New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-22
TO SAVE WATER SUPPLY.
CHIEF ENGINEER WANTS TO GET POS
SESSION OF NEEDED LAND.
COMMISSIONER DALTON TAKES ADVANTAGE
OF FoRBELL DECISION TO MENTION
RAMAPo-coNTRoLLER NOT
ALARMED
ALARMED,

Deep interest taken in Brooklyn yesterday IN
the decision of the Court of Appeals IN the case
of Benjamin F. Forbell against the city OF new
York. which reairms the decisions OF the io"er
courts and grants perpetual injunction restiaii
ing the city from operating the driven wells al the
Spring Creek Pumping Station. an Important souioe
of the present water supply OF BROOKLYN Inc ue
cison likewise awards damages 10 FoFoe'i III ~
sum of $1,000 with costs.
The water supply authorities declare 1hat ' 80
must either reconcile itself to the loss OF the ehtre
system OF driven well stations along the watershed
from Ridgwood to MassapeQua, which mas cost
$40 100000 and which furnishes half Brookyns
supply of water. must expend many millions
more in litigation and in condemnlnB and purcnaS-
ing the land and tn. water rights OF all the farms
within a radius of from hve to ten miles OF the
driven we'll stations
Tho decision rested on the question Of the right Of
the CITY to use artificial means to draw by suction
from beneath adjacent land water to which the
land was naturally entitled AS result of the de-
cisfon several hundred suits against the city will
probably be brought by farmers and others whose
land has been drained A number OF these suits, 1t
is thought. can be defeated
Assistant Corporation Counsel Carr, who has
handled the for the city. said yesterday:
n a3p e Te pnb know it's real
sort Of blind hope faith that In some impossible
make light of it now, in the hope OF lettering some
nc no t GOOD We must face the meaning of this de-
cison now. and that meaning is all too e., clear TT
supply OF Brooklyn must make up their minds 1 10
do e MN 9 DIG b anq the ao PRESENT t Supply is
To be exact Brooklyn gets 40 per cent OF its an
Sumner the proportion is much greater. Take away
this supply. and where we? The situation
doesn't need much comment
1t will be necessary to prepare some alternative Tor
the driven wells at once. 1t would be easy enough
to get large water supply from Suffolk county
only there is a special act OF the Legislature pro-
oofion first step.
is done, Is likely to be the condemnation OF f0l-
bells property.
Chief Engineer BrdsalI said yesterday:
No matter what plan to get an additional water ter
f for PBrookIyn out of the Brooklyn watershed for
years. and we shall, therefore have to keep on
paying damages
Mr. Rirdsall was of the opinion that the best
thing that could be done would be to get the Legs-
lsture to allow a commission TO be appointed to
take the whole question up without delay. He con-
tinued
But if the Board of Estimate will grant money
get maps and proceed to the appointment OF com
iiiiGS' Of the lands. 49, ,.,.,o,
is inn pd cost to the 5e c hG" but the viii
be very large With million dollar appropriation
us from doing what was always done in the Brook
Ev smPT SOUGHT two or three acres and built
pumping station Now, the court says we We, " tSe
owners damages. These damages may be past and
future That is important to be remembered
Commissioner Dalton said:
have always been afraid that the case would 60
my Ramapo report. 1t will cost the city pile OF
money for damages nov mere Is bepn to
come in. The city needs It's water plant IN queens
and Nassau, because Brooklyn must nave water.
Controller Coler takes more hopeful view of the
situation He does not believe the liability of the
city as a result of decision will be as large as
reported