposed were praised yesterday without
stint. and it was evident that his popularity
a public official had been increased greatly by
his action.
There seemed 70 he general belief Yesterday
that Richard Croker was in some way respon-
sihla for the attempt to bind the city to a con-
tract by which the Ramapo Water Company
would receive so per 1,O000OO gallons. and
supply POO 600 0OO gallons a day for forty years.
at a cost to the city of about $5.O00.O00 a year.
when the city has its own water supply that
Will he more than adequate to meet all demands
for Years to come. Maurice F. Hoahan. presi-
dent Of the Board of Public improvements;
William Dalton, the Commissioner Of Water
SuprIy: James P. Heating. the Commissioner Of
Highways; Louis + Haffen president OF
Bronx borough. and James J. Coogan, president
Of Manhattan Borough. are Tammany leaders
who are known 10 be close friends OF Mr..
Croker and are accustomed to take his orders
ana advice. They voted together In favor Of
binding the city to the contract. and the Deputy
Commissioner Of Sewers another Tammany
man voted with them.
MANY persons were asking yesterday what
deal could have been made between Mr..
.Ia ro,,o{,,. ont
Republicans Of the city who are known to be
in control of the Ramapo Water Company.
When the question was asked Of Controller
Coler he said e was reminded OF Bret HarteS
"Heathen Chinee." "The action Of these men Is.
Ike the Chinee's peculiar" he said 1t was ap-
parently the belief Of many that the Tammany
members Of the Board OF Public Improvements
would not have attempted to load such con-
tract upon the city without the advice Of Mr
Croker or some understanding with the men in
control of the water company.
THE CONTROLLERS STATEMENT.
Controller Coler yesterday had talk with
Eugene f. McClean. the engineer Of the Finance
Department. and instructed him to begin the IN
vestigation. Later Mr.. Coler said:
'I want It thoroughly understood that my
fight will be based on the proposition that the
city must own It's water supply plant Will
never consent to any plan for increasing the
water supply unless it involves municipal own
ership Of the plant 1t Is my intention 70 engage
the best engineering talent the country can
produce 20 make an investigation Of watershed
conditions and, the cost OF installing plant
with capacity to supply the city's needs VIII
fnd ont all about the Ramapo watershed, not
with any idea Of approving the contract pro-
posed by the Board OF Public Improvements
yesterday. but to discover Just what sort OF a
water supply could be obtained in case the city
should ever find IT necessary to get water from
the Catskills"
Il am informed that the talk ~ danger Of
water famine in the boroughs of Manhattan and
The Bronx is largely buncombe. My engineer
says that there can be no water scarcity in these
boroughs for years TO come. OF course. there Is
immediate need of more water in Brooklyn, but
that borough can be supplied II the sources on
Long Island are developed. No private corpora
ton can ever get its hands into the city treas
ury while l am in this office.
The present city administration was elected
a platform favoring municipal ownership Of
franchises The men who on Wednesday voted
10 pay 81 100000 year for water TO private
company we're demanding few months ago that
the city should have it's own gas and asphalt
plants. Then they argued that the city should
own pretty much everything. Now they are
willing 10 enter into $2O00oO0DD contract with
a private company. l am unable 10 see how
they can explain this change Of base. especially
a. il is well Known TO them that Manhattan ana
The Bronx have all the water they need al pres
ent. and Brooklyn can get all 1t needs Wllhout
going into a 5000, 0,oOO,O0O scheme.
From wha: / have been able 10 gather, the
Broadway railroad franchise steal is second
class shoplifting compared with the scheme TO
ulit the city into the hands Of the Ramapo com
pany The further one goes into the matter the
more astonishing seems the audaclty OF the pro-
moters. The report OF Commissioner Dalton
read Ike the prospectus Of some big capitaisuc
scheme The rosiest side Of the Ramapo COM
panys case was presented. 80
I heard nothing about the matter until a
short time before the meeting of the Board or
Public improvements and / was much aston
ished when I heard the details Of Mr.. Dalton 5
proposition. II has been customary 10 submit
such matters TO the Finance Department for a
rerort bv its engineer before action, but in this
case with S2OOOOO.O0O involved the Controller
OF the city was entirely ignored
BELIEVES 1T WILL BE BEATEN
Controller Coler said Yesterday that he be
hevcd the plan 70 bind the city TO contract
with the water company would be defeated but
he boped 10 have the support Of all public spir-
tied citizens in the fight. Bridge Commissioner
Shea who voted against the contract on
Wednesday said yesterday. Il think the scheHlr
Is beaten All care 10 say az PIc9,, -. - .l .
think IL would b. unwise TO blnd the CIT! 10 d
5000 600 600 contract with a private water COM
pany."
President Holahan OF the Board OF PUBIC I'm,
provements declared yesterday that ne "ouIu
continue 10 vote for the contract with the water
company even II he stood alone When asked II
he did not think the price 10 be paId 10 the con- OH
panv was excessive he replied: Not AT an. me
city would get the water FOR SO "a itIi1'on 50
Ions and turn right around and sell II to private
consumers for $40 a million gallons Ihat
would seem 10 be a fair profit 10 the city
Several members Of the Municipal ASSehlpIy
WHO baIe hecn aiding in holding up bond issues
for public Improvement declared yesterday uat
the Remapo water Job was "a peach Couhcn-
uan Cassidy said the private water companies III III
Queens yere willing to sell water 10 the city at
Sl5 a million Gallons Several officials about the
City Hall declared that a contract FOR for,y
years 10 supplv water to the city al $40 a mill