New-York tribune., 1900-03-27
PRICE THREE CENTS.
MORGAN BILL AMENDED.
RESULT OF MERCHANTS ASSOCIATIONS
FIGHT AGAINST RAMAPO.
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR
SION BUGABoO REMOVED.
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE.


welt with a large number Of engineers to-day.
who have been surveying the available sources
Of water supply for New-York City and ex-
hibited maps showing the result OF this survey.
The maps also indicated that New-York City.
despite the Ramapo Water Company could OBJ
tain water supply in certain Adirondack
counties. in the Catskin Mountain region and
in the Ramapo River region. in RockIand and
Orange counties
AS the result of this inspection OF the MAPS
the representatives of the Merchants Associa-
tion drew up bill indicating three watersheds
from which New-Yor may take water. and the
bill of Assemblyman Morgan now before the
Assembly amended to give New-York
City the right TO take water from any one OF
these watersheds. Whether the bill will pass
at this late hour in the session is problematical.
The provisions of the measure have been
drawn with the special purpose of meeting the
outcry raised against the original bill by the up
State members. These objections were based
the idea that If the charter of New-York was
so amended as to give the right Of eminent do
main and the power to condemn unused lands
for water purposes the original Morgan bill
provided, there would arise a rowing commits
sion, which might prove menace to the country
districts AS the bill stands. II applies only
to belt of eleven counties extending northward
along the western side OF the Hudson River as
far as the Adirondacks
The bill provides that this belt shall be divided
into three groups. The OF of these VIII
exclude the other two. The Legislature, accord
ingly, is to decide which is 10 be chosen
Accordingly the first group is TO include Rock
land and Orange counties the second Albany.
Schoharie. Greene. Delaware and Ulster coun-
| ties. and the third, Adirondack region. the
| counties Of Essex Hamilton, Warren, Fulton
and Saratoga.
CERTAIN LAKES EXEMPT.
| In relation to the last group. however. the bri
expressly stipulates that the Commissioner of
Water Supply of New-York is forbidden to
lect as such of water supply Lake
| George, Lake Champlain any of their tribu-
! taries. the Mohawk or its tributaries.
The bill further provides for the transporta-
tion of water through intermediate counties. To
| this end, therefore. the city of New-York Is to
have the right to acquire by condemnation lands
for such purposes in any other county coun-
ties through which it may be necessary to pass
in conducting waters to the city.
| To protect the land of the people Of what
| ever district the people of New-York shall
| choose to select water source there Is a
special provision. This clause was also con-
| tanned in the former bill. but seemed TO be
| overlooked by those who said they were so
afraid of rowing commission" According TO
| this provision the city of New-YOrk shall not
| have power to acquire extingush the water
| rights in actual at the time OF the initia-
| tion of proceedings of condemnation. either for
| the supply of the waterworks of any other city
or village or which in the opinion of the court
| on such proceedings may reasonably become
necessary for such a supply
The last section of the amended bill reads
follows
Nothing in this section contained shall be
| deemed in any manner to limit or affect the
| rights property rights power, or Jurisdiction
ed bI- PitV of Ney-YOrk in rela-
ton TO the possession. maintenance. operation
or completion of its present water system
CONFERENCE WITH THE GOVERNOR
The Governor expressed his approval Of the
bill after an extended conference with a dele
CATION from the Merchants Association this
morning. The delegation consisted of Rudolph
Herring e P. North. D. Men. Stauffer and E.
E. Olcott; James H. Fuertes, the expert en-
gineer employed by the Subcommittee on En-
gineering to investigate the sources Of future
water supply for the city; John NJ Perry or thS
Subcommittee Legislation; NJ l. Bannin.
chairman of the General Committee on Water
Supply: AssembIyman ]. II. Morgan, VINO IN
troduced the bill known by his name; William
F. King, president of the Merchants Associa-
ton: s Cristy Mead. assistant secretary or the
Merchants Association, and VINO is also sscrs-
tarv of the Committee on Water supply FRED
erick B. De Berard, who is assistant 10 the cnaIr
man of the Water Supply Committee, anu seCre go,
tary of the subcommittee on EnSineeIihs anu
n Flanter and William r COr"ile' Oi Iie N''oi
chants Association
Senator Krum of Schoharie County. and Sem
ator Brown of jefferson County, happened 10
he in the executive chamber at the time sen
ator Brown expressed himself as in favor OF the
In speaking of which group OF counties the
legislature would doubtless select. Mr.. De
Berard a member OF the Merchants Associa-
ton, said:
TT is my opinion that the middle circle OF
counties is preferable. This comprises the coun-
ties of Albany. Schoharie Greene, delaware
In
waste water TO supply the city. This water
comes down the mountains in times OF freshet.
and now pOurS In great volumes into the Huc-
son River. Instead this can De stored IN reser-
voirs and used as the needs Of New-YOrk City
demand In such it would be necessary TO
filter the water. as II would be muddied from
rushing over mountain channels.
The representatives OF Greene and Schoharfe
counties in the Assembly are both In favor OF
the Morgan bill. They are Assembymen sage
and Frsbie
framed in the executive chamber. which pre-
sented picturesque appearance at noon. There
was big table in the centre OF the room. and
upon this were spread out a dozen large maps
of the counties of NeW-1ork along the water
shed of the Hudson River
Governor Roosevelt and a group or members
OF the Merchants Association and engineers
stood about these maps closely examining them.
| Certain territory the maps was marked on
| with bright cOlored inks. and thus the water
| sheds desired were indicated. AT Governor
| ROCseVelt'S special table, AsSemplynah
/ Morgan was busy writing in amendments TO his
| bill which had met with the approval OF Gov
| ernor Roosevelt and the members OF the Mer-
! chants Association and their engineers. denn-
/ ing the watersheds 10 be taken
| Governor Roosevelt informed the newspaper
| correspondents when they were admitted 70
/ what had hitherto been a secret conference that
| the men of the Merchants Association had come
| 10 Albany with eminent engineers and had
\ pointed out by means of the maps displayed