The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-13

Then I'd make pretense Of arranging TO sup
ply the city with water, then fall leave the
city with my 100000 bond and take the
profits OF the stock. How on earth did you
suppose that company having no money Of
its own. az far as You know. going into $780,
QUO. 900 contract involving enormous expendi-
lures could carry out such an engineering feat
as would be required to fulfil the Ramapo con-
tract. and do II In the limited time allowed ?"
But Mr.. Dalton didn't suppose anything
about IL. He could only refer II to the EN-
cheering category. He'd never heard OF the
South Bea bubble. he said. In reply to Mr..
Moss query. That gentleman advised him
to mako note OF II for reference. Then he
asked how the Ramapo's water was to be
brought to this city. A. In pIres OF course.
BIGGEST OF P1Pr-LAYISo.
O. Whore are these pipes to cross the Hud-
son Riverp A. don't know.
O. Are they to be In a tunnel under the river
or on trestle over it2 A. don't know. All
know 10 we've got to have the water II you
or Comptroller Coler. or anybody else can
show me any other way to get water here I'll
adopt It,
Q. Never mind that. Are the pipes to be un-
der ground or above ground or on the ground
where they enter New York city2 A. don't
know. That's an engineering matter.
The contract calls for a pressure due TO an ele-
walton OF 800 feet. Is that elevation here or in
the Esopus hills? A. 1 don't know; here. 1
suppose.
y. How are you going to get an S-foot steel
pipe 300 feet In the air; on trestles'
Commissioner Dalton didn't know. He said
SO quite desperately and expressed a sincere
wish that Comptroller Coler. who had said so
much to the press" would com Q and tell him OF
any practicable scheme to get Il sufficient water
supply for the city. Then he said that until
something better was found he'd stick to
Ramapo.
WENT TO CROKER FOR ORDERS.
Did the Mayor advise you to push IT." asked
Mr.. Moss.
A. didn't see him about It.
q. But he was in the United States at the
time? A. 30 was Mr.. Croker. part of the time.
Q. What did Mr. Croker say about it2 A. He
said What's all this talk about the Ramapo
contract2" told him how things stood and he
said: rs IL all right? Have you looked lntoi t?"
said II was tho only way. and he said to do
what was best for the city. That was all.
O. Do you consider that you are opposing Mr..
Croker In pushing the Ramapo job? A. Inover
considered It, You show me q better plan and
I'll quit Ramapo.
NOW. MR.. RAMAPo."
Now. Mr.. Ramapo." began Mr.. Moss and
broke off in confusion. Il beg your pardon"
he added hastily. That was a slip Of the
tongue. The subject was engrossinR me-"
I'm afraid It will stick just the same" said
the Com missioner sadly. half to himself.
Mr. Moss then showed that by the articles OF
incorporation the Ramapo company was char
tered for fifty years from 1887. so that It would
cease to exist In 1887; Notwithstanding which
w..
for forty years. beginning in 1902. or until
1912. Ave years after its existence would ter
inmate.
Doesn't that In connection with all the rest
make It plain to you." he asked the witness.
that the company never Intended to carry out
its contract"
The witness shook his head doubttully. and
a recess was taken.
DALTON WON'T PRoMIsE TO DROP TT.
In the afternoon Mr. Dalton resumed the
stand and Mr.. Moss asked him. Has the
Mayor intimated to you an opinion as to the
wisdom OF the Ramapo contract" A. NO.
sir. have not seen him"
y. Has he asked FOR copy OF the contract
or have you sent 1t to him? No sir.
Q. Did you explain the matter to Mr.. Gug-
genheimer. the acting Mayor? A. He asked
mo about it and told him 1 thought It was
best. He said was Water Com missioner and
he would leave 1t to me.
O. You understand that this mi after Is simply
waiting action on the Injunction proceedings
A. Yes. understand that.
.. And except for that you'd bring 1t up?
A. Yes. unless something else turns up.
Mr.. Moss asked tho witness II he would still
try to secure the boards approval OF the con-
tract. but Commissioner Dalton was shy and
said that he couldn't tell as other considera-
lions might be brought out at the meeting.
Returning to the jaunt to the Ecopus water
shed. Mr.. Moss brought out that the witness
didn't know OF any survey having been made
by his engineer UP there and that the figures
in his report were probably taken from the
Ramapo Company's engineers.
.. You've had time since recess to think
this water pressure matter over. What does
that 800 feet pressure mean. that it's to be 300
feet altitude at the city or at the Esopus noun
tains2 A. You'll have to ask Mr. Birdsall that.
He'll tell you. rely on him to keep me
guided In those matters.
LIGHT AND AIRY BUTCHER ENGINEERING.
O. What want to know 10 how much pres
sure you were reckoning onf A. l figured on
enough pressure to give good water supply.
That's as far as went.
Q. Did you understand from Mr. Birdsall
tndt the JIM 1eAt el0NdtlOn was TO De at the
Esopus region? A. That's a matter for
engineers.
Q. How did you propose to secure it? A.
There was no plan that know.
Q, What were you going to do with your
200. 100000 daily gallons OF water2 A. We
were going to distribute 1t wherever our
engineers thought best.
.. You contracted that 1t should come to the
old aqueduct. which couldn't carry It, Why
was that2 A. 1t had to come somewhere. We
had three years to consider that.
Q. How were you going to get It to Brooklyn?
A. oh. we might have taken it over tho bridge.
or may be new bridges would be built by then.
Q. Your report says you had determined that
the supply would be adequate. How did you
know? A. think the engineers said at the
hearing on the question that we could get
eight or ten hundred million gallons. Some
thing OF that sort was said coming down In the
wagon.
Here Mr., Moss read Engineer Rices report
that the available water space in the reservoirs
as planned by the Ramapo Company would be