The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-03
WATER SCANDAL UNEARfHED.
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4 disoovefv that mrv lrad Ia ilr diaclo
Nifp N wholesale fhsfts from tn rity's
ttunhlvn water suepiy w private water
cutnuan,ra eas made ~ Commissioner
tnisou AMI hi- deputy, William e Cusiet
IN FfNiav afternoon Tlpy found that ilr'
siS Inch supply main ~ s,tnhup" strrr'
and ~ Nichrlas svenus had bern tapped
with q inch pipr running into y main ~
tho citizens Water supply Conpny ~
Witch cord Meyer. ctairmau ~ the Demo
cratic s,ate committee, is president aud
chief owner. and that thousands ~ gallons
IL thu citv'a water had beeu divertel - the
CItiscns' system every day
Just how long ago the tap Waa made could
not he ascortalned ~ there Is no record
In the Water Supply Department of any
permit TO lay the outlaw main, but Judging
by the condition n the pipe and the fact
that no one could be found In tbs %neighbor-
hood who remembered when u was put down
II IL believed TO have been taking water FROM
the city at the rate Of 100 ,OOO gallons a day
ut least for a great many years The Cit-
gems company sells to the city about $780,
600 gallonsa day at a the rate Of sos a million
gallons. and 1t Ia estimated that the munich
pality has been buying back a good share Of
it, own water.
As soon as the connection was uncovered
and the Commissioners had made sure that
the Citizens main was not a dead end he
gave orders to have the entire territory
here the city's supply pipes are laid con-
tiguous TO the private c~ompany's lines pa
tTolled so that there could be no tampering
with the mains, and this week he will begin
a thorough investigation to find out whether
the departments mains have been tapped
at any other point.
The Commissioned refused yesterday to
tell where he got the information leading
to the discovery Of Friday, but he intimated
that he expected to find many similar con-
n~ections in Putnam, Myrtle. Elm and
Cypress avenues. where the mains of the
city and the mains Of several private COM
panies lie close together. The next test
will be made o-morrow in Putnam avenue,
where the situation is the same as at STAN
hope street and st. Nicholas avenue.
Brooklyn uses $780, 900 1000 gallons a day,
hDO ~ a. iOik DSth lSlt thbp tbO
consumption was much larger than the
officials knew they got that much water
at the Ridgewood Reservoir, but they had
no way Of telling how much Of 1t was stolen
after it got into the distributing system.
Commissions Ellison says he Is now going
10 do oil IN his power TO probe the matcef:.
Among the other private corporations that
have mains contiguous to tho city's supply
pipes are the Flatbush Water Works and the
Bowery Bay, the Woodhaven and the Bay
Ridge companies.
Commissioners Ellison said yesterday that
just before and Immediately after he took
office he was told that a careful investigation
of the water bureaus would lead to some
startling revelations, particularly in Brook
lyn and Queens.
Il was also given to understand" he
continued, that a careful investigation
of the conditions existing between the
private water companies and the boroughs
of Brooklyn and Queens would lead to the
unearthing Of conditions that would startls
the public.
1T will be borne in mind that Brooklyn,
Long Island City and the Ridgewood Heights
section purchase large quantities OF water
from these water companies, such as the
Citizens Water Supply Company Of New
town, the Jamaica Water Company, the
Queens Water Company, the B~lythebourne
Water Company and others. Some OF
these companies are now seeking renewals
of their contracts with the city, and l have
such contracts under consideration.
About two months ago the residents OF
Ridgewood Heights began to appeal to- me
to relieve them from the refusal or neglect
Of the Citizens Water Supply Company to
furnish them with sufficient water. Petit
tions stating the unbearable conditions then
existing and signed by hundreds Of residents
we're presented to me. Large delegations Of
women visited the department and inn
pressed upon me the hardships to which
they were subjected. They stated that
they were unable to get water at almost all
times, even on the first floors OF many Of
the buildings. They further stated that
they had been compelled at times to melt
ice to get water, even for drinking purposes.
Certainly that which they presented to me
evidenced a very serious condition Of affairs
in the neighborhood from which these COM
plants came. Local organizations were also
formed. They sent committees presenting
resolutions that had been adopted and
in other ways presented to me facts that
showed a condition that required immediate
relief.
1.-THE troubles OF these people led me to an
investigation of their situation, and found
that they obtained their water from the
Citizens Water Supply Company, and were
charged for it at a frontage rate-that is,
they paid 50 much per frontage, whether
they actually received the water or not.
Il also found that the Citizens Water
Supply Company furnished Long island
City with approximately 100000 gallons a
day at that time, and that this company
was paid at the rate Of sos per million
gallons for the waterthus furnished Long
Island City.
Il appealed to the Citizens company to
increase it's pressure at Ridgeweod Heights,
so as to relieve the sufferings of the resi-
dents of that district, even If the company
had to furnish us with less water at Long
Island City. My requests In this respect
met with nc, substantial response. The
water pressure remained virtually as it was
before at R~idgewood Heights, and the sup
ply furnished Long Island City at $85 per
million gallons was continued, The ad-