The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-05-04
W. D. Edwards Explains
What Mr.. Flynn Wants
Modified in the
Contract.
DOES NOT AFFECT SPECIFI CATIONS
Simply a Change in the Way
the Plans Are to Be
Carried Out.

The Street and Water Board held a
special meeting last night for the pur-
pose of listening to Water Supply Con-
tractor P. t. Flynn or his representatives
and to ascertain exactly what was want
ed and what terms he would offer the
city a guarantee that the city would
not lose anything in case it granted his
requested modification of the water sup
ply contract. The meeting was held in
the Assembly Chamber and was open to
the public. Colonel Robert G. Smith, the
president of the Board, presided.
Commissioner HeintZe, as chairman of
the committee in charge of the water
supply contract, explained the object of
the meeting. Mr.. Flynn was represented
by his counsel ex-senator William d.
Edwards. There were also present the
water contract committee and other
members of the Board of Trade. includ-
ing President Mount, Joseph A. Dear, DR..
j.. j. Gordon, Joseph Anderson and o.
Lohson. Garwood Ferris, engineer of
construction of the new works. and Ed
low w. Harrison were among those pres
ent. Altogether there were about fifty
citizens present.
Ex-senator Edwards, as Mr.. Flynn's
representative, stated that Jersey City
entered into contract for new water
supply on February 2S, 1899, the water to
be supplied from the Rockaway River,
the only available source. The plan con-
templated, he said, was for the whole
flow of that river and for Jersey City to
withdraw therefrom a maximum quantity
of 790o0,0O0 gallons daily. He declared
that it was a matter of indifference to
the city what the flow will be so long
as the supply of 7000O,000 gallons is pro-
vided. The capacity of the river, he said,
was far greater than was calculated; that
instead of the estimated 81, 100000 gallons
4 was 10S,000,000 gallons. He impressed
upon the minds of his hearers that the
water shed was capable of giving all the
water contracted for and explained the
power rights of the Society for Useful
Manufactures and other organizations
whose rights had been bought up. The
only other place where water is drawn
from the shed, he said, is at old Boonton
which feeds the Morris Canal between
Pompton and Boonton. The Morris Canal
Company, he said, had contended for
over sixty years that it took no more
water at Boonton than it poured into the
Rockaway River at Dover. In the course
OF eight miles, from Lake Hopatcong to
Dover, where the river and canal blend,
if it took out 10000. 600 gallons at Boonton
it put back 100000 gallons at Dover. It
was a matter of surprise, he insisted
when it was found by Mr. Flynn that
he could not live up to the technical
terms of the contract. Still the supply
was ample for Jersey City.
We have tested it." he said, engineers
have tested it. We still have the stipu-
lated supply. even allowing the Morris
Canal twice as much as it draws to be
drawn out. If Jersey City drew up to the
top of the notch, even in dry weather.
there would not be day that Jersey
City could not be furnished with so, 600 900
gallons or 100000 gallons when the dam
at Boonton is completed. We went to
the Morris Canal Company. They said
they couldn't sell. We said, You could
if you wanted to- They advised US to go
down to the Legislature and have the
canal condemned. We offered them
100000 for it. The Legislature did not
allow the company to abandon the canal.
When we went to the financiers for
money they said they could not grant it
on account of a technicality that might
invalidate the contract. We could fight
the canal company in the courts. That
would require a year or so. When we
went to the Legislature some of the legis-
lators said there was a 'nigger in the
woodpile.' 1 was inside. I couldn't see
any 'nigger.' .
Prompted by Engineer Harrison, Mr.
Edwards said the city might build the
works but it could not issue the bonds
for payment.
Mr.. Edwards read the act passed by
the Legislature giving the city authority
to modify the contract with the consent
of both parties
1T is not a question of quantity or
quality demanded by the original con-
tract" he said 1--WE don't ask to cut
down the size of the reservoir. We ask
for no concession of water, but that a
flow of the Rockaway River, less such
amount as is now drawn rightfully or
svrongfully by sthe canal company until
such time as we can acquire the waters
used by the canal, shall suffice for the
contract, provided we furnish the stipu-
lated number of gallons. You can with
hold such money as may be agreed upon
until such time as by legislation, htiga-
tson or contract we can secure the water
used for canal purposes; but when we do
deliver the plant we want our money.
we simply want you to relieve
us from an inpossibiity. If we
should abandon The construction of the
plant you could not complete the work.
We are willing to enter litigation with
out expense to the city or TO go 10 the
Legislature for relief. We want to get to
work. You are getting a better bargain
than you had any idea Of No city with
In a radius CT several hundred miles will
have a better or cheaper water supply
We don't ask you to release us from
furnishing one quarter of a gallon less
than the amount stipulated in the con-
tract. But under the existing circum-
stances the contract should be modified
Mr.. Edwards emphasized the fact that
there was no desire whatever to change
any of the essential features of the con
tract. or to change the plan and scope OF
the work as outlined in the specifications
and as now in course OF construction or
the ground The only desire for modi-
dcation was to overcome a technical OBJ
lection which had been raised to the
r,arasecaegv of the proposal. in which i
rss stated that the whoIe flow Of the
1iocszaway River wvs lsl5utary te
tne storage reservoir Old Boonton;