The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-03

ditions there found. The city's main had
been tapped and a pipe laid from the OPEN
ing into, the main of the Citizens Water
Supply Company, and water was then
running from the oity's main into the mains
of the Citizens company. In my own
presence the pressure was tested, and l was
satisfied that we were contributing to the
Citizens Water Supply Company many
thousands of gallons of water per day,
and had been doing so for many years, at
this particular point. For fear that the
pipe Of the Citizens company into which
our water was passing through this con-
nection was a dead pipe, l caused exca-
vations to be made far up the street, and
was able to ascertain that the pipe taking
the water from us was a portion of the
Citizens system and in actual operation.
How many millions of gallons Of water
we have thus in the first instance lost and
later bought back from the Citizens Com
pany I, of course, at this time n say.
This particular spot is right in the neigh
borhood where the suffering for want Of
water had been the most acute a where ,
if the pressure had been kept up by the
Citizens Company. sufficiently high to
furnish the residents of this eighborhood
with water, that pressure might have been
high enough to have prevented the inflow
of water from the city's mains.
This location is but one Of many where
! am led to suspect the city's water has been
taken by these water companies. l have
placed on duty a large number of men to
see that the streets and pipes are not tam
pered with at any place where the mains
of these companies are contiguous to the
city's water supply, and these men will
remain on duty night and day until l can
nave the streets opened and ascertain
just what the real conditions are. In
several of the streets the mains of the water
companies are contiguous to or run parallel
with the city's mains, and from information
furnished me by a plumber of high standing
who has boon advising me in this matter
| am convinced of the ease with which
connections could be surreptitiously made
and vast quantities of city water drawn
off, to be later resold to it at a handsome
price.
"The nature Of the revelations to which
l have referred renders it necessary that a
careful inspection be made of every local
ity which affords or has afforded an oppor-
tunity to reach our water supply, and 1
biiuii 10 ldlhNiy dS HOcSiDiC uiiCoNtl di VI
the mains from which water may have been
taken, as in the case before referred to.
Il must naturally decline to reveal the
names Of many Of the men who have fur
nished me with the information that has
led to the exposure of these conditions;
because il prosecutions follow they will
of course be necessary as witnesses, and
their identity and whereabouts should in
the meantime be unknown"
The pipe of the Citizens company which
taps the city main is two and a half inches
in diameter. 1t enters the main near the
Away at the intersection Of Stanhope
street and st. Nicholas avenue and con-
tinues up Stanhope street about half a block,
where it enters a six inch supply main Of
the Citizens company. The connection
was viewed yesterday by many interested
citizens Of the neighborhood. The smaller
main is laid on one side of the street, while
the oity's main is under the middle OF the
road.
Are you going to lay this matter before
the District Attorney" Mr.. Ellison was
asked.
mot for the present at least" he replied q.
well, don't you think it is plain laro eny
to tap the city's water mains?"
Il don't care to characterize It," he said -,
smiling.
The Citizens company is one OF the pri-
vate COMPANIES that are seeking a new con-
tract. It's agre ement with the city expired
in 1901 and it never has been renewed, Some
time ago il made a proposition to the Water
Department offering to i've an increased
supply, and this is now under consideration.
Cord Meyer recently got back from
Europe and is now stopping at his country
home at Great Neck, L. 1. 1t was said
there last night that Mr., Meyer had gone