Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-24
THE R.MaPO WATER JOB.
Arguments on Injunction VIII He
suit In Complete Exposure.
(NeM Ynrk WOrld.

Arguments on Injunction VIII he-
suit In Complete Exposure.
CNew York World, 3D.
The World is rapidly working toward
the heart and centre of the whole corrupt
Ramapo job
1t has already laid before the public
facts which prove the Ramapo Water
Company to be a gigantic fraud from
start to finish.
The Injunction proceedings to restrain
action by the Board Of Public Improve
ments at the meeting on August 30th,
have had the effect of shedding much
light on the true inwardness Of this water
situation.
The court proceedings will insure full
publicity and publicity will disclose the
innate rottennness of the whole combi
nation.
From public officials and private clu-
zens rich and poor alike, the action
taken by the World receives the warm
est commentator.
Tie Injunction. which restraints all the
members Of the Board Of Public Improve
ments from taking any action on the pro-
posed contract until the courts have dis
posed OF the questions raised. will defeat
the plan of the grabbers to rush the con-
lINtl through III the injecting ~ All' i''di't
Of Public Improvements 10 be held next
Wednesday
The Injunction is returnab!e on Friday
next. II will be served on all the mem
bers Of the Board Of Public Improve
ments who can be reached to-day
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE JUDGE
BOOKSTANER.
Bowers & Sands. attorneys for the
World. will appear before Justice Book
staver. Of the Supreme Court. 20 argue
for the continuance Of the Injunction.
Corporation Counsel Whalen is the legal
adviser of the Board of Public Improve
ments. and will appear for its members.
of whom ne Is one. II will be interesting
to see what stand ne will take. The RAJ
mapo Water Company being party 10
the action. will be represented by Its
counsel.
II IS unwritten law that in proceedings
OF this kind counsel shall be allowed ten
days to hand up their briefs. That VIII
carry the injunction over until September
ith. 50 that there can be no jammins or
the contract through at next wednesday s
meeting OF the Board Of Public Improve
ments. as was intended.
BY the time that the contract can be
taken up by The Board of Pubic I'M
movements again. If 1t ever can be- Presl-
one of the strongest opponents OF the
steal. will be home from Europe, and
will sit with the Board of Public Improve
ments,
TO STRENGTHEN GRABBERS HANDS
There IS talk of deprivng the borough
presidents Of their votes on this contract
| II it ever gets 20 a vote in the Board OF
public improvements. As there are four
borough presidents who are opposed TO X
to one who is for it, that would greatly
strengthen the hands of the grabbers.
Corporation-Cou Whalen and former
| Corporation-C Counsel De Witt. of Brook.
| lvn. the latter Of whom was one Of the
| most active men I'm the framing OF the
city's charter. are inclined to believe That
! the borough presidents can be denied "a
| vote on the contract, as 1t does not ap-
| ply exclusively to their boroughs.
! But the borough presidents nave con-
sldered this. and have agreed that If they
are not allowed to vote they will so mto
the courts and fight to establish their
right 10 do so. This will mean more pub
! Lefty. more exposure Of the corruptness
| Of this whole business.
| DE WITT GIVES \ BLACK EYE.
| William c. De Witt deals the grabbers
! a black eye in an interview which he
|
in his judgment the charter will not per
nit the making of the proposed contract
| that any contract must be by public let
ting 80,
Neither the charter nor the courts will
ever tolerate such a gigantic abuse he
| said.
1t is learned from the best authority
| that the stake for which the promoters
| OF this huge Ramapo fraud are playing
is SiO,O0O0OO.
The plan is to issue bonds TO that
amount. or. perhaps 100000 Of stock
and s2O.O0O.GO of bonds, just as soon as
the 20OOOo,0O0 contract was approved by
the Board Of Public Improvements.
That the stock and bonds Of a company
having such a tremendous contract or
hand would find a ready sale at par there
is no doubt. The $0O0O)J thus realized
was 20 be divided between the promoters
of the deal and those who helped them IN
carrying ii through.
WHO ARE THE CONSPIRATORS?
Who are the men who conspired 10 gel
this $4,000 o00 for themselves by involvn.
the city i'm a 20O00oOo0 contract? As III,
history of the conspiracy Is coming out
their names are being mentioned. and The
court proceedings will bring them To the
front.
All indications now are that when The
present city administration came int
power the promoters Of this Ramap'
steal made terms with the powers thu
be. and that the job was not rushe,
through at the last meeting OF the BolrC
of Public Imp owe monts was due 10 th'
fact that il was bunglcd.
| Bridge COMMISSIONS Shea does not hes
itate TO say that The Ramapo deal Is
vast stock and bond jobbing scheme II
the interest of politicians. He said yes
terday in the presence OF several report
ers:
1.-THE plans of the men who tried 4
put this scheme through have only begur
to come TO light. The surface has ON,
been scratched. The greatness of thi
lob. and the bOldness of its operators II
their belief that ii was all fixed, is show
by the fact that they have had printe'
$50 0OO.0 goo of stock certificates and $1,000,
coo of bond certificates. That Is the infor
nation | receive
THE SWINDLE GROWS IN MAGNI
TUDE.
The deeper the matter Is probed IN
more colossal appear the proportions o
the swindle.
The very existence OF the company Is
gigantic fraud. Any relation with IN
YNcssXEaf