New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-20

heard to claroor for Ranaro water and few per
sons knew that the company was IN existence.
GROWTH OF ITS SCOPE.
Suddenly the concern seemed TO he galvanized
with new life. and in 1895 a bill in its interest
was passed by the New-York Legislature and
signed by Governor Morton This bill gave the
company highly valuable privileges without any
vlsf61 s.deration such as the right TO &C
ouire lands and waters along the Ramapo River,
% accumulate and sell water 70 towns, cities
and corporations. 70 lease its water for the cut
ting n ice. and 70 lay pipes for the transporta-
TON ~ its waters under any Of the navigable
streams Of this State The fact that the COM
rary wanted the last named concession shows
thar us ideas had undergone considerable ex-
rarsi1r II would not he necessary to lay a pipe
line under any navgabls stream Of Network
State IN order 70 supply New-Jersey towns with
water. but such a privilege would he worth
big franchise tax 10 any company wishing 10
pipe any fluids into this city from the western
side n the Hudson River.
Az rhe same time il was seen that the once
modest little Ramapo Water Company was in
dulgtng in the luxury Of high priced counsel
Tracy. Boardman & Plat were its legal ad-
vse-s when IL obtained these greatly 10 be de-
sired concessions. and Assemblyman Nixon
fathered the bill. Prominent among the lawyers
who Interested themselves actively al that time
for -he benefit Of the company was Edward
Lauterbach.
The company thus having secured what 1t
wanted made a change in its officers. Mt
Evans dropped out. and General Benjamin F.
Tracy. whose influence had doubtless consid-
erably affected the Legislature when il gave 70
his client all those valuable privileges for moth
,F he ON
psny.
FAVORABLE CHARTER CLAUSE.
While General Tracy was engaged with Silas
2 Butcher and others. in framing the charter
~ the Greater New-York ne was president Of
this concern. Some persons declare there is a
provision in that charter which is particularly
Well suited 70 further the ends OF the Ramapo
Water Company. General Tracy resigned the
presidency when he ran for Mayor Of the city
ard proved so neatly that Tammany can only
win a municipal election when its opponents
are divided
Section All Of the Charter provides for the
c!ty's obtaining water by contract from a pr-
vate person or corporation, places the making
o. the contract absolutely in the hands OF the
Commissioner Of Water Supply and Of the
Board Of Public improvements and. apparently
20 declare il unlawful to make a contract for
water in any other way The section IS re-
garded as one Of the most carefully and pre-
,isey drawn in the whole charter-as bearing
the marks Of a most expert hand The min
imum Of supervision and veto is provided
No veto is vested in the Mayor. the Con-
.roler. the Municipal Assembly or either orahch
OF H. or the Board OF Estimate and ApporGon-
ment. the Water supply Commissioner ana
majority Of the Board of Public Improvements
are supreme. and from them lies no appeal eA-
cept such general appeal 10 the courts as citi-
zcns may possess.
Finally. the section Is carefully safesuarded
from conflict with Section 4l9 ny an excepting
clause in that section. which section deals with
the subject Of contracts for work and supplies
for the city with severe restrictions upon me
power Of making contracts, and especially OF
making them without competition ana win
out award 70 the lowest bidder Section al
reads thus:
Il shall not be lawful for the Commissioner OF
Wafer supply TO enter into any contract Whatever