The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-17
ROW OVER RAMAPO WATER.


HIS hnOWleuge-tO Delayeu
by Tie Vote in the improvements Board.
President Hoahan OF the Board OF Public I'm
movements and Water Commissioners Dalton
eprang a surprise on the members OF the Board
vrstcrdav by asking them to vote for tho
adoutinn of a contract with the Ramapo
Winter Company. under which the company
Nold supply 2OO.OUO.uOO gallons OF water
dny to the city for forty years from 1902. at so
smillion gallons. or $4,000 day. or S5.1lO-
OoJ a year. Comptroller Coler and Bridge
Commlss ioncr Shea opposed Immediate action
on the contract and in the debate on 1t the
Comutro!er charged President Holahan with
being afraid Ia let tho Finance Departments
engineers nve-tiEate the matter.
Commissioner Dalton made an elaborate re-
NOR. ON the condition of the water supply of
The ElrolghS OF Manhattan. Bronx. Brooklyn
anI Qurchs. urging the immediate necessity
OF a great extension OF the water supply to
meet present needs aud future demands. 1Tn
me report. which occupied eighteen typewrIt-
tu pa:e., was this table, showing the amount
Of water now furnished in each of tho four
t,.1l .hs. an the amounts that it is estimated
will he needed in future"
mopKtYx Gaiiont.
Pc II, supply nqd "@nsnlnp,ion,o,,,.' 5000 ono
tg,l,g required II ton years 1"ur.. 16S. 2lsrUo
M,,uNI'N $50 rTG nHoHx.
az" 2"s r a1,; I Ie 0 $1,000" 900
H. a,ts require III ten years l"o"l.. .422 "a 900
Q,EtNs.
Yr,-,u, supply. 3,35o.ooo gallons sup.
,,,r 1. rs ' IN iaGf years at 20 '0O''"'
y.rrnt per lnUuml.. .-............... IL 45O. 900
"a! ur.,', rlrr1 III four y"ar+. 7517, 900
tai Iu.rcts" REQUIRED III ten years.. $40 $4,000
Tho text of his report recalls a trip of inspec-
tuu that President EIoIahan. Commissioner
! '',n chief Engineer Birlsal of the Water
I,Iartm mt. aud three other engineers made
totun ta'sEil Mountains. whore tho Ramapo
COMPANY intends 10 obtain its water The re-
port recommends strongly that the contract be
entered into As soon as the report had been
road, Mr. Dalton moved that the contract be
mad.
The report and contract had come practically
nsa surprise to Comptroller Colcr and Bridge
Commissioner Shea When Mr.. Dalton made
his motion. Mr. Shra opposed it. He said that
the proposition WIS one OF SO great magnitude
that he wished to have it laid over for four
weeks in order that he might have an oppor-
tunity to investigate.
In reply to him President Hoahan made
long speech. quoting literally from the Brook
lyn and Manhattan newspapers. to show that
all extension Of the water system was needed.
For nineteen months" said Mr.. Holahan.
this board has egected to do anything TO i'm
prove the water supply OF any borough. In
neglecting to act on this most important
matter. we have been recreant to our duty.
and the people all over our city are pounding
Tammany Hall for our neglect. The papers
Of your own borough turning to Mr.. Shea and
pounding violently on the tablet are the ones
n which Wa can learn what is going on. The
people must have"more and better and purer
water. and we have DELAYED altogether too
long nIDut ~ living in a Thorn Wp hAyn W ta1
nineteen months We ought not to waste
another day.
This contract should be entered into at once
The Brooklyn death rate is twice that OF Man
haitian. have seen a water famine here. and
only thu rain prevented lis from having the
most awful time that any city in the world ever
had. and do not want to see that experience
Repeated This contract ought to be made
now and without any delay"
President lIoahan had spoken at the top OF
his voice. and became much excited as his
speech went on. He pounded continually on
the table. Mr.. Shea was apparently surprised
at the heat Of his remarks. He said that he
was not prepared to discuss the matter on SO
short notice. but he believed that tho city
could own its water system and should.
Il do not understand the reason for this
great haste at this moment said Mr. Shea.
Il fail to see the application of your remarks.
We ought to delay. and move that this whole
matter be put over for four weeks"
Il am astounded at this Ramapo PROPOSE
ton" said Mr.. Coler Il never heard Of ii
until last evening. late. and by accident
never saw thdt contract until five minutes
before this meeting" said Mr.. Shea.
Why should an elective officer, elected to
care for the financial interests Of the people. be
deharred from an examination OF scheme
that 50 vitality effects his Department." said
Mr. Coler. This ought to go over for month
30 that we can find out about it,
IT'S impossible to delay a thing like this!'
shouted Mr. Holahan.
why are you so afraid to have my engineers
examine this project.r demanded tho Comp.
troller why do you object to having then
make a report on it You don't dare to-. That:
the reason"
"Oh know, lots of things are needed" sale
President Holahan; sewers. and pavements
and rapid transit tunnel; and we ought to
have thom. but IL tho city goes into this. it won
h. ahlc to begin another public Improvement
when YOU talk Of municipal ownership yor
tax in the air."
Mr.. Golfer and Mr. Shea both declared that
thoy had not seen the report or the proposed
contract. Then the clerk read the contract L
was dated ''this-day of--lS9S"
What's the date OF that contract" asked
Mr. Shea. The clerk pointed out the figures
1SH To President Holahan.
'I' has no date" said the President.
Let Mr., Mooney read again what he JUS
read" said Mr.. Shea
Blank day OF blank. 1898" read MIR
Mooney
That's it," said Mr.. Shea. 80 this tire
mcntouSly urgent contract was ready las
Year"
"Ot course. that's a typographical error.
Eaid Mr.. Holahan
President Bowey Of Queens said he though
the matter ought to go over 80 that Presiden
Grout Of BROOKLYN could he present and vote
I'm, gentleman has no vote on this" SAT-
Mr. lolahan. 1T doesn't exclusively af1ec
his borough"
You Just pounded on the table and said Il
affected Brooklyn more than any other Dor
ough," said Mr. Shea.
Well all be- pounded II this isn't adopted,
said hr, lioaAan.
IF | can't vote on this what use am L?
asked Mr. Bowey