New-York tribune., 1907-11-27
FILTRATION HELD UP.
NO HONEY, SAYS METZ
Controller Won't Agree to Jerome
PARK ReserUoir Scheme.

Filtration Of the water slppI,, o- +h;.
be held I'D for an indefinite period c,or.-H,,e1
Metz, 10 whom and to Mr.. Lewis tba os.
of the Board or Estimate and Apportionr,en,
the queSuoh mas been referred, said Yesterday
mat ne "oulo hot agree 10 the proposition OF the
board Of Water Supply Gas and F7lac.rIo,.,, -
have the Aqueduct Board turn over To tbe do
paIrnehI I1e eastern section Of Jerome Park
reservoir for filtration purposes Mr. Metz sa;d.
The reduction in cost of aItratio-, . -,
my approval knew that it could be done and
il has been done. But shall not snnro,-. -. ,ta
money wanted for the first work 81 ononno
until see the money in the city treasury 70
meet it. That money is not now in sight
shall not agree to the preliminary plan To do
s" would be speculative, and shall not specu-
late upon the possibility of paying for anything
That would be the poorest kind of a subterfuge
We need money for Improvement saw and
agree TO the Improvement but have mt +be
money. That is not business Let us wait until
the funds are in hand Until they are. the
filtration proposition will not be approved
This was a distinct disappointment to the
water Department In making its proposition
the Board OF Estimate and Apporttonrlent
the Department of Water Supply. Gas and
Electricity suggested in a resolution that per-
mission TO take over the section of Jerome
Park required be granted, that the actual
hrst step in getting a filtration plant would be
assured. This embodied in the following
resolution:
Resolved. That the Board of Estimate ard APP
~ tft ~ ~ s I, E ~ T-9e]
supply. Gas and Electricity for the erection OF a
which the city had proposed to use for the eastern
Ing about 4 hundred and thirty-fve acres.
That the proper measures be taken, with the ad-
have The above lands transferred by the aaueduct
commissioners to the aforesaid department, for the
That the Board OF Estimate and Apportionment
the amount Of s4ooOoOo TO provide for the cost Of
the work comprised in the first section of the plans
The Board of Water Supply, Gas and Elec-
tTicity willing to accept the adoption OF
the first part OF the resolution and the part
lating to the appropriation held up until money
should be available. but this latter suggestion
does not meet with Mr.. Metzs approval. Mr..
Metz yesterday could not tell when the city
would have enough money TO go ahead with
the work. The issue of bonds at this time.
lie thought. would be unwise thing, in view
OF financial conditions and the needs of the
city in other directions.
John H. OBrien, The Commissioner OF the
Department Of Water Supply, and his advisers
believe that If the filtration proposition is held
up at this time. its final adoption will be de-
fcrred for an indefinite period. and that the
work Of the department. which employed the
greatest experts on filtration TO draw the plans
and compute the cost, will all have to ne gone
over again at some future time. AS a conse-
quence Of Mr.. Metzs attitude there was much
dependency in the offices of Mr. O'Brien in
the Park Row Building.
The supply OF water for the city was never
greater than it is at present. The Croton reser-
7oir is full and overfoWing for the first time
since the construction of the great dam. Three
inches OF water are pouring the dam
and going TO practical waste. It was decided
10 draw upon the other reservoirs 10 keep
the great Croton full. At that time the water
in the latter was over twenty-sx feet below
with the other dams also well supplied. II
Is at this time Of the year that the storage
% water is most possible, owing to the heavy
rainfall and the lack of heat evaporation.
The water delivered in this city still has
fstion, but the analysis of the Board of Health
shows that there injurious bacteria in
the supply. Filtration. it is said. will remove
the odor and foreign taste. and will make in
furious germs impossbty.
II was said yesterday that unless Controller
Metz could convince the Mayor that the re-
fusal TO indorse the filtration plan was based
upon sound principles. the Mayor would call
q public meeting and have the subject thrashed
cut. and demand that the plan be agreed 10
II public sentiment supports him The scheme
would be to bring the subject again before
the Board of Estimate and Apportionment and
agree TO the appropriation the Controllers
disapproval.