New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-19
RAMAPO JOB MAY FAIL.
AROUSED PUBLIC SENTIMENT MAY DE-
FEAT THE PROPOSED STEAL.
DENIALs FROM MEssRs PLATT AND QUIGG
THAT THE REPUBLICAN ORGANIZATION
IS ERESTED-RAMAPO MEMBERS
or INfppovENuNTc poApD
OF IMPROVEMENTS BOARD.

OF IMPROVEMENTS BOARD.
| There indications yesterday that the
! Ramapo members of the Board Of Public I'm
provements would probably not be able to fasten
| upon the city a contract by which the Ramapo
| Water Company could deliver two hundred mill
! ion gallons OF water the city daily for forty
! years and receive $40 million gallons for II.
| Maurice F. Holahan the president OF the Board
/ Of Public improvements still declared that he
! was ready 70 vote for the scheme. but he ad-
mitted that he might possibly revise his opinion
| II Controller Coler could show that there was no
necessity for an additional water supply for
| the city at present Other members OF the
Board and various officials said they did not
think it would be wise to make a contract with
private corporation II It could be shown that the
| city could get sufficient water by its own sys-
! tens Of supply
Controller Coler declared his belief that the
scheme to bind the city TO such robbery as the
water contract was sure TO be defeated. He said
! II would require several days to complete the
! investigation which Mr. Mclean his engineer.
! had begun, and then he would be in the posses
sion Of facts which would prove the wickedness
Of the Ramapo scheme beyond doubt Several
officials at the City Hall said they thought 1t
| would be impossible 10 force the water contract
| upon the city in view Of the almost unanimous
| and resolute opposition manifested by the press
OF New-York and the widespread indignation
! among citizens which the publication OF the
thievish Job had aroused. 1t is seldom that the
press Of the city has been so earnest and united
in the severe condemnation Of proposed steal
! as 1t has been in the case OF the Ramapo water
contract Every newspaper OF importance in
this city has denounced the Ramapo water
scheme editoriary. OF course, The Sun" has
refraned from editorial criticism, but It has
published Controller Coler's denuncation in It's
news columns
Senator Thomas c. Platt said yesterday that
he was in no way interested in the Ramapo
Water Company. or in the contract which
sought to be made binding on the city. He said
10 Tribune reporter: II have seen the reports
connecting my name with the water company
and its contract and they lies never had
any interest in the Ramapo Water Company
and do not expect to have any such interest
I do not have the least interest in the contract
which was before the Board Of Public Improve
ments. 1t is untrue also to say that Tracy,
Boardrnan & Platt are counsel for the water
company These stories apparently have sprung
from the fact that General Tracy president
OF the water company some years ago"
Lemuel Z. Quigg, president Of the Republican
! County Committee. said: 1T Is simply out
| rageous for any newspaper to attempt 10 place
| the Republican organization behind the Ramapo
! Water Company's arrangements with Tammany
! Hall 1t may be true that among those inter-
| ested in the Ramapo Water Company are GER
| tain Republicans but there is assumption
more entirely false than the assumption that the
| connection Of those Republicans with a COM
mercal enterprise requires the aid OF the Re
! publican organization. SO far as the leaders Of
| the Republican organization are concerned, no
! one that I know Of has any interest in the
Ramapo Water Company The Republican lead
ers have no other view concerning the city's
water supply than that 1t should be owned and
controlled by the city itself. and that the people
! OF New-York ought not 10 be called on to pay
! tribute 10 any corporation for the water they
| consume In other words. far as the Repub-
ucan organization is behind anybody 1t is be
/ hind Controller Coler, and thoroughly indorses
his views and supports his position"
silas 3. butcher Platt-Quigg Republican Of
,,ror,i,ence is president OF the Ramapo Water
! Comnanv. and Edward Lauterbach. the former
rresident of the Republican County Committee,
| -a,resanted the company az Albany some years
| 400 The water company originally was organ
| ,zad Cor the expressed purpose OF supplying
rater to New-Jersey cities and II had no rights
| IN New-York until it procured them from lne
! Nevr-York LEGISLATURE Its bill was put through
the Legislature by the Republican machine anu
u,as signed by Governor Morton MT L@uIei
! bacb appeared at Albany In the interests u Iile
ra+ar company before the bill was passed
Therefore, many people distrust the oisa' y" N''
! of Mr.. Platt and MT QulsS'
u &c believed by some Of the city oflclais tha'
.,o v,atar company has not sufficient capitai 10
''l' - tho task of supplying water TO the
- ,d has not been able 10 spend much
| - went for acquiring options on lands IN
! -, 15a,,ano region But II is plain that con-
! -. s,,cb 40 the Ramapo members OF the BOARD
! :, rubI,c improvements sought TO tasteh upon
! r. citv would enable the company 10 porI""
/ ALI the money IT needed. Holahan has the ram
| am, brand on mis- forehead 80 mas "@'eI N'ii
/ ,-.,ao. nation So has Corporation Counsel
u,balen What will Croker do? II Croker
/ n,oue down" Holahan. Dalton and Wha!en IN
| this Ramapo steal they will sneak arouhd co'-
rer Ike whipped ours. Irreverent poh'c'a"'
we're calling Holahan. Dalton ana Whaien yes
tardav Ramapo Holahan. Ramapo Da''o" anu
| Ramapo Whalen -, . .ho C-o+on Aoue-
act said Yesterday that II the contract WIN
/ ~ Ramapo Water Company was mao SO aN
III t hi-T the city TO take the water from the coIh
10 nlhu ~" r. ci,v line il would be necessary Tor
/ ps citv 10 build a tunnel under tne h9uSon IGnS
! River at a cost OF about s-o'vV'"'V -
to paving 49, tor Guggenheirner said yesterday;
$50 Actlns es-osed 10 making the contract with the
u AM am oPv water Company partly for the reason
iSst want the city TO own its water supply nl anu
/ I'M. tacause there Is need for ne" sup
/ parity .ar pe tor the city at present. When the
! ply OF Park Reservoir upon which the city is
Spending Millions Of dollars lbs is GSsSe of the city
VIII DE- SUI .aars ,o come I probably shall not
Tor MED miIe mon TO vote as Acting Mayor upon
~ contract and do not believe thal tie ,iI Pi hs
! of binding the city 10 such c'"'i'1'
/ pushed"
Another afternoon train for sstat0sa % " ~ arrives
| YORK Cen'a az q M. Through coach New ioFH 70
SSrstosa--AdyL