The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-14
HOLDERS OF RAMAPO STOCK
LIST oFFERED IN CONFIDENCE TO
TEE MAEEr COMMITTEE.


Tells What Little He Knovs OF the Com
pany and of Gen. Tracy's Counsellor
with It-Asssmblyman Hoffman Tries q
Brush with Him on Various ropios-Un-
daruritoru Opposed to the Ramnpo Con-
tract-President Catcher on the stand.
Investigation yesterday. and this time the line
OF inquiry was pursued until the point was
reached OF trying to find out the personnel OF
the corporation. There matters came to a full
stop. Edward Lauterbach. acting as counsel
for tho com pany. offered Lawyer Moss and the
committee n list Of the stock holders. with the
proviso that It be not made public. To this
Mr. Moss would not agree, and after spirited
discussion. during which Silas B. butcher.
President OF the Ramapo Company. sat In the
witness chair and smiled. Chairman Mazetde-
sared an adjournment for the day that the
committee might consult
BAMAPo COMPANY IN BnooxLYS.
Frank H. Plat was tho principal witness Of
the day. The first witness called was A. G..
White. former Com missioner OF City Works In
Brooklyn. He testified that In 1895 three
sources OF water supply were considered By
him: the Ten-Mile River. tho Long Island
supply. and the Ramapo River. which has
nothing to do with the Ramapo Company's
watershed.
Did any representative OF the Ramapo Com
pany call on You at this time 2" asked Mr. Moss
In 1894 Cen. BENJAMIN F. Tracy asked me
III was ready to receive q proposition from q
private company to supply Brooklyn with
water" replied the witness.
=. Did Gen. Tracy represent the Ramapo
Company A. SO understood. / told him
couldn't consider any proposition until had
the report Of the engineers.
.. Did you hear anything further from the
Ramapo Company A. No.
Taking up the three sources Of supply which
he had mentioned. the witness said that they
were all more convenient than the Ramapo
Company's watershed. that they could be de-
veloped moro quickly. and that Brooklyn could
own its own plant.
Q. Do you know OF any contingency that
would mako 1t necessary for tho city to pur-
chase It's water from private concern? A.
None whatever.
Q. Are these sources OF supply available for
Now York city? A. Yes.
WATER SUPPLY BILL KILLED TWICE AT ALBANY
John Proctor Clarke. associate counsel to the
committee. took the witness stand. His testi-
mony went back to the time when he was As
socate CORPORATION Counsel before 1893 and
he told about introducing bills in the LeRs-
lature for the city.
did most Of your bills 60 through" asked
Mr.. Nose.
" They did. There was an exception. how
ever. in 1893: a bill providing for report by
the A1ueduct Commissioner on the available
sources OF water supply for New York city
This bill was referred to com mittee and never
heard Of again"
O. Was there any opposition to itp A. Not
open.
Q. What influences prevented its passage?
A. Well. have only surmises as to that.
Q. Was another bill like it introduced2 A.
The same bill was introduced In 1897. 1t was
killed In the Senate
At the close OF Mr.. Carke's testimony Mayor
Van WICK. who had been the room since the
opening OF the session. expressed desire to
know what he was there for. He was excused
and departed. Engineer de Varona OF Brooklyn
was called and gave testimony corroboratlve
Of Mr.. Whites. Then Frank H. Plat was
called.
FRANK PLATT TEsTIFIEs.
Gen. Tracy OF your firm. is. or was Presi-
dent OF the Ranapo Water Company. be-
lieve." said Mr.. Moss.
80 the newspapers have said" replied
the witness.
Q.-But had your firm no relations with the
Ramapo Water Company Do you wish us to
infer that? A. We had small business
with the company. due to Mr.. Tracy's trans
ferrinR his business to our Office when he
joined the firm. At the request Of an officer
Of the company one OF our men went to Albany
20 see Gov. Morton about the Ramaro bill
OF 1895. He went and charge OF $3.50 was
made and paid for that service. l never did
any OF the business myself.
=. Are you in any way interested in the
Ramapo Company? A. l am not. Before this
matter came up in the papers I couldn't have
told you whether or not the company was still
In existence.
O. Has Gen. Tracy any stock in it2 A. Not
that know
O. Where is he? A. In Paris arguing the
Venezuela case. He'll be back in October. I
expect.
=. Have you had any conversation with
Mr.. Lauterhach about the company? A. Not
until a week or so ago
Q. Or with the president Of the com pany. Mr..
Dutcher2 A. No. didn't know he was tho
president until read it in the papers.
Q. Have you had any communication about
the company from Gen. Tracy? A. Nothing az
yet wrote to him about it but haven't heard
from him yet.
HOFFMAN CRoss-ExAMINEs.
Here Assemblyman Hoffman took his turn
and tried persistently to get the witness to ad-
NIT that he had an interest in the Ramapo
Company, asking him the direct question three
times and then asking him II he was sure. The
witness was sure that he had no interest: he
was also unperturbed. which evidently dlscom-
flied his 1uestioner
rs Silas b. butcher acting as president Of
the Ramapo Company at the instance OF Gen
Tracy ?" asked Mr. Hoffman.
Il don't know" was the reply.
.. Did your firm appear for the Krum bank
ing bill which aroused 30 much oppositlon2
A. No. sir.
.. Hasn't your firm appeared for majority
OF corporations DESTROYS OF securing legisla-
ton since your father controlled the majority
at Albany? A. For some; not for majority.
Mr. Hc fl nan asked about the Fidelity and
Deposit Company OF Maryland.
"Oh. keep to the matter In hand" suggested
Chairman Mazet You're wandering far
ahed"
lie. him 60 on. Mr.. Mazet." put In Mr. Plat
This gives me an opportunity that I've
Wante for a long time"
He then explained that amendments had
4. Ill. L. 40