The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-23
AGREEMENT ON WATER BILL.
THE MAYORS BILL AMENDED TO
MEET OBJECTIONS.
u Provides for Commission 10 select Sources
Of wafer supply. Which Are % He
subject to the Approval Of the Board
Of Estimate and ApDortionmeut.

81 water supply, Whioh Are % he
subject TO the Approval Of the Board
Of Estimate and APDortionment.
ALBANY. March 22.-As the result Of a SER
! les Of conferences between Representatives
| Of the New York city administration and
! the Representatives OF the various counties
/ from which the city might seek to acquire
additional sources Of water supply amend
ments to Mayor MoClellan's water bill have
been agreed TO by the various parties
which provide for the appointment Of a
non-political commission OF three members,
One IL 10 be appointed by the Mayor Of New
! York city. one by the governing board OF
the Chamber Of Commerce and one by the
American Society Of Civil Enginsers. The
member 10 be Appointed by the Mayor Is
70 be one OF three persons selected by the
Manufacturer Association Of New York.
the Mayor to have power Of removal, and
In the event OF any removal OF vacancy
for other causes the successor to be APP
pointed In the manner provided for az
TO original appointments. Each commits
sioner IL 10 receive a salary Of $4,000.
The commission is to proceed imme-
diately to ascertain what sources exist
and are available for additional water sup
ply and report to the Board OF Estimate
and Apportionment, which shall have
power 70 modify or reject the whole or any
part OF such recommendations.
The bill provides that the towns and
villages Of any county from which the city
Of New York shall take or acquire additional
sources Of water supply shall be permitted
70 take water from the water mains es-
tabltshed by the city Of New York to an
amount per capita equal 70 that used by
the city and at the same price as charged
blythe city for supplying It's own inha bitants.
There iS further provision in the bill for
indirect damAgesto property, 30 thst, where
property IA not actually taken by condem-
nation, but owing TO the taking away Of
water necessary for its purposes is reduced
in value, the commissioners Of estimate
may award such damages as has resulted
from proceedings Instituted by the city.
A provision added to the bill to-day says
that It's operation shall not interfere with
the present Aqueduot Commission. There
Il also provision made that all property
acquired shall be taxed In the counties
where situated for county purposes.
The city authorities do not object 20 q
State board Of water supply eDsr cising
purely ths power Of review when there Is
disa greement between the city Of New
York and any county IN the State as to the
taking Of a source Of water supply, pro-
yidsd that the action Of said State board
Of review shan be subject TO appeal to the
Supreme Court, with power in the court to
determine the application on It's merits,
and also provided that when an application
Il mads by q municipality for leave 10 40
qpirS eOuross OF water supply such APP
plioatiOn shall be acted upon by the State
board within ninety days, and in the event
OF the board failing to act thereon, that an
application may be made 10 the Supreme
Court, with power in the court 70 determine
the application on it's merits.
As result OF the various conferences
held the city OF New York has conceded
everything seriously urged by any op-
posing interests, except that Il has not
agreed and cannot agree 10 any measure
absolutely forbidding 1t to acquire addi-
tonsl sources Of water supply,
As 20 Ulster county the same liberal
provisions have been made for furnishing
Kingston and the various towns and vii
lagos with water from the mains established
by the city Of New York in that county that
have been agreed to as 70 other counties,
and II this bill should DO adopted every
need Of Ulster county will be fully met,
while New York city will b. able 10 obtain
in that county hundreds OF millions Of
gallons per day Of water which is now
going to waste. For it Is noe1aggeration
10 say that Ulster county has to-day
water supply a thousand times in excess
Of any possible needs OF that county.
The bill is the final effort Of Mayor McClel-
Ian to meet every objection made in good
faith by the citizens Of any county Of the
State in connection with this matter.
Gov. Higgins is still Of the belief that a
bill to provide for a State water commits
sion will be passed by the present Legis-
lature. He said tonight that some Of
the features Of the Agnew bill met his APP
proval and we're in line with the recon-
in his message to the Legislat-
ure on the subject. The Governor is to
have a conference on Friday afternoon at
3 o'clock on tho water question with Aque- !
duct Commissioner William 4. Curtis and
Prof. William H. Burr, the consulting engi- |
neer OF the commission, who ia also men, |
Der OF the Panama Canal Commission.
A revised State water commission bill |
was introduced to-day by Assomblyman |
Apgar, which II Is understood has the sane
ton Of Gov. Higgins and which was re- |
vised by the Governors legal adviser. !
W, Pound