New-York tribune., 1905-07-14
WATER PRESSURE LOW
DISTRICTS DESTITUTE.
Staten Island Permits WithdrazUn-
Famine Threatened.

WIN ilS permits TO lay mains connecting
pumping stations at Grant City and Edgewate,
revoked by the city, the Crystal Water Com.
pany, which supplies most of the south shore
of Staten Island is unable to furnish sufficient
pressure. according to its operatives, to send
water through its pipes save to the low lying
districts. and whole towns are practically with
out water. So great is the hardship occasioned
by this condition that public meetings are being
advocated at which the citizens will call on
Mayor Mcclellan to take action looking toward
a municipal water system
Behind this serious condition, which is com
pelling people in TompkinsvilIe Clifton STABLE
ton, Rosebank, Fort Wadsworth and South
Beach TO carry their water from brooks and the
lowest regions to which the pressure will send
the water, and exposes these towns to danger
In case of fire. lies apparently opposition on
the part of the city to the Crystal Water con-
Germ. cambridge Colby. counsel for that COM
pany, said yesterday that while lawsuits to
prevent the laying Of mains had been decided
in the companys favor its permits had been
revoked and renewals We're refused. apparently
because the city eventually intends to acquire
all water plants and sources of water supply
in its limits" To keep out this company now
because its plant might increase in value would
be fallaciOus reasoning. Mr.. Colby said for
whatever value it had now could not be de-
stroyed, and interference with it's service to
the citizens of Staten Island only would cause
needless hardship to them and might in the
end add to the cost II the property were appro-
priated for the city
The company has a large pumping station
near Grant City. On February 1 1t received
permit from the Department of Water Supply
to lay mains through to Edgewater and on
April II the Commissioner of Public Works
was continued until within two days of COM
pletion- Meantime. May II. Borough Presi-
dent Cromwell asked for an injunction restrain
ing the company from laying the mains say
ing that it interfered with the street rights and
on May II Mrs Maris Seaver brought a similar
actor These were argued on June g. and the
motions were denied on July IL
Meantime, however, on June 16, the Depart
neht int.t OF water supply revoked its permit for
Department of Public Works followed suit AS
to this Mr.. Colby said yesterday:
90 not believe the conditions on Staten
1sIaho within the section supplied by the
Crystal Water Company are quite as acute as
the residents think. There is always a normal
uIHAhutlon or water pressure at this season OF
Tue year occasioned by the extra demand on
the Hxed supply and the natural failure during
Lne summer season Of replenshment The
crystal Water Company is able 10 rnaa+ oil
demands put upon It, provided it is permitted
to avail itself Of the copious sources Of v-eter
supply which it owns. 1t is a considerab BILE dis
has
%IIe@ay placed at the disposal of its consumers
lhe new sources of supply acquired MANY
months ago at Grant City
The company is conscious of its dutias &c .
purVeyor of water to the rapidly growing dis
uIct IN staten Island embraced in its franchises
allu ~ III order 10 meet the growing demands upon
II acquired at very considerable COST an hun
can't source Of water supply at Grant Ci+V md
promptly obtained permission from the cttv on,
@ 70 connect this supply with it's pump
ing station have been told by conpetent ex-
Perts that the water at Grant City owned bv
the crystal Water Company, is abundant pure
ana wholesome. In reliance upon the narr,its
the company expended about $4,000 In the
laying or its mains along the Rtchmond Pod
ana elsewhere in order to make this new source
oI supply available to its customers When tts
work was at the point OF completion boUavar
II was interrupted by. suits brought nv Mr.
Stoi5"eIl' PRESIDENT OF the Borough of Rich
iiloHu' ana by Maria Seaver, both of whom sued
Dy the same attorneys, asserting thet thair
iiBntS as owners of property abutting on +bo
@ n@IshWay were being ignored by the company
anu lhat the company's right TO avail itself Of
tnls new supply and TO lay its mains was NOT
GEAR uhder lis charter or under the general law
under which 1t was Incorporated
a preliminary restraining order was fss,,od
Dy Judge Stephens and Of course the con-
pahy was obliged in obedience to this order to
interrupt Its work. The Questions ,nyoI1ad
however, were fully discussed at the bearing
upon the continuance of the inJunctions and
d, hoGon IA i Tor further injunction was denied
This disposed of the legal objections urged Re-
the companys course and 1t would now he I'm
Posiuoh 10 complete the work Of laying the
MAINS were IL not Tor the revocation of the
PERMITS Dy the city authorities under which tba
work mad been carried almost to the point Of
completion and under which the companv had
made these large expenditures
Ihese permits. one of which had been pra nted
as Tar back as February l, were revoked about
tle middle OF June, prior TO the decision on the
motions made in the suits Of President Cromwell
ana Mrs. Seaver. Notwithstanding the denial
OF the motions for injunction in these suits the
permits have not been renewed, and the com
pahy Is still unable to place at the disposal of
the consumers in the district supplied by II the
abundant water supply which is otherwise at
Its immediate disposal
one OF the most interesting phases OF tho
staten Island water situation is that the Board
OF Estimate and Apportionment. nearly a month
before these permits were revoked authorized a
contract with the Hudson County Water Com
pany or New-Jersey to furnish water to that sec
ton OF staten Island An Injunction is laid
against that company preventing its furnishing
that water even II its pipes were ready and by
law passed by the New-Jersey Legislature
signed May IL. any company is forbidden 10
draw water from New-Jersey.
The contract authorized by the Board of Esti-
mate called for a minimum OF 100000 gallons
and maximum of 1Oo00000 from the Hudson
County Company This water was to be sup