The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-27
A WATER RAID.
Hoboken Council Wants
to Annul Haekensack
Contract.
MINTURN IS WITH THEM
Can a Council Bind City
Beyond It's Own
Term?

The Common Council of Hoboken
sprang a neat surprise on that town yes
terday in the introduction of a resolution
at its meeting calling for the annulment
of the public contract for the water sup
ply with the Hackensaek Water Com
pany. The resolution, which was intro
duced by Councilman John Fitzpatrick,
reads as follows:-
Whereas, Doubts exist as to the legal
fly of the contract under which the city
is now receiving its water from the Hack.
ensaek Water Company, and, as it is con-
tended, and that the old contract was
never legally terminated and that the
Board of Water Commissioners had not
legal authority at the time to enter into
the present contract; and,
Whereas, The quality Of the water now
supplied to the city Is causing discussion
and discomfort among the people: there
fore, be it
Resolved, That the Corporation Attor-
ney be and is hereby directed to take the
necessary steps to annul the present al
legged contract according to law and to
advise the Council what the present obi
cations are under the old contract and
the proper manner to terminate the
same"
Although the entire Board voted favor
ably on the adoption of the resolution,
not one Councilman could be found who
would tell where the alleged dissatisfac-
ton over the Hackensack C~ompany's
water existed. Neither would they cite
any evidence of the public dissension'
rafarred 70 in the resolution.
The contract with the Hackensack
Company was entered upon two years age
and at the time it created considerable
public attention throughout the county
and state. The East Jersey Company en-
~deavored to secure the contract, and the
competition between the two companies
was keen. The H~aekensack Company won
the light by offering to supply water at
a cheaper rate than under its unexpired
contract, which had ten years yet to run
and it received a new contract for the
term of twenty years.
The East Jersey Co. took the stand that
the Water Commissioners acted Illegally
in awarding the contract for a period
longer thar their term of office, which
was for five years. The company was
supported in This claim by City Treas
rrer James Smith and the Hobokea Busl-
ness Mems and Taxpayers Association
The latter organization petitioned the
Council to take steps to have the contract
annulled. The petition went unnotieed,
and a big scandal ensued. open charges Of
bribery being made. The Grand Jury in
vest.gated the charges but could not Sc
cure enough evidence to find any indiet-
meats.
The association was not abashed. how
ever. in the stand taken for what 1t
thought honest municipal government,
and engaged Congressman William D.
DAILY as counsel to carry the matter into
the Supreme Court. The Congressman
prepared his papers in the case and was
to nave submitted it at the September
term of the Court. The action of the
Council yesterday forstalled him in this
determination.
Corporation Attorney James Minturn
expressed the opinion yesterday that the
Hackensack Company's contract with
the city was illegal. He would confer
with the officials of the he
said, and if they would refuse to anntl
the contract of their own accord he
would carry the matter into the court at
auca