New-York tribune., 1906-06-05
WATER QUESTION HOT.
WHO CONNECTED MAINSf
Statements BIZ Cord Meyer and Com
missioner Ellison.

missioner Ellison.
Cord Meyer chairman Of the Democratic State
Committee through his counsel. W. r. Sheehan.
of Parker. Hatch q sheehan. issued yesterday
his first reply TO the charges made by Commis-
sioner Ellison that the Citizens Water Supply
Company had been stealing from 10000 TO 200
600 gallons OF water daily from the city's main
I'm St Nicholas avenue. Brooklyn. He denied
she charges enphatically and said that the city
made "a te-connection between its main and
the old main Of the Wyckoff Heights Company
at ST Nicholas avenue and stanhope street" in
October, 190o. without the knowledge of the
Citizens company"
Commissioner Ellison. when seen later. gave
more proof 10 substantiate his statements and
said that everything he had previously said was
backed by evidence Of the highest character.
Mr. Meyer said:
was astounded AT the charges made by Mr.
Ellison the Commissioner Of Water supply Gas
and Electricity that the Citizens Water Com
from the city mains and reseiling il TO the city.
The charge is SO serious in its character that il
ought not 10 have been made unless the Com
missioner possessed absolute proof that the fact
which he asserted existed.
In reply 20 a statement made by Mr.. Suydam
respecting the severance OF this connection, the
Commissioner Is reported to have said:
Mr.. suydam. in his published statement says this
main of the Citizens Company was cut of when
connected j. again. 7 wonder? Certainly, the city
Old not. There is no record anywhere in our de-
pipe as We discovered feeding the Citizens Water
S,on,panE main. u was placed there surrepti-
tionsly many years ago-I presume about 1896 Since
mat GATE the city has been buying water from
the Citizens company at ss5 a million gallons
This is charge Of larceny and certainly the
Commissioners ought not to have made such
charge unless he was able 90 support il by in
oubitable proof All fair-minded men, I think
will agree that II the statement was not true
the charge was outrageous. believe the Com
missioner himself would so characterize his
statement II convinced that II WAS untr,,e In
fact That IL is untrue and that the statement
was recklessy made is established by conclu-
sive proof. Investigation Immediately Instituted
after the charge by the Commissioner was made
has developed that about October 1900 the citv
caused To be made without the knowledge of
the Citizens Company, or any Of its officers
fe-connection between its main and the old main
OF the Wyckof Heights Company at St Mich
olas avenue and Stanhope street as is evidenced
by the following bill which the city paid and
for which it subsequently reimbursed by
the parties at whose instance the connection was
made:
A''o'aisat,f Ta6oips 2Hss: Rslstns
~, r,.s-,- oct. 3, 1900.
TO department Of Ts'ST Rdr6usS s9PaY e aroosi,n
a sE4 Smith sleeve and -s24
isss;9;. '5s;E;. / ss s..:. s:S
ss4 s5
Pad by check oct. To- 1900
Several years ago the Citizens company pur-
chased the old Wyckof Heights Water Com
IanN, 'he latter company then being engaged in
the business of supplying a few customers on
Wyckof Heights in Queens County. Its sole
supply of water was purchased from the Bor-
"ush oi brooklyn and this water passed through
meter located ~ the point Of intersection Of
me CITY mains and the WYckoff Heights COM
pany's mains at 81. Nicholas avenue and stan
RrO0k1Vn Ffar r1a "a;
pany purchased the Wyckoff Heights cou1nany
instructions were given to discontinue the use
of CITY water The meter was removed and
used elsewhere and is stil in the conpanv's
possession and The pipe was plugged" and all
connections between the pipes absolutely ceased
-Four and one-half years after this the Cit
zells company with the written authority OF
lne clly ofhclais and in the presence Of the in
speotor appointed 10y the city connected our
4sfee main on Cypress avenue with the old small
mans of the Nyckof Heights company I'm
Siahhope street. and this was permitted n he
done 10y the city officials without giving oDr
company or any of its officers any notice -bat
IleH had' Tour and one-half wears prior thereto
StoL alt IN. ne connection al ST Nicholas avenue and
II, therefore, il he true as the Commissioner
alleges that water has been passing batu,een
~ 'llS MAINS ana our mains 10y rason Of the
facts referred 10. the city has been gettine o,,r
wafer instead ~ our company getting the citv's
water because Of the higher average r,rass,,r.,
maintained in our mains II Is ar,r,arspt +lro1,a
fore. II there be fault. it Is not orr faut ana a.
mere be injury, IL is not the city that suffers
pom consideration Of these facts / believe
ne toininlssloner whom have always regarded
- an honorable man. viii feel called upon 10
NlhdfaW The charge which he has made Of the
nhsSTpropriaiion ~ water by the Citizens com
pahy ana The charge that the connection was
nlade surrepuupusly and the city main VS.
'aITea surrepuuously many years ago"
Ihflte the closest scrutiny into the relations
eAlsung between The Citizens conpany ana the
cry of New York, and call upon the Commits
s1neI As an honorable man 20 retract the charg.
winch ne has made and in so far as lies in biS
noWeI. 10 correct the grievous wrong he has in
IN speaking Of the bin included in Mr. Meyers
statement. Commissioner Ellison said:
before accepting The bill, which arpears I'm
Nhe name or the Department OF Water Sunnlv
ILL.,, aI.a y mace part Of Mr. Meyers statement. I
, Mouu naturally Ike to ascertain at whose in
stance ana with what authority the order Gov
blt WORK was given. The bin shows an indebt
eohess ny ffadenhauer TO the DEPARTMENT l,,t
nere is nothing 10 indicate how Pfadenbaner
old the work. II the work had been 5ope D.,
the department for Pfadenhauer then Pfadar'
hauer would have been Indebted 10 the denar+