The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-05-28
wards said Mr.. Flynn did not desire any


wards said Mr.. Flynn did not desire any
more delay than was necessary.
Mayor Hoos asked the members of the
Board of Trade if they. individually,
wanted the contract modified.
Mr.. Dear stated that that was the
unanimous wish Of the Board of Trade
as expressed at a largely attended meet.
ing last night; ''but, of course, with GER
tain reservations he added
Mr. Condict satd:-"We have oppcr-
tunities to make the amendments. Why
not make them now?'
But your resolution says the city
should hold back more than s9O0,ooo, said
Mayor Hoos. Now you want the con-
tract modified
Under certain conditions which we have
stated" interrupted Mr.. Dear. II be-
Heve," he said. ''that in all this discus
sion there has been no intimation of job
or private profit City authorities have
the entire confidence of the Board of
Trade"
Mr.. Carey said the authorities had the
right to modify the contract. The ques-
ton now was one of expediency. Even
if we don't modify" he said, I'VE have
no. further guarantee than we had un-
der the original contract The modifica-
ton will not lessen his liability to fur
nish the stipulated number of gallons.
The objections are merely technical. The
city can't get any more under the pres
ent contract"
Commissioner Hauck said if the city
furnished the work it could not obtain
1.-The whole flow of the Rockaway any
more than Mr.. Flynn could.
Mr.. Speer said he and Mr.. Carey had
devoted two whole days to the legal
aspect of the case and had found that
everything Mr.. Flynn had asked for was
legal. Then he went to men who were
rabid in their objections to the rfoposed
modification, "men,'' he said, who talk
war and riot" and he had been unable
to find a single one who advanced a rea-
sonable objection. He said he did not be-
lieve in allowing "phantoms" to stand in
the way of the city securing its new
water supply-"phantoms that might be
observed by our great-grandchildren
with gaping eyes, This, he said, was
absurd. The notifications, under certain
restrictions, he said, with some warmth,
should be made and made quickly, instead
of ''stewing' around as had been done
for fear that some one would jump up
and holler Sob 1--WE should have no
more of this. The element now is ex-
pediency, no more mouthing and mere
breathing, but we must do something
Mayor Hoos also grew warm as he re-
piled to Mr.. Speer He said the fault was
entirely with Mr.. Flynn and not with the
city officials. The question had been all
along with the officials, why is Mr..
Flynn SO solw?'' They had been left in
doubt as to whether the contract would
be completed at the specified time. Then
they heard a story about no money. This,
he said, was for time hushed up. The
city meanwhile was lying dormant about
the matter. The city officials knew that
work at Boonton was progressing too
slowly and that the contractor was idle.
The officials, he declared, should not be
criticized for their action. At the con-
clusion of his speech, he said: Now, Mr.
Edwards, defend yourself
Il want to defend myself first" inter-
rupted Mr.. Speer. 81 haven't charged the
officials with being responsible for all the
delay I only point out the matter of
expediency. 1 believe the Mayor and the
Boards have used their utmost endeavors
to have the work prosecuted; but having
canvassed the matter thoroughly and with
all the information CLEANED it is time now
to act and to act quickly"
Mr. Edwards pointed out that the pro-
posed modification would not release the
contractor from furnishing the amount
and quality of water and character of
construction of the works stipulated in the
original contract it being stipulated "the
contractor being and remaining duly
bound to furnish Jersey City with 10000
600 gallons and a plant capable of de-
livering 5O,000,000 day.
Mr.. Edwards then went on to reply to
the charges that nothing had been done
on the works by the contractor. He said
the contractor had secured Sc per cent.
of the rights to the Rockaway's flow, so
per cent. of the right of way, go per cent.
of all the required lands; that thirty per
cent of the pipes had been lain and 43
per cent. of the tunnel cut through, and
80 per cent. of work on the dam was COM
pleted.
He said that the officials could point
TO no similar work of any magnitude
upon which as much progress had been
made in the same time. He mentioned
the Creton and the Newark aqueducts
Nevertheless, William, you are be-
hind,' said Mr. Midlige.
"Yes," replied Mr.. Edwards, "about
three months
retired the subcommittee of the city
authorities went into executive session.
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