The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-02
WHY He SIGNED.
Mayor Hoos' Exhaustive
Analysis Of the
Water Contract
Question.
LETTER TO FINANCIERS
Terms of the Flynn Pro-
posal Most Favorable
the City las LIVER
Received.
COMPARISON WITH OTHER PLANS
Wherein the Jersey City
and Rockaway and Hud-
son Bids Were Inferior.
TEXT OF THE CONTRACT
StIpulations Which Protected
the Public Against Short
age or Pollution in
the Supply.

When Mayor Hoos signed the concur
rent resolution of the Board of Finance
yesterday approving the award of a wa
ter contract to P. H. Flynn, he did what
he says was his plain duty. AT the same
time he conferred a great honor upon
two of his admiring friends. Two years
ago the Mayor was presented with gold
pen. He has preferred preserving to
using it in his regular business. Yester-
day. however, he used the pen for the
first time, and for the purpose of ap-
proving the Flynn award. If circum-
stances permit, His Honor says, he will
sign the contract proper with the pen
given him by his friends.
In signing the approval resolution the
Mayor. as has been predicted in these
columns, framed a letter explaining his
attitude and reasons for approving. That
letter was sent to the Board of Finance
last night. It is as follows:-
Feb. l, 1S99
Honorable Board of Finance
Gentlemen-I have this day approved
your resolution concuring in that adopt
ed by the Board of Street and Water
Commissioners December s, 1898, referring
to the proposal of Patrick H. Flynn to
provide a new water supply. Concerning
my approval of this resolution would state
and submit the following
| feel that the people of this city have
great confidence in the ability of their
Officials to settle this very vital question
TO their best interests, and, so far as
know, their confidence has not been mis-
placed.
The fact that not only the Street and
Water Board, but. also your Board has
vote unanimously for the passage of this
resolution seems to indicate that you have
risen above the level of politics and have
most universal demand that this all i'm
portant question be settled now and for
ever.
petitions both for and against the pro-
posed contract, and while l have given
them considera ton. frankly state that
knowing as l do, the ease with which
petitions are usually obtained, they
have not Influenced me.
Personally. l have given the question of
a new water supply much study and
thought. feeling also very deeply the
responsibility resting upon me-, and
now act feeling that 1 have conscientious
ly performed my duty.
AT the present time the city is supplied
with water by the East Jersey. Water
Company at fixed prices per million gal-
Ions. The water furnished us under this
temporary contract made by the last
administration is not all PeGuannock
water, but even at this time contains a
generous. mixture of Passaic;. 1t is well
known that we cannot continue to re-
ceive from the East Jersey Water Com
pany after 1900. water from the present
source Of supply, ana the probability fary that at
use a much inferior water, if new con-
tract is not made. is so alarmingly appar-
snd en5 re psen conacf IS
makeshift. and there cannot be any
impetus given to permanent prosperity
for Jersey City until we have obtained
the right to permanent supply of pure
water.
1t being necessary that Jersey City must
in order to properly continue municipal
life, obtain a new and permanent water
supply. ii is proposed under the plan pre-
sented to make contract to furnish, wa
ter at 4ed prices m per milfn y fbe gaon gtaan
vote for such purchase as the law re-
quires. In order to arrive at proper
understanding OF the situation and also
to enable one to form some idea as to
the price involved, knowledge is neces-
sary of the many recent attempts to
obtain water for this city, and l therefore
following brief history
Since November l, 1892, Jersey City has
advertised eight times that it would re-
ceive bids to supply water, Thousands
of dollars have been expended in adyer-
tising and the preparation of specifica-
tions.
bids was November 21, 1892, when only one
bid was received, being that of Moffett,
Hodgkins and Clark, who offered to fur
nish maximum supply of SO million gal
Ions per day, through one pipe, at the fol-
lowing prices per million gallons:-
Up to % million gallons .......-.....- S400 20
q TO 3 million gallons S5 Sc -oo Oo
25 to 30 million gallons ........,..-.- 34.00
30 to 50 million gallons .............- 31.00
25 to so million gallons .............. 2o-00
To this was to be added $500 per million
gallons for High Service delivery. There
was not given any option to purchase the
1893.
Under the second advertisement. bids
were received May l. 1893 as follows, the
bids being for a maximum delivery of 90
million gallons per day at High Service
Moffett, Hodgkins and Clark
so mil. 50 mil 35 mil.
/ steel 2 cast l cast
pipe iron p. iron p.
g mIilion mIIlion sssS s5ss 3s ~
Is million million ........... 25.e0 800 800
With a proviso that the same should be
augmented with an additional pipe with
capacity of Is million ngn lanonnlshm
capacity of Is million gallons when the re-
uuiremelts of the city demanded it.
Source. Rockaway River; intake Old
- rsf,,,, ,,a,,x, GAG nor y,.fl1