The Jersey City news., 1902-02-05

The Board Of Street and Water Commits
s.oners met yesterday Afternoon in the
city Hail. The follosging report of Gar
wood Ferris, engineer in charge of the
new water works, was. received
During January tha headings IN
feet, making a total exc4yated of 5,177
fest cut of a required length Of I2l2
feet. In the same period "a feet of
brick masonry arch was turned, maxi
ing a total completed of LILO feet out
OF a total required length of about
400 feet. From the foregoing it will
be. seen that the masonry work in tun-
mel was practically suspended during
the month, though day by day a re-
sumption was looked for. At the end
of January ] learned from the con-
tractor that he would probably resume
construction Of that part Of the work
about the middle of February The
two Inspectors detailed on this work
have applied for leave of absence.
without pay, for two weeks from Feb,
ruary l, which under the csrcum-
stances has been granted. Cons.ruc-
fion work in January was limited to
the foregoing.
The COMMITTEES of the Whole flied re-
port on the condition Of the water ac-
count. which was accompanied by rs-
port of his stewardship as Water Super-
vlsor by George 7. Bouton. The reports
follow
From time to time public attention fs
directed to statements made In the public
press and elsewhere that while this Board
pays but Ss5 per million gallons for the
water required for the various needs Of
this municipality, 1t resells the same wa
ter at largely increased price. variouslv
quoted at from s125 to $50 per million gal
Ions. and that as a consequent. the wafer
department should not only be self-sus-
tanning but that handsome surplus rev
eaLe should be provided. When these
statements are clearly of partisan char
acter or when they are made BY needless
or vicious individuals who either know
not or care not for the truth a. sufficient
and convincing answer while desired Nv
the Board to be made was an undertak-
ing entailing so much delving into and
oyerhauling Of records, comprehondlnp
the going over IN detail Of SO many jte,,.s
Included in the work of an entire Yea,
that the task was not attempted. A care-
less or vicious man can in d moment with
a pot of wet paint so besmirch the cloth
Ing Of passef-by, that days Of labor
would be required to restore the cloth 10
It's true color, hut when the Mayor Of the
city will publicly commit himself to d
Statement Of the character indicated, a
statement which we believe to be fall
;scious. It would seem that the time had
arrived when in justice to ourselves and
the public detailed showing should be
made OF the facts.
The Water Department is not that
thing Of financial strength that we would
like, but It's present status Is very largely
due to conuitions beyond os:r control and
which are gone into with great detail by
the former Supervising Clerk of this de-
parfment In a statement just made pubic.
10 order TO make a proper comparison.
Ne VIII assume that the daily consump-
fiop Of water last year averaged $4,000
gallons We make the figures round ONES
5r order 10 simplify the caiculation.
4e1Iy consurnpttop to this extent would
7 p<x3uce yearly agg sega1e OF eleven BIZ
& |11a0 xoer hundred ty-eisht million