The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-12-12
WATER OUTLOOK.
What Will East Jersey Do
If Our New Plant Is Not
Ready in June?
PRESENT SUPPLY INJURIOUS
Board of Works Resolves to
Compel the Deliverance
of Wholesome Water.

The Street and Water Commissioners
are not at all satisfied with the outlook
for the city's water supply. They have
been notified by the East Jersey Water
Company that the present supply from
that company will cease February, 1902,
and they fear that the new supply from
Boonton will not be ready in time. To
add to the troubles the officials are in
clined to think that the East Jersey Water
Company will play the Shylock act and
exact the pound of flesh by following the
strict letter of the contract and no more,
or, in other words, refuse to sell any
more water to the city.
Yesterday afternoon the Commissioners
at their weekly meeting passed this pre-
amble and resolutions
Whereas, Since the city of Newark
took possession of the waterworks for
merry controlled by the East Jersey Wa
ter Company the latter have been furnish
ing this city with water under the terms
Of the temporary supply contract from a
source other than the Pequannock sup
ply; and
Whereas, 1t has been reported in the
public press that the said company has
made or has been negotiating with the
city of Newark for the surplus waters OF
its supply for the use of other customers
Of SAID company; and
Whereas, There has been some COM
plant both as to the character of the wa
ter lately furnished this city by said
company and as to the source of supply;
Resolved, That this matter be referred
to a committee Of this Board with direc-
tions TO ascertain what steps need be
taken to require the East Jersey Water
Company to furnish the best water OBJ
tainable under the terms of it's contract
with this city and for the protection of
the public health"
In explanation of the action of the
Board Colonel Robert G. Smith, its Presi-
dent, said to a News representative
The water is not in good condition. We
want TO call the attention of the East
Jersey Water Company to that fact and
ask them what they propose to do. We
wish to know if the company is taking
proper precautions to prevent pollution,
and if not we want them to attend to it
Immediately. We are not chemists, but
we believe that the water supplied is not
in condition satisfactory to the people. We
have received complaints about the water
from our citizens and we wish to satisfy
them and the people at large that the
Board of Street and Water Commissioners
are dong their duty vigilantly in this
matter. If this state of things continues
we will seek the aid of chemists to an
aiyze the water. Anyway we mean to
have good water furnished to the city,
Commissioner F. Heintze remarked that
if the East Jersey Water Company re-
fused to continue serving Jersey City with
water after the termination of the con-
tract, in the event of the Flynn water
works not being ready to turn on the new
supply, the courts would protect the city
and compel the East Jersey Water Com
pany to furnish water.
Mr.. Charles l.. Corbin, of the law firm
of Messrs. oCrbin & Corbin, counsel for
the East Jersey Water Co., was seen this
morning, and when the resolutions were
shown to him he smiled and then said
Queer, isn't it, they say the same in
Bayonne? Now if the people would get
the contract, it's on file, and read it, they
would save themselves lot of trouble
That contract sets forth the company s
obligations clearly. Read the contract.
The trouble is certain people jump to all
sorts of conclusions because of newspaper
articles. Read the contract"