The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-13
o. All the facts were In your ONCE then.

weren't thoy2 A. Yes.
O. Why didn't you In that report mention tn,
CRYING necessity for water and the advisa
bility OF making this Ramapo contrac2 A
Why should 1 mention Ramapo7 thought
msg be the city would have money TO extend
It's own system.
Mr.. Moss then called attention TO a clause ir
the contract permitting delay for various rea'
sons and asked II II was proper thing to allow
the Ramapo Company an indefinite delay. Tc
this the witness demurrsd BY saying that the
matter wasn't settled yet. and for ten minutes
Mr.. Moss strove to get an expression from him
but was finally forced to be content with the
cautious admission that 1T don't seem quite
right"
rs THIS YOUR ONLY CROOKED JoB1"
Q. IL this the only Ramapo job you've ever
had your hands in?
A. Depends on what you mean by Job. Some
people consider Job to be like bank rob-
berry.
O. That's what mean. Is this the only
crooked job-the only foolish contract. we'll
say-that you've ever been inp
A. don't know that IL 10 a foolish contract.
I've violated no law. Show me where I've vio-
lated any law.
Later on" said Mr.. Moss. and called Fred
erick Bowley. President Of the Borough OF
u
wears glasses. He said that Long Island City
had had much trouble over water supply and had
had all sorts OF rows with water companies.
LONG ISLAND CITY WATER COMPANIES.
q. You have water company operating there
now2 A. Yes, the Woodside Water Company.
They got up water scare and had water
at-any-price" cry. They got In unconstitu-
tionally, because the Board OF Aldermen hadn't
4 H. lIn. 81 .
l..y made q contract with himself. for himself
and by himself. and had a good time with it.
He got out a permanent Injunction and had
our own water supply for while.
y. You have now contract made by Mr. Dali
ton with private corporation to supply Long
Island City, A. Yes. and our appliances have
been neglected and are going to pieces.
Q. Do you represent the feeling OF the people
OF your borough on this question: A. My
election was purely on the water issue.
.. Cord Meyer is principal owner OF the
Citizens Water Supply Company OF Nswtown.
which supplied Long Island City. isn't heP A.
He Is.
MIR. Moss then read Q letter OF application
from Mr.. Meyer and letter from Mr. Birdsall
recommending that the city be enforced to
purchase water from outside companies, and
an opinion By Corporation Counsel Whalen
showed that thereupon the Water Commits
sioner made q contract with the Citizens
Company. though there were bids from other
water companies. There was no advertise
ment for bids as required by law. This oon-
tract. said Mr.. Moss. was the forerunner OF the
Ramapo contract. but on a smaller scale.
There 10 q three-year clause in this con-
tract" said Moss. with this exception 1t Is
the Ramapo contract in the form OF an estab-
lished fact. 1t came out afterward that Comp
troller Coler had put spoke In the water COM
pany's wheel by limiting its province to Long
Island City. whereas In the original contract
all Kings and Queens counties were open to 1t.
Various letters were read undertaking the
Citizens Company at the time the contract was
under consideration"
Commissioner Dalton sat by and looked un-
comfortable. Mr.. Bowey was excused until
to-day and the committee adjourned. 1t 10
probable that Richard Croker will be called
to-day to tell what he knows of Ramapo.