New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-12
RAMAPO WATER MEASURES
STATUS OF THOSE INTRODUCED AT AL
BANY AGAINST THE COMPANY.


passed which will prevent the authorities Of
New-York City from making a contract with
the Ramapo Water Company or another water
company Of like character
Before the Legislature met It will be remem-
bered that only the vigorous action by Con-
troller Coler, aided by leading citizens of New
York, prevented the Tammany Hall city author
! tiles from entering into a contract with the
Ramapo company Appeals were made to the
courts and appeals to public opinion. and the
contract was not made; 1t was deferred. An
! application was also made to the Attorney-Gen-
/ eral for permission TO bring a suit TO dissolve
the Ramapo company. The suit over the disso-
luton OF the company is now before the courts
| Of the State
! WHAT GOVERNOR SAID IN HIS MESSAGE.
| Governor Roosevelt made the following dec
laration in his annual message to the Legis-
lature:
/ It has become more and more evident OF late
years that the State Will have to act in its col
! Iectlve capacity as regards certain subjects
| which We have been accustomed to treat as
/ matters affecting the private citizen only, and
! that, furthermore II must exercise an increas-
ing and more rigorous control over other matters
which IT is not desirable that 1t should directly
manage 1t is neither possible nor desirable to
/ lay down general hard and fast rule TO
/ what this control should be in all cases. There
| Is no possible reason in pure logic why a city,
for instance. should supply its inhabitants with
! water, and allow private companies to supply
] them with gas, any more than there is why the
: general Government should take charge Of the
! delivery Of letters but not Of kilograms.
/ On one point there must be no step backward.
! There is consensus OF opinion that New York
must OWL its own water supply. Any legislation
permitting private ownership should be annulled.
In this last paragraph Governor Roosevelt dis
tinct1y recommends the annulrnent Of the char
ter Of the Ramapo Water Company. There are
eminent organization Republicans who are said
10 have been much annoyed that Governor
Roosevelt made this recommendation. Just as
earnestly as the Tammany Hall leaders they
desire the Ramapo Water Company TO be pre-
served.
Assemblyman Demarest Of Rockland County.
the one introduce a bill 10 repeal the
charter Of the Ramapo Company The Tam
many Hall authorities Of New-York have not
shown any desire here that such a bill should
| be passed. Nor it be said that many or
ganization Republicans have shown interest in
the measure.
| OTHER MEASURES AGAINST RAMAPO.
Two other measures designed to prevent the
execution OF a contract with the Ramapo Water
Company have been introduced One Of them
was submitted by Assemblyman Fallows, and
it reads as follows:
It shall not be lawful for the Commissioner Of
Water Supply 10 enter into any contract what
ever with any person or corporation engaged
in the business Of supplying selling water
for public or private use and consumption, IN
less, preliminary TO the execution Of the con-
tract, the assent Of the Board Of Public I'm
provements and the approval Of the Board of
I Estimate and Apportionment, together with the
authority Of the Municipal Assembly, expressed
by us resolution or ordnance ordered by a vote
I of three-fourths of the members elected TO said
Municipal Assembly. after submission TO said
Boards and said Municipal Assembly OF the
/ proposed contract in all its details, shall be
given by resolution TO the execution of such
contract as submitted, and II shall not be law
department thereof. TO make any contract
/ touching or relating 10 the public water supply.
and especially the increase thereof. with any
! person or corporation whatsoever, save in
cordance with the provisions and requirements
Of this act, which said provisions and require
ments are hereby declared 70 establish the ex-
elusive rule for the making Of such contracts
The design of this bill is evident; il puts W
such bars to the Ranapo Water Company's get
ting the contract that it is not believed that it
could secure it The Board Of Estimate and Ap-
portionuent, it is argued, would not give its
consent 10 the making of such q contract.
ACTION OF MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION.
The other bill was drawn up by the attorneys
Of the Merchants Association and was intro
duced by Assemblyman Morgan, Of Kings
County. The Merchants Association is expend-
ing $4,000 in { careful Investigation Of the
possible sources Of water supply for New-York.
It's engineers are now il the Adirondack region
making survey Of its streams watersheds and
reservoirs. When this investigation is COM
pleted the authorities of New-YOrk and the
people Of New-York will be in possession Of more
facts about watersheds and the amount Of
water in streams flowing into the Hudson River
than have ever before been gathered together in
one volume
The officers OF the Merchants Association be-
neve that one method Of preventing the making
Of contracts with private water companies like
the Ramapo Water Company is TO so revise the
laws Of the State as to give New-York a chance
10 secure by condemnation water rights which
she needs.
PROVISIONS OF MORGAN BILL
The bill which Assemhlynan Morgan has in
troduced, therefore, provides. that the Commits
sioner of Water Supply Of New-York with the
approval OF The Board Of Public improvements
shall have power throughout the State of New
York TO select and TO determine all sources Of
water supply that may be needed for the supply
. of the waterwOrks" Of New-York. The bill then
says:
my sources Of water so selected and de-
termined by him shall be deemed necessary for
thereupon with the approval OF the Board Of
Public improvements and Of the Board of Esti-
mate and ApporuonmeuL, together with the
authority OF the Municipal Assembly expressed
by its resolution or ordinance. il shall be lawful
for the city Of New-York to acquire by con-
domination any real estate or any interest therein
that may be necessary in order 70 acquire the
sole and exclusive property IN such source or
sources Of water supply, and 10 wholly exLin-
guiSh the water rights of any other. person or
corpora ton therein, with the right TO lay relay.
repair and maintain conduits and water pipes
with the connections and fixtures on the lands Of
others, the right intercept and TO direct
flow of waters from the lands OF riparian owners,
and from persons owning or interested in any
water, and the right 20 prevent the flow or