New-York tribune., 1909-02-05
METZ HAS BOMB READY
WOULD HALT FURTHER
CATSKILL EXPENDITURES
Expected to Introduce Resolution to
That Effect Before Board of
Estimate To-day.

{
mature publicity OF his plan. viii hurI politi-
/ cal bombsheIl into the session by introducing
/ resolution which practically means halting fur
/ ther expenditures on the Catskill water system
! His resolution provides that the Board OF
/ Water Supply shall not have more money with
/ out the further approval Of the Board OF Es-
/ innate and AppOrtiOnment.
/ Politicians interpret il a bid for support
\ for the Metz mayOraIty boom from all who are
opposed to going to the CatskiIls for more water
If the Controller introduces his resolution II
will cause a lineup. probably throwing Metz
| Coler Ahearn and Haffen together, while the
Mayor President MCGOWAN and Borough Prest-
dents Gresser and Cromwell will be on the other
side. If it turns out this way There will be
eight votes on a side, and the resolution viii
fall of passage. The proposed resolution is as
follows:
Resolved by the Board OF Estimate and Appor-
tionment That the Board OF Water Supply OF
the city of New York is hereby directed until
further notice not 70 incur any ne" or addl
Indebtedness payable from funds provided by
the issue Of corporate stock heretofore author
lied without the further approval OF the Board
OF Estimate and AppOrtiOnment
The Board Of Water Supply now has before
the Board OF Estimate and AppOrtiOnment a
requistion for S4S.O0O.OOO in corporate stock TO
cover contract work already under way and new
work to be undertaken within the next two
three years If the authorization is not made. =
means that much of the work the contracts
under way will be shut down before the end Of
this year. 1t also means that all projected con-
demnation proceedings will be abandoned tenn
porarily.
WATER BOARD EXEMPT. SAYS BENSEL-
The Controller has prepared memOranduu
for presentation to-day Incorporating portions
of letters from President Bensei OF the Board Of
Water supply in which Mr.. BenseI on January
luton recently passed providing that explicit
approval be obtained from the Board OF EST
mate before making expenditures. Mr.. BenseI
cites the act under which the Board OF Water
Supply was organized. and directs attention TO
the action of the Board Of Estimate and Ap-
pOrtiOnment. three years ago. authorizing the
expenditure Of S161.0OO0OG for the CatskfH aque-
duct system planned.
The Controller says that Mr.. BenseTs conten-
ton is that the original authorization. together
with the other provisions OF the law, covers any
and all expenditures needed for carrying on the
work.
| The Controller says that on October II. 1905.
the chief engineer Of the Board of Water Supply
set forth IN detail the plans Of the engineers for
the aqueduct and that the order Of development
was the Esopus. RondOut, Schohare and Cats
kill watersheds. with a total of 500 100000 gal
Ions a day.
proving the general plan. did not necessarily
commit itself to carrying out the whole project"
The Controller contends that it will be possible
to carry the work along sufficiently to produce.
say. 25OOO0.O0O or 55O.O0OOOO gallons a day
without spending the entire S161.OOOOOO- The
Board OF Estimate and AppOrtiOnment- he says,
committed itself to the general proposition. but
not TO the immediate appropriation Of the total
sum It IS hardly likely. the Controller con-
~CvrfI ind Fhz
city of New York TO the whole authorized
because of the adoption OF the original plan
He says that the contention Of the president OF
the Board of Water Supply does not consider
contingencies such as the condition Of the money
market If no corporate stock can be author
ICED without the consent of the Board OF Esti-
mate as provided by law, the alleged prerOgative
of the Board of Water Supply would seem to be
controverted-
METZ SAYS CAN'T ABANDON SCHEME
criticism has been made in the public press
Of the proposed scheme. and it has even been
suggested shat it be abandoned says the Con-
troIIer ''Whne the abandonment OF the scheme
would apparently be impossible. II not unde-
srable. any demonstrated haste might make II
appear that the board sought to hurry the
city's commitment TO the project against pains
taking care and economy"
The Controller says that IL must not be for
gotten that the bonds for the proposition must
90 TO the same market as the city's other bonds.
and while they do not affect the debt limit. they
might affect the city's financial condition and
prevent the sale Of the city's cOrporats stock
for necessary purposes
President MCGOWAN Of the Board Of Alder
men was surprised last night when he heard
what the Controller contemplated
He may not introduce such resolution,
said Mr. MCGOWAN "I haven't had time to
think over the matter, but it strikes me that
inasmuch as the bonds for the Catskill aqueduct
do not affect the city's debt margin. and that
the city makes good profit by selling its water.
the Controller or the Board OF Estimate and
Apportionment is without authority to retard
unreasonabIy the work Of building the new
system. There is not the slightest question
about the need Of the water. The city Is grow
| ing rapidly and Nassau County already is ask
ing US to furnish water for her citizens II VIII
put the city in an absurd position to stop work
on a water system after working on IT for three
rears and spending S25.OOOOOO. How about the
contracts that are under way2 II they are
| abandoned. or materially retarded. who pays
| the damage? 1 shall believe that the Controller
| is In favor of stopping the work when see
/ him introduce his resolution
/ Borough President Coler said last night that
/ he would support Controller Metz's resolution
1--WE been consistently opposed TO the methods
| OF the Board of Water supply said he. Metz
| has now come around to my> views. I viii not
be at the meeting of the board tomorrow. but
/ nv substitute viii cast two votes for the Mets
resolution if it is introduced
SURFACE CARS CRASH; TWO HURT.
/ Fordham surface car crashed into the OF
! A Westchester avenue car which standing on