New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-09-29

Tho plan OF Mayor Lows commission emhraCeI
the utilization Of the upper watersheds Of EsopUs
and Rondout creeks. the Scholars watershed ana
the basin of tho FshkilI and Wappinger creeks. Il
estimated that from these sources 100000
gallons could be supplied daily b. 1929 and that
the completed WORK woul involve expenditure
Of saS.oclo,o
Tho Mayor appointed tomorrow afternoon for
conference with the engineer ana Commissioner Of
Water supply Mr.. RirdsaU said he believed the
work could be done in about gi% Years. Mr. Oakley
not hopeful He thinks ten years better
estimate than six.
The entire Catskin region tc tapped. il his
plan is adopted. SIR. Brdsau says will furnish
900 oCo gallons Of water day OF which 6oo0aooo
can hr delivered t. the city at an elevation 90 $50
feet and 3oHoooOo gallons elevation Of 30 feet
Mr. Birdsan continued.
II is true that recommendations concerning tho
sourcca OF supply which have suggested for use
pointed by Mayor Low think may claim how
ever. that such recommendations were based on
Esopus schohaTte ana ,,liskliy are controlled hy
wise. since the management Of that corporation has
plastered and cornered every available source OF
water supply within hundred miles of Now-York.
William p. King. eN-presdent Of the Merchants
Association. said r"gardns IN" Birdsah plan.
! oose5ve that Commission Gaklcy favor' Oh
public will he certain 10 interpret his at move
for the benefit OF the Eatuapo Water Company.
ton. During the Ramapo night the Merchants As
ISOLATION OF Ncw-lo Investigated the county
oTdS ot every county f. the State. 1t found that at
that time the RamapO Water Company held options
every valuable water privilege IN the Catskiu
gion which Mr. Oakley advocates the source
OF additional water supply.
No more brilliant speculation could 10 conceived
than TO cOrEo~ the water rights upon which city
Ike This must depend. and look 10 tho manipulation
OF the condemnation proceedings for returns /;
the past is any ritar1on by which TO Judge the
future the official friends Of the Ranapo Water
Company Will do that concern very good turn by
selecting the sources which they control
This proceeding is not only unnecessary but II Is
against the professional Judgment and advice OF
the Burr Freeman Herring Commission which has
recommended the waters OF putchess ari Column
bIa counties the first ard most desirable sources.
The city could and should have been IN control %
the necessary source OF water supply IL Duchess
and Columbia counties had the city authorities
seen TT 10 take the proper steps to acquire that
control. Governor Odcli offered to call special
session Of the Legislature 10 pass a law which
would give the city control OF tho surplus waters
of those counties. provided the city would agree
10 protect the existing mill properties in their pres
ent water supply Mr. Freeman. the prominent
Riue.r Of the Burr Frecnan-H Herring Commission.
stated at the hearing before the Governor that IL
the purpose Of the city 20 afford such protec-
uon- Despite this offer OF the Governor and this
assurance by of tho principal engineers.
fTmed at that hearing by the Commissioner OF
Water Supply. the city authorities have since re-
fused 10 I'm that direction. and now choose 10
select a source Of supply open to the suspicion OF
being for the benefit of the Ramapo Water Com
pany