New-York tribune., 1905-02-08
WATFR coMPLICArIONS.

There is. as we have said, serious menace
10 the welfare of New-York City in the pres
ent complications of water legislation Mt Al
bauy That is because of the delay which may
be caused in securing the necessary extension
of supply. There is 10 exaggeration in saying
that considerable increase Of supply ought
for the safety Of the city, 10 be secured at the
earliest possible date. Every year it is post
poned involves dangers which cannot lie con-
templated with equanimity At the present
time with the city at its present size. we have
water enough for all purposes. But IL the
population should remain stationary, ana we
should have-as we nave more than once had
within the memory of men-three dry sum
mers in succession, there would be dlsas-
trous scarcity of water, with possible results
of the most damaging description. Or course,
the population will not remain stationary. It
viii continue to increase rapidly. That Will
make the peril from dry seasons all the greater,
and it will hasten the time, now within meas
urab distance when even without q single
month of drouth there viii be too little
water for our needs. Considering that even
the easiest and quickest extension of our water
supply system will necessarily take num-
Der of years TO effect the desirability OF prompt
action must be apparent. That is why 1t seems
so desirable to adopt the measure proposed by
the city government which would enable the
proposal for a general State commission. such
as seems to be favored by the Republican lead
ers DESPITE its undoubtedly excellent features,
seems not altogether to meet the needs of the
case To appoint commission this year, which
should report to the legislature next year, for
its action the year after that, might be TO post
pone possibility of water extension to point
perilously near the danger line.
Much is TO be said in favor OF State control
81 llx- iS
State affair That is to say, it is an inter
county affair If New-York could get its sup
Div from within the counties which compose
the city, the principle of home rule would die
tate that It should be privileged to do so with
out interference at Albany But it cannot. 1t
already gets its supply from outlying counties,
and the further supply it seeks must be got
from yet other counties. Obviously, the city
has no authority those counties. Its right
to take water from them is a matter of State
determination and control. Moreover, the fur
ther afleld New-York goes for water, the more
danger there will be of its taking supplies need
ed by other cities. The ideal arrangement, then,
would seem to be to have the whole matter put
into the hands Of State commission that
would consider the claims of the various mu-
inequalities and would hold the balance true
between city and country. The objection TO
waiting for the organization and operation of
such a system is that this city needs more
water at a much earlier date than it could
probably get it under that system. That is why
many judicious men, while they favor the estab-
lishment OF q State water commission, are also
in favor of the city's bill, which would give re-
lief at the earliest possible moment without in
vading the potential needs of any other munich
pality, and which would be quite in line with
established practice There would. of course,
be nothing in that incompatible with the adop-
tion of the other measure and with the estab-
lishment hereafter of a general State commits
sion.
One or two points in some OF the minor meas
ures deserve notice in passing. 1t is intimated
that the local objection to further extensions
Of the water system in Westchester and Put
nam counties will be withdrawn if the city
will agree to have its aqueduct tapped if nee
essary, for the supply OF lesser cities and towns
along its route. There should be no difficulty
about that AS we understand it, the city's
water bill now at Albany provides for precisely
such an arrangement which is indeed, pre-
scribed by equity. New-York has gone into the
region around Peekskill, White Plains, Tarry-
town and other communities for its water sup
ply. Certainly those places have claim upon
the water lying at their doors, and New-Yorll
has no right to take it all and deprive them
of any. If we have not left them enough for
their needs, we must share our supply with
them. Only to do SO we must be permitted
TO secure from some source a supply large
enough for them and for US. Another sugges-
ton is the creation, in New-York and in the
two counties named, Of a metropolitan district,
similar to that in and around Boston. We be-
lieve we can claim credit for the first sugges-
ton of such an arrangement, made in these
columns two or three years ago. At that time
and since then we have pointed out the vast
adyantage geS that have accrued to Boston and
It's environs from that system. and have urged
its adoption here, in order that our unrivalled
northern suburbs may be developed upon gen
eraland harmonious plan, not only for the utili-
cation Of the water supply, but for the laying
out Of roads, the establishment of railroad and
trolley lines, the preservation of scenic effects
and the other interests of such Il region There
viii be cause for gratitude if in the movement
for larger water supply the adoption Of that
system is secured
BRAKES AND GUARD PAIJS