The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-27

ton to the condition of the streets in
that section of the city. They are I'M
paved, improperly lighted, and there
is a decided lacking of fire protection
according to William II. Goldsmith,
DIR. William r. Ward and William Bur-
CESS. The board was informed that
little IL any money has been spent in
that section of the city since 1t was
annexed. These statements were cor
roborated by Commissioner Frank
Book, and on his motion the proper
city departments will look into the
matter.
The petition presented to the board
by DIR. Ward asking that Lyons ave-
nue., Clinton place, from Lyons avenue
to Prospect VEN and Maple avenue,
from Prospect avenue to the Elizabeth
city line. be paved, received immediate
attention, and proper ordinances will
be drafted and presented at the next
meeting of the board.
Just before adjournment Chief En-
gineer Morris r. Sherrerd read the fol-
lowing letter as a reply to an editorial
published in the EVENING STAR on
September 20:
In answer to certain criticism which ap-
peared in the evening edition of THE STAR
of September 20, 1907, in which | am charged
with being responsible for having drafted
the bill commonly known as the Potable
Water Bilr' Chapter 252 of the laws Of
1900, and with having been instrumental
in securing its passage and approval by
the Governor, l desire to say:
First-It is true l favored legislation
Which would secure to the people of this
State, n especially the municipalities, the
potable waters of the State.
Seeond-It Is not true that l had any part
in the drafting of the bill. The fact Is
that first saw the bill after 1t had been
introduced in the Senate and was then
known, as Senate Nc. 116."
Third opposed the passage of the bill
in its then form on the ground that the
watershed were not. In my judgment,
properly protected.
When the Senate committee reported its
substitute for Senate No. 116 a hearing
was given, and l appeared and urged the
adoption of an amendment to section 8,
which proposed mendmen was as fol-
lows:
.'Amend section s, line four. by adding
after the word diverted the words or
in excess of the amount for which the
right to divert has heretofore been OBJ
tained."
The effect of the Adoption of this amend
ment would have been to make clear the
right of the city of Newark to take from
the Pequannock watershed all the water
which it was capable of producing without
any additional cost to the city of Newark.
| was unable to secure the approval of
the Senate committee to this amendment.
Later l conferred with the City Counsel
for the purpose of securing, II possible,
the adoption of this amendment by the
House.
mittee of the Board of Trade of the city
of Newark, Senate substitute for bill No.
116 was considered, and the question of the
payment by the city of Newark to- the
Gfaf0 Cor f6n nf ruofor In 0xnaQc nf
81. 200, 600 gallons was fully considered.
Later, and on. April 8, 1907. Mr.. Coult,
representing the legislative committee of
the Board of Trade. wrote to Mr. Nugent,
city counsel, the following. letter:
MONDAY, s. 'W.
MY Dear Sir-I was requested by the
legislative committee of the BoardS Of
they thought Senate No. ZIG, by Mr.. Hill
ary, to create a State water supply COM
mission, a bad bill for Newark, unless
of the city shall not be interfered with or
taken away.
II suggest that such amendment be
made by adding TO section 2 the following:
Nothing in this act contained shall be
cor strued TO take from any municipality
the right to use and take all the water
which it has acquired. the right to use
or appropriate by purchase or condemns
ton.
with this amendment I cannot see that
the bill will be of harm. The committee,
however. %disapprove of 1t entirely.
igosEPH couLT."
Notwithstanding my very hign regard
for the judgment of Mr.. Coult in this mat
House having charge of the bill the same
amendment which 1 presented to the Sem
ate committee.
The committee accepted the amendment
In 1t the bill; 1t did not approve of my
amendment and my amendment was not
Incorporated in the bill.
Whether the act as passed is effective
to protect the city in regard to the matter
of payments for water used in excess OF
$4,000, 600 gallons per day, or whether the
city may still be compelled to pay the
minimum of 81 per million gallons for
such excess, or whether there is still
danger that it may be compelled to pay
at a higher rate, / do not feel myself
competent to answer.
feel sure, however, that, the city OF
Newark is In no danger of being obliged
to pay any larger sum than one dollar. per
million gallons for water used by it IN
excess of 'the amount now being d.
verified (thirty-iye to fifty millions Of
to question that Mr.. Coult's amendment
1t 1.-The right to use and take all the water
which 1t (the city of Newark has &C.
quired the right to use or appropriate by
purchase or condemnation has been fully
protected.
1t may be of Importance to know thai
water has frequently been diverted by
the city for distribution through its pipes
and for filling its reservoirs very much II
excess of thirty-hve millions of gallons
per day and that it has at times, in fact
amounted to fifty millions Of gallons PEI
day. NORRIS X. SHERRERD.
Commissioners Denman, Eggers. Book
Lambert and Halpin n Engineer Sherrert
will leave tomorrow for Detroit to attend
the annual convention of the American
Society of Municipal Improvement in tina
city. Accompanying them will be William
A. Howell, Of the street department
Charles M. Shipman, superintendent of tn
Board of Works; Edward S. Rankin, o
the sewer department: DR.. Julius Goslan
chemist of the board, and former Commits
sioner c. Valentine Baumann.
Engineer Morris r. Sherrerd is presi
dent of the organization.
EnpMEP MEMk PK pkGT0R