Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-03-31
PLOTTERS STILL
GRABBING FOR
STATES WATER
q. @. P. Chieftains Plead with
Governor for McCran
Bills Death.
COLBY BUSY LOBBYING
FOR HUDSON COMPANY
Republicans Fear Executives
Threat to Call Special
Session. ~,
iron a stan cerrespona.nt.l

tFrom STAFF correspondentJ
TRENTON. March 3.-For the Sec
ond time tflis week the business of New
Jersey waited today while the three
senators who really make and un1nake
laws spent hours in the Governors
Office trying to work out scheme 10
permit the Hudson County Water Com
rany 10 divert water from this state for
use Of Staten Island and ultimately for
other parts of New York city.
President Frelipghuysen. and sena-
tors Wakelee and Alderman stayed
with the Governor for zeveral hours
a repetition Of yesterdays perform-
anee. presenting to him substitute
bin prepared by the lawyers for the
Hudson County Water Company to re-
place Assernblyman Mccran's House
bill 81 which prohibits the diversion OF
any part of the potable or sub-surface
water supply OF this State for use In
other States.
knowing that the Hudson County
Water Company made its contract to
supply Staten Island with full knowI-
edge of court decision and the States
policy against diversion. and knowing
that the Merran bill passed the House
unanimously, the three Senators stiII
desire TO nullify that bill and establish
the most dangerous precedent conceiv-
able in order that Turner A. Bean and
his wateh interests may not be ham,
pered in their money grabbing schemes
FreIinghuy-en's Ples.
President Frelinghuysen. Of the Sem
ate. was chief pleader for water diver
sion under the new scheme. said to have
been originally conceived by former
Senator Everett Colby, of Essex county.
who, with Beall. is here lobbying for the
Hudson County Water Company. AS
/ semb blyfnan McCran was summoned by
the governors messenger during the
conference. and for the last hour OF the
confab he was locked in with the plot
ters.
Thereafter the noise of voices in
warm discussion rose to pitch audible
in the ante-room.
The newest scheme of the water COM
pany is to secure a law which gives
the State Water Supply Commission
supervision over all waters of the
State. including well and other sub
surface waters. and to add a proviso
permitting the commission to allow a
valid contract to be carried out. If
such contract is in existence when the
law Is passed, provided sale of water
under the contract is supervised by the
State and fees paid TO the commission.
The Senate committee. which has held
up the McCran bill ever since it passed
the House, intended to report 1t with
amendment TO allow the Hudson County
| Water Company steal, but were de-
TERED by the message sent to the Sem
ate Monday night, denouncing any at
tempt to change 1t. excorciatinE the
water lobby and threatening a special
session If the bill is tampered with
The fact that the Governor is said to
be considering the substitute bin is in
sharp contrast with that message
Mr.. McCran left the Governors office
at a little before / o'clock, looking
warm and angry.
'.I can't discuss the situation" he
said. 'I went In there and made a
fight for my bill as 1t was originally
introduced I am not for any COM
promise and win fight any scheme TO
change this States policy as to its
water supply. l stand where have
stood all along"
Former Justice Bennett Van Syckel
has been retained by the adroit Mr..
BeaT to help put his water diversion
scheme through. Mr.. Van Syckel was
present during most of this mornings
conference. The cieverness of such a
move may be better appreciated when
one considers that Van Syckel is the
Governors personal legal adviser. The
bin which the water lobby proposes
will be offered as amendments to the
McCran bill. striking out and changing
it's title It was drafted in the Gov
ernors office by Mr.. Van Syckel and
prepared for introduction in the Senate
this afternoon While it takes DIFF
ferent course, the result arrives at the
same old scheme. to let the Hudson
County Water Company steal the
waters of this State.
Governor Fort when questioned by an
EVENING STAR reporter, said;
These gentlemen have been confer
ring in an effort to meet the governors .
views as to this water problem. The
substitute which has been submitted
to me, and which Senator Wakelee will
Introduce, contains the McCran bills
principal section prohibiting diversion
! as its first section. Then follows a pro-
viso to permit this State to allow water
to go to New York or other States un-
der certain conditions. 1t is set forth
that the bill is to establish reciprocity
! as to water supply. Upon the request
of Governor Hughes IL New Jersey
were satisfied with the conditions it
! would be possible under this Wakelee
. bill to allow the Hudson County Water
Company to carry out its Staten Island
contract
Are you for this Wakelee plan7
Most emphatically not / told these
men that would not commit myself 10
their bill, and that they must. under
no circumstances. say l was for 1t. or
go away with the impression that 1
would sign the bin.
WAS not the McCran bill drawn on