The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-02-09

Of a new water supply for Jersey City
and conformably with which a CONTRACT
was awarded and works are being built
the city was permitted TO exercise one
of several options, which by the lapse Iol
time have now been reduced to two. The
co-official differences which existed as to
the wisdom of declaring an option Tor a
seventy million gallon plant has resulted
in eliminating that option as possibility,
and on behalf of the Board OF street and
Water Commissioners / will not further
refer to it at this time.
1.-The retaining options can be best I'M
derstood If quoted directly from the pro-
posal of the contractor. thus:-
s.First-For the water works and all the
appurtenances thereof necessary TO fulfill
the requirements of said specifications to
the extent of fifty million gallons of water
daily, together with the water supply,
water rights, lands, reservoir sites, rights
of way and all easements necessary to
fulfill the requirements of said Specifica-
tins and to the extent of seventy million
gallons of water daily forever, which
purchase can be made by the city when
the water works are completed and ac-
cepted hereunder; provided, that the city
shah give notice of its intention to pur-
chase within one year after the date of
contract, for the sum of 81, ,595, 600.
In connection with the specifications
this means that while the reservoirs and
pipe line shall be sufficient to deliver fifty
million gallons daily, the storage capacity- !
of the water shed shall be capable of pro-
ducing seventy million gallons daily, and
all masonry, conduits and tunnel work
from the intake at Boonton to the point
of delivery at Jersey City shall be origi-
nally built with a carrying capacity of
seventy millions.
'fSecond-Tne option is Identical with
the first in providing how the work shall
be built but it presumes that the works
will not be purchased on completion, but
that a period of five, ten or fifteen years
will elapse before purchase, and that dur
ing such period the city shall purchase
water from the contractor by the mIllion
gallons.
the option TO purchase is not exercised
within one year from date of contract the
city shall pay for the works, when they
are accepted, the sum of 100000 addition
al, or s7,995,Oo0.
1.-THE privilege given to the city to exer-
else the first option will expire by imita-
tion on the 28th day of this month. ani if
the option is not exercised we will be COM
PEELED to purchase water by the million
gallons for a period of at least five years
and possibly ten or fifteen years, at the
price quoted by the contractor aad when
the works are subsequently accepted Of
they ever can be) we must pay 100000
more than if the option is now exercised.
This is the issue to be decided next
'i1 Shall the works be accepted on COM
pletion and after satisfactory test, at the
pupchase l!s sse price Of TSs5' coo, OF nov for
such delay the sum of s400, 900. and, during
an interum of at least five and possibly
ten or fifteen years or more, purchase Wa
ter by the million gallons?
after careful consideration of the
question. the city officials are confirmed
in the belief that the best interest of the
that option which provides for the pGr-
chase of the works on completion for the
sum of 81 ,595, 900, and strong in that belief
they have as precautionary measure al
ready served a preliminary notice to such
effect on the contractor which notice.
however, will be without force unless the
people will by their votes indicate concur
renceS.
'sIt will be observed that both specifi-
cations and award of contract contain
the words when the water works are
completed the purpose being that a sat
isfaetory test should precede the payment
of dollar of purchase money. and this
is embodied in the sixth section OF the
contract in the following Words
:. Tt is understood and agreed that In
case the city shall give notice within
one year from the date of this contract
of its intention to purchase said water
supply and water works under SAID specl-
ficaltions when the water works are COM
pIeted and accepted, that then the city
shall have such reasonable time to test
said works and the water supply after
completion and before the acceptance
thereof for purchase, as Jersey CITY may
deem necessary Sand reasonable for that
purpose; provided. said test shall not ex-
TEND beyond a period of four years and
eleven months from the date OF this con-
tract.
to effectually meet the objection of any
Individual who may be fearful that there
will be unloaded on the city an untested,
and unsatisfactory properly;
sCity interests demand that we should
he nut in possession of the works at the
earliest possible time, but that demand
is not so strong as to preclude the max
ing of most thorough test before hnal
an support of the stand taken by the
city officials I would quote few facts
and figures. -
"The daily consumption Of water 4. IS
now about thirty million gallons daily
rather more than less.
s4Within the last two weeks the con-
sumption has varied from thirty-one 70
thirty-fve Millions. -.
.sWlln partial system OF meterlng, lhis
may be reduced somewhat
but as the new works will not be com
nleted within two years, the natural m
crease of consumption during tnat & psrioa
will warrant the assumption that a
thirty million gallon basis is very iair
one on which to figure -.
s1Fhe contractors price for the nrst
twenty-five million gallons IS soo per MI III
lion gallons and for the additional fve
million gallons, $34 per million; thus 20
,n,1itinlied by 36 EQUALS $500; plus 5 multi
n1ied by "a equals $170, or $1,070 per day,
which multiplied by 1855 days shows the
annual cost for water if taken by the MIL
lion gallons, to be 1890, 800.
"As against this we will have pond
issue of S7,595, 600, for which interest must
he nrevided: and while some able
financiers have ventured the opinion that
such an issue could be hoated on three
and a half per cent. basis, we Will 1or
the purposes of comparison assume tnat
the rate of interest to be paid by the CITY
will be four per cent, or an aggregate
of s3O3. 800, to which sum must be added
works, liberal allowance for Wfalcn is
$50, 900 per annum., or total cost Tor
interest and maintenance, $3.50, 800
1.-THE city would thus at modest eStl-
mate. save in cash at,least $36, 750 annual
w.. 1t would have at practically no cost,
a daily surplus of 20,000,000 gallons OF
water to either use, sell or give away, and
1t would save $400,000 on the purchase price
of the works.
ssThe presentation of the subject which
has Just been made is for the city.
would now as an Individual call attention
to matter which would seem to me to
be of vital Importance.
"The law permitting the submitting to
the people of the question of acceptance
served its complete purpose when tho
people had once voted to accept or reject
and that while an affirmation by vote on
the purchase of the plant would insure
its becoming the property of the city, to
negative such purchase would compel the
city to continue to purchase by the million
gallons either forever, or until such time