New-York tribune., 1905-02-03
A ''SMITH" BILL FOR ULSTER
Measure to Cut Off Last AOnIa6te
County in Preparation.
Try TELEGRAPH To THE rR1BuNr.l


Albany, Feb. 2.-The last of the measures de-
signed 20 exclude New-York City from. extern
sions OF its water supply system into nearby
counties Is at present being drafted by Assem-
blyman Coutant of Kingston, in Ulster Coun-
ty. This bill. drawn exactly on the lines of the
Smith law of last session protecting Duchess
County, and the Apgar bills of this session ap-
plying to Putnam and Westchester counties. will
complete the Chinese wall around New-York
City 1t will be recalled that the so-called Burr
Commission report which outlined a policy of
extending the Croton system, provided first for
extension through Duchess and Putnam coun-
ties This was the immediate step. Subse-
quently the report recommended extension
the Hudson into Ulster County tapping
Esopus Creek. and other streams coming down
from the Catskil!s, with the possibility of
further extension to the headwaters of Schoharie
Creek tributary of the Mohawk, rising on the
northern divide of the Catskills.
Assemblyman Coutant's bill, WHEN drawn, will
just meet this situation. 1t will exclude New
York City, from the Catskill streams, in Ulster
County. and leave only the Hudson River and
the Great Lakes as available sources More
over it would close the door to any temporary
immediate extension to meet the growing
crisis in the local conditions. The same argu-
ments that were advanced in favor of the
Duchess County interests, when the Smith law
was passed last year will be urged in this case.
Mr.. Coutant declares that the Ramapo interests
in water systems In Ulster County have all
lapsed that there be mo Justice in rails
ing this familiar reason for objection.
After conference with the Governor and sew
eral talks with New-York City Republicans AS
sembyman Prentice to-day decided not to in
troduce any water bill at the present time. His
projected measure was in general terms like the
Agnew BILL which provides for State commits
sion, but Mr.. prentices bill was aimed to make
possible more immediate work than was thought
possible under the terms of the Agnew measure,
which provides tempo: ary commission to in
Yestlgate. report to the State legislature and
also examine the advisability of a permanent
State commission to deal with the whole project
of water supply in the State, and also to COM
pose the rival claims Of locality and city in
cases like the Dutchess County difficulty. It is
assumed that the New-York Republican menu
bers viii now agree upon some form of the idea
contained in the Agnew bill
AsSeTnblyman Wainwright, of Westchester
viii some time next week-possibly on Monday
night-introduce measure which VIII permit
the several cities and towns of Westchester to
tap any further extension of the New-York City
system on the general lines of the Boston
metropolitan system. He. anticipates that this
measure viii not be opposed by the city govern
ment, since it carries merely the furnishing. OF
water TO two hundred thousand people i'm
single county, many of which at present
supplied and will not need, for many years at
least. to resort TO the New-York pipe lines