The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-02
CREDIT TO RAMAP0 KILLERS.
SOME FOR COLER AND SOME FOR
ODELL, SAYS ". +. MING.
But Why Did Colcr's Feet Grow Gold When
the Amended Morgan Din Of lSOO Was
In IN This city for ApprOvai:-Odeii's
Help Was Tardy. but Very Effective.

William F. King, former president of the
Merchants Association. las undertaken TO
apportion between Bird s. Coler and Gov.
Odell the credit that is due for the defeat
Of the Ramapo grab and the passage Of the
repeal bills by the Legislature in 1900 and
1901. He does this. he say. because state
ments recently made in regard 10 these
matters are hot correct end in Justice to
himself the stan of the Merchants Assoc
citation, its Committee on Water Supply
and those who contributed tie necessary
funds for the investigation and not at the
solicitation Of either political party.
MIR. King goes into the subject at great
length aud sums up his conclusions as
follows:
Mr.. Coler 4. entitled 70 the credit OF holding
up tho stsal when II was before the Board of
Public improyeTents for acton t3srSoon ana
tstinR az The result OF the Investigation and
work Of the association
forcing some OF the majority leaders TO o"ase
obstruction.
To Gov Od.ll belong. tho crcaIt OF the An Al
legislation which restored full powers 10 the
city and DESTROYED RamaDo nv tho repeal Of
1895
The Merchants Associate ion which fought
the Ramapo deal. got its frst tip from
the present City Comptroller. Edward NJ
circuit, who said that he had reason TO
suspect that the Ramapo contract was
merely blind to conceal another big
water job. II was found that from the
beginning Of 1898 alleged agents Of tho city
had been securing options on water rights
in the Ten-Nile -River basin. only sepa-
rated from the Croton hasin by a narrow
ridge. and, according TO rumor. in the adj
loining Eousatonic basin III Connecticut
The presumption arose that some in
terest was confident that the city would
aoon annex the Ten-Mile River TO the
present Croton system and of necessity
seek TO supplement that increase by a
further and ample supply from the Housa-
tonic.
The Falows bill Of 1900 effectively
limited the Water Commissioner powers
Of contract. Mr.. Coler supported it. and
II was passed
The Morgan bill was drafted TO restore
TO the city power 10 condemn water rights
anywhere In the State. The real fight
was on this bill. Repeated conferences
with Gov. Roosevelt. Senator Stranahan,
Chairman Kelsey Of the Assembly Com
mittee and later with Mr.. Odell brought
about a basis for compromise satisfac-
tory to the Republican majority whereby
the passage of the Morgan bill would have
been assured. In this MIR Odell took part
and on behalf ~ the Republican organiza-
Ion expressed MS satlsIaCtlOn.
compromise measure was drawn which
restored to the city of New York the powrs
II condemnation in thirteen specified
counties only. II covered all counties
from which the needed water supply could
be obtained ithout going into other States.
The bill, al amended made impraCticable
the contamination Of any possible pro-
posed speculative job in water rights In the
Housatonic Valley
sUp to that point" saws the statement,
Mr.. Coler had favored the restoration to
the city Of New York of the powers wrong
fully taken from 1t. but Mr.. Coler did not
favor a bill which omitted the counties Of
Westchester, Putnam and Columbia. The
Board OF Public Improvements was re-
quested to pass a resolution approving the
Morgan bill. Mr.. Coler was present at that
meeting and voted against the measure.
Mr.. Coler's vote and his remarks were the
direct cause Of the defeat Of the Morgan
bill in the session Of 1900"
At the beginning Of the session, according
TO the statement, Mr.. Odell gave no
sistance TO the Merchants Associations
Under date Of March 20 a large array of facts,
some Of them OF a confidential nature, was
put at the command of Gov. Roosevelt,
that he might lay them before the leaders
of the party. After these facts had been
submitted to Mr.. Odell ne gave support and
valuable assistance To tho efforts Of the
committee and from that time out As cam
paign manager of the party and as Governor
he promoted the repeal legislation.