New-York tribune., 1902-06-29
URGES NEW DEPARTMENT
porGHERTY WOULD HAVE HIS SPLIT
IN TWO
THINKS MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP OF GAS
AND ELECTRICITY Is WORTHY OF
CONSIDERATION.

CONSIDERATIONS
J. Hampden Dougherty Commissioner OF
Water Supply, Gas and Electricity, yesterday
presented to Mayor Low his quarterly report
Mr. Dougherty declares that his department Is
siI-constituted and Illogical and that there Is
no apparent relation between the water system
and the gas and electricity jurisdiction OF the
department. He says:
Sound and cogent reasons would have die
tated that if the department were TO be recon-
stituted its work should have been limited to
that of water supply and distribution, and us
Jurisdiction extended over the entire water sys
tenn, even had this involved the abrogaLloh ol
the Croton Aqueduct Commission The depart
1nent, in my Judgment. will never be properIs
constituted until gas and electricity sfaui 'e
eliminated from its control and its powers ex-
tend to all subjects relative to the citys water
supply So great has been found to be the work
added to the departrnent by the annexation of
gas and electricity, and so important are Ihese
bureaus, that am constrained to advocate .ne ne
creation by the next Legislature OF separate
department of gas and electricity. under sep
arate commissioner.
The report says that there is an obvious in
consistency in the provisions Of the law which
on one hand requires that all expenses for the
operation and maintenance OF the Croton water
system and of the water systems in the outlying
boroushs excepting Brooklyn. should be de-
Sraved cut of the annual tax levy, While appro-
priations for the Brooklyn water system are
mainly provided for out Of the Brooklyn water
revenue fund Mr. Dougherty can see no reason
why any part of the expenses of the Croton
water system or of the water systems IN olnei
horoughs should appear in the tax levy al All
The time is ripe, he says, for the establish
ment in the department OF system or DOOR
keeping which shall keep all water revenues
and all disbursements for maintenance. oper-
alton and Improvement, separate and olsuhc'
From, other CITY accounts if the citys water
anendnpnt
separated from other municipal Indebtedness
&C NOT IN he counted in the ten per cent debt
limit.
The work of the department for the first three
months is summarized follows:
First-The passage Of an amendment to the Penal
Code Csection 65lA) making ID II penal 0iisi'e -
Second amendment to Sse.on $40 ansbnE o. me The
Ss9g to raise the rates OF consumer of
metered water to such point that tneg al Ss lsas
ilad the property been subject to frontage rates
,,r ThIRom@psn6fS 4so-o1ph nf The eeB Bronx. a.ei
IrorIrth-Iarge additions TO the water revenues In
ne The gsias aehieTed in The Water Registers Office
the Borough of Manhattan during the nTsI guar
zion If the revenues for the might have been
Saade sonai Water meter inspectors been granted.
Ffhhe Passsge Of bt g putting IN nf
10 condemn the FRANCHISES plant ana St9er Wafer Pafe
sTy Of the MsWa1Tk scisns sno water Service in the
upper 7art of the Borough of The Bronx has been
Of ,soSe.
siath-Aboltion of unnecessary surveys in the
seVenthSLarge reductions in the Brooklyn pay
Eisnfh-Insfitution Of measures for relief Of the
more populous parts of Brooklyn from existing
overhead wire conditions
The Water Registers bureau has been reor-
Eanized, and shows increase Of S12o, 4o6 s., or
more than IL per cent, over the corresponding
period of last year On the subject of gas and
electricity Mr.. Dougherty says that the city
pays to the gas and electric light companies for
lighting its streets, highways, parks and other
public places and public buildings more than
100000 year Continuing. he says:
Unfortunately under existing business condi-
tions the city is subject TO monopoly rates IN
awarding these contracts, for there is no genu-
inc competition for bids. The New-York Edison
Company the Consolidated Gas Company. the
Brooklyn Edison Electric Illuminating Company,
not to speak of other combinations are without
rivals in their particular field. and the city is
forced TO paw whatever price these corporations
decide to charge il. Whether, under such cir
cumstances nunicipalization Of gas and electric
light would not be an advantage Is an inquiry
worth profound consideration If the city's gas
and electric light business We're conducted with
due regard to the city's interests, there would,
think. be but one answer TO the question
The report recommends change in the form
of contract used for gas and electricity. which,
Il says, merits criticism Although the success
III
stand pipes and other fixtures. and to keep them
sn repair for aggregate sum, when the gas
bills are presented for audit they usually
found to contain charges for resetting lamp
posts, repairing lamps, resetting service pipes
and stand pipes. The gas companies contend
that they entitled 10 the amounts charged.
great many lamp posts belonging to the city
have been removed from time TO time, to be re-
placed by different styles, or for other reasons,
and large quantity of the property OF the city
has been collected in the gas companies yards.
Ii impossible, the report says, for the Com
missioner 70 know whether the gas companies
are complying with their contracts or not. since
he has no means of making test of the quality
Of the ess the candle power of the electricity
used
4 contract has been made with the Flatbush
Water Works Company by which it is to supply
hydraat and street sprinkifng service in the
ThirIfeth Ward of Brooklyn for $4,000 ANU
siiy Tor two years, being a reduction Of $4,000
year
The Commissioner has urged appropriations
foT certain improvements in the Brooklyn water
system but the refusal of the Beard OF Estimate
grant his request viii delay this work for an
other year.
he exculpated from all responsibility if disas-
Iroux results should ensue from the refusal Of
the board TO grant these most necessary ap-
sropriafions'
The receipts Of water revenues in Manhat-
tan have been 1861 -,.3 So, an increase over the
corresponding period Of last year of s125.46 9S;
Brooklyn, receipts, S113, ! IL 90. a decrease of
xll3 690 60; Queens receipts S33 9i2 SO, an in
crease of 1871 35- The large receipts In Brook
lyn last year accounted for by the fact
.nRf bills accruing IN 1900 were mailed to
consumers until January, 1901 The total ex-
peniitures Of the department have been
S1.471 .065 So