The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-04-27
FORT ANNOUNCES
BIG HARTMAN
GIFT TO JERSEY
MontcIair Association Hears of
23,O00=Acre Donation for
State Watershed.
GREAT RESERVOIR PARK
IN THE PROPOSITION
Railroad Kings Offer of Part of
Immense Estate Made Last
Summer.

Tw%enty-three thousand acres of
watershed property are promised to
the State OF New Jersey free of charge
lay r. I'll. Hartman. Governor Fort
told the Montclair Civic Association at
its annual meeting in the Montclair
Club last night. The proposal came
from the raj road magnate and has
heea q state secret ever since last sum-
nler when the Governor and Mr.. Harrl-
man met at the home of John d.
Prince, speaker of the House. at his
country home at Ringwood. The land
res Fartly in New York and partly In
AeW Jersey, and Is included in the a.
W1-acre estate of the hnancier near
Tuxedo.
Mr. Hartman, the Governor said,
looked upon the water problem as one
OF the most serious confronting the
state and one which needed the quick
eSt solutlon possible. especially in the
thieky-settled districts. both in the
northern and southern parts.
IN subject of potable water was first
brought up last night by President
John r. Wight. of the association.
When, in his address introducing Gov
ernor Fort. he said that Montclair was
getting It's water from the Montclair
water Company under n contract that
would expire in 1912. He commented
on the high price paid for water in the
municipality, and declared that owing
TO the expense the sewers could not be
flushed daily.
The Governor therefore turned to the
subject of water supply when he began
his rather informal address. In part he
said
4 Rich Source.
up in Sussex County's hills. in the
northern part OF Passaic County and
in Morris County there is a wonderful
territory from which an enormous
water supply can be drawn. That in
terest must be conserved. The water
rights there are of untold value. and
they have been taken over by cor
porations or individuals. | heard your
president say that your water supply
WAS obtained from the Montclair Water
Company. That is, / believe, "a sub
sidiary Of the East Jersey Water Com
pany.
This company and all other COM
panies should very speedily be taken
over by the State. and the great water
A'N-ANtN' 'HNS Rof1otfT dSCb Wy Lllt
Common wealth for the benefit of the
people.
THE problem Of potable watt sup
ply Is the greatest which the people
face today, and yet there is not much
popular interest in il. In my recent
message to the Legislature l gave
more space to this subject than TO any
other. Twice last year / traveled over
4lnz CtofA ki&iti1ap~ oh fha pyafA.@I,hI
territory. to see what the possibilities
were and to ascertain what the situa-
ton would be if these possibilities of
water supply became actualities.
Your contract expires In 1912, and
by 1912, if this question is properly
handled. the State could own these
great sources of water supply.
Tho Hartman Propositions.
'rt may not be known to you that
Eve persons own 100, 900 acres of hat
magnificent territory from which the
water supply for the northern part of
the State must be drawn. Mr.. Harri-l
man owns 45, 600 acres, 5000 acres in
New Jersey; the Hewitt estate owns
SO, 900 acres, and Mr.. Hamilton, the SON.
in-law of j. Pierpont Morgan, owns
10, 900 acres more. All of this vast ter
ritory could be taken over by the State
at a reasonable figure,
"Mr. Hartman said to me last sum
mer that If this plan went through to
have a State water supply he would
give without cost toward a proposed
reservoir park % 5000 acres of his land
Governor Fort said that he favored
the establishment of a great park in
North Jersey for conservation of he
water supply and for the distribution
OF the water by the State to all the
Municipalities from Plainfield north