New-York tribune., 1901-01-23
DELAY FOR RAMAPO.
.,r-TFRBACH WINS POINT AT THE
ASSEMBLY HEARING.
r.-ER COMPANY's FRIENDS ACCUSED OF
TlPERILLING CITYs HEALTH
FOR PRIVATE GAIN

,onnany struggled for its life to-day before
.hs Assembly Committee on Cities, appealing to
.ts committee, through Edward Lauterbach not
- cu- of its chief asset of value, namely. the
,-aat rights il enjoys under the bill passed in
a.. favor in 1895. Assemblyman Morgan's bill
.onesling that law of 1895 was before the COM
r,ittee for consideration. and was receiving not
a,lv his support but that Of William F. King
IA other officers Of the Merchants Association
:, New-York who were present.
NJ Morgan also introduced to-day an amend
,csrt to The Constitution favored by the Charter
Revision Commission permitting New-York TO
exceed its debt limit when II is necessary to
secure a larger supply of water. Assemblyman
everett Of Putnam County, added additional
interest 10 the NewYork water problem by in
,roducng a bin which will increase the taxes
New-York at present pays on its aqueduct lands
an the counties OF New York westchester and
Putnam
WOULD GIVE CHEAP MOTIVE POWER.
When Mr.. Lauterbach went before the com
-,ittee he said that the Ramapo Water Company
had been grossly maligned and publicly cen
sured. although at bottom it was entirely inno-
cent Of every charge which had been brought
against it. Continuing his arguments in be-
half Of the Ramapo company he said:
one great blessing the Ramapo Water Com
many would bring TO the city Of New-York
would be cheap motive power supplied from
Uatersheds. Great benefit has been obtained by
ibe city Of Buffalo from such power generated
BY Niagara Falls. Such a benefit would be
bestowed by the RamapO Water Company upon
the city Of New York, unless it's existence is
terminated by such bill as the one before you.
The chief argument which Mr.. Lauterbach
recurred 10 again and again was that the char
te- Of the company which the Morgan bill will
repeal does not confer any more power on the
Ramaro company than the General Transporta-
ZION act Mr. Lauterbach said he had no OBJ
lection 10 the other bill Of Mr. Morgan, which
permits New-Yors City to own its water sup
ply and water rights not likely to affect any
other community.
HAS CORNER IN WATER,
Don't extinguish u.s." shouted Mr.. Lauter-
bach al the end of his speech. BY this time he
had worked himself up 10 great state of ex-
element. You may need us" he said You
may need US next year. or the year after. You
have got 10 have water, and we've got it. We've
got the finest supply of water in the State.
Don't destroy u.s. NewYork may meet ter
rible emergency. and viii be doomed TO destruc
tion for lack Of water. unless the Ramapo Water
Company stands ready to help them out
What has the Ramapo Water Company done
that it should be killed? Has IL bribed any
hody? Has il committed any crime? No. And
its charter will not be repealed You cannot.
YOU will not repeal it
Arthur J. Baldwin counsel for the Merchants
Association, combated Mr Lauterbachs argu-
ments,
OPTIONS IN TWENTY COUNTIES.
why DO you want 10 repeal this charter. Mr..
Baldwin," asked Chairman Kelsey. IF the other
Morgan bill permitting New-York TO own its
own water supply is passed?"
Because this company has obtained rights
AMY
IN the State possesses. This company has gone
ahead with its unusual prerogatives and OBJ
tainea options in from sixteen TO twenty coun-
ties so that If NeW-1ork City should suddenly
face water famine it could only go TO the
Rsmapo people for their water, 10 these phllan-
thropic people who have been working all these
last thirteen years 70 obtain such powers. We
want the Ramapo Company simply placed on
level with other water companies. where II was
before this charter was granted it."
T. ". Hendricks, a member Of the Merchants
Association. was the next speaker and created
s considerable sensation by saying that the
shortages of water experienced last summer and
former summers in Brooklyn, The Bronx and
Manhattan had been caused in part, II not
wholly, by men interested in the Ramapo Water
Company. These men, he said, were Wiling
10 sacrifice the health and even the life Of the
city's inhabitants for the purpose Of foisting
a huge contract on the city which would re-
suit 10 their private gain
said that the brief which he wished 10 submit
10 the committee was in such a dsarranged con
dtion that he would need two weeks to get II
into shape. His request for delay was granted
before the representatives Of the Merchants As
ISOLATION woke up to the tactics Of their op-
ponent. In consequence Of Mr.. Lauterbachs s
sdroit move the bill will now lie dormant In
committee for the next two weeks, when IT may
he expected that the RamapO attorney will
again cast about him for a further postpone
ment
WATER SUPPLY AMENDMENTS.
An amendment 20 the Constitution recon-
,nended by the New-York Charter Revision
Commission was presented by Assemhlyman
Morgan to-day Ii amends Section 10 Of Arti-
Gle VII so as 10 provide that the debt limit
provision Of the Constitution shall not apply to
money expended by New-York to provide for
an increased supply of water. This amend
ment is favored by Controller Coler, on the
ground that the city derives an income from its
vaterworks. and that no permanent debt there
fore is esta blished by expending money 10 III
crease the water supply.
Assem- blyran Everett, Of Putnam county, IN
troduced an amendment to the charter OF New
York City to-day. which says 'tne l@los heIeto
fore taken or 70 be taken for storage reservoirs
or for other constructions necessary Tor the
Introduction and maintenance or suIhclehs
supply Of water in the city shall be assessor
an6 taxed in the counties in which they are OF
may he located in the manner prescribed Dy
law" This seems TO point TO an Increased taxa
ton Of these lands for the law At present says
such auueduct lands shall be taxed at the Kalue
OF the lands exclusive Of the aqueducts ana the
construction and works necessary Tor lts pur-
poses provided that the assessed value or the
SAID lands shall not exceed the assessed Eaius
OF the lands in the immediate neighborhooa
thereof"
MANHATTANS TAX MUST STAND