New-York tribune., 1901-01-31
SEES RAMAPO'.S HAND IN 1T
MIR DE BERARD TELLS MIR COIER CITY
Is COMMITTED TO TEN MILE
HOUSATONIC Project.

Controller Coler received letter from Freder-
ick De Berard, of the Merchants Association
yesterday, in reference to the Ramapo rights
and other water rights. The letter was in part
as follows:
-, As you viii recall. at your request we inserted in
charter a clause permitting the city 10 acquire
lands and water rights by purchase in adjacent
TO permit the possible adoption of the Ten Mile
@ River and Housatoaic River project in case other
doubtless desirable in several respects its adop-
the benefit OF speculative interests unless prScau-
tons against that result have already been taken
mprobaby the Ramapo Water Company already
coiniland i the SITUATION You doubtless know that
tnlS company mas options on the essential water
rights OF the Ten Mile River. These the city NAV
utility, unless conjoined with those OF the adjacent
H0nSat1nic Valley in the State of Connecticut,
to exact.
For about three years agents have been
seeking options in water rights In that section
Two of them have said to me that they were
acting for the city. Their statements need CON
frmation. as prominent city official has init
mated to that the citys interests are no,
well protected. If il transpiTes that the city
does not control the options, which it must have
to guard against eXtortiOn; that city officials in
February, 1898 matured the plan for adoption.
and their speculative interests then began and
have since completed corner in the Con-
necticut water rights: in that case that pro-
vision suggested by you which enables the CITY
to buy such cornered water rights in Connecticut
should be withdrawn from the Morgan bill.
The relations of the Ramapo Water Company To
this matter should he fully shown. If that com
pany holds the water rights of the Housatonic
Valley, there are conclusive why the
Legislature should strip ii of it's excessive
powers by repeating Chapter 9SJ, Laws of lS!l1
They proceed from the fact that the city has al
ready been put into position where il may
very readily he coerCed into buying Housatonic
water rights from the Ramapo Water Company
at Connecticut prices
This situation was brought about by action
Of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment
which Board the week before last appropria ted
81 .23S 600 for q storage reservoir on the
Cross River branch of the CrOtOn system This
large outlay is seemingly to increase the water
supply from the present CrOtOn system. 1t is
in reality a first investment of S1,2J0Oo0 in the
Ten Mie-Hcusatonic project. definitely commits
the city to that project. and makes the city
compulsory buyer of Connecticut water rights.
1t is still possible to recede because the outlay
has not been actually made. but only author
lied. Once paid over the city will be tied to
the Ten Mile -Housa tonic scheme
II Is obvious however that the proposed
Cross River reservoir is almost useless as a
part solely of the present Croton system. But
il is not useless If the Ten Mile River be in part
turned into the Croton. Then the drainage of
the Cross River may be stored by its own reser-
voir, thereby enabling the Croton reser-
Vor below to receive equal quantity from
another source. The only other source avail
able is the Ten Mile River. Hence II follows
that the Sl.21OtDo to be spent on the Cross
River is either practically wasted or Is a first
step toward leading the city to the Connecticut
line, tying Il there hard and fast. and making
it drink Connecticut water of great price
An effort made to see Controller Coler last
night, but 1t was futile