The Penn's Grove record., 1910-05-13
LEGISLATURE BAakRbffs 4 COMPANY

LEGISLATURE BAakRUfE 4 COMPANY
Why Staten island Can Not Have
Jersey Water
Staten island, which is known as
Richmond county, in the State OF New
York, has been wanting water from
New Jersey. The Hudson Water Com
pany was organized to furnish it.
This company first planned to supply
Staten Island with water but an in
junction by the Court of Chancery
stopped the diversion of water from
pipes at Little Falls from the Passiac
River. Then driven wells in Belleville
were purchased and subterranean waters
of the State were sought to be sent in
pipes across the Kill Won Kull. The
Court of Chancery was again appealed
to, and then came the threat of Cover
nor Fort to stop waters of New Jersey
from Eeing sent into New York, fol-
lowed by the fight in the Legislature
which las tied up the company. The
law which tied up everything, stops the
piping of water under the tidal waters
of the State without first obtaining the
permission of the riparian commission,
and as the Governor controls the COM
mission, nothing but a receiver faced the
Hudson Water Company. These things
have stopped whatever chance tie COM
pany had of helping out the impaired
water supply in New York city and the
drought in Staten Island.
This company has applied for a re-
ceiver because the last Legislature
passed the famous McCran bill and the
Governor signed it, prohibiting the d.
version from New Jersey waters of the
State to Staten Island for the benefit Of
its inhabitants and to supply the posts
of the United States. The liabilities
are 1854, 600 in bonds and $4,000 on
account n In DlilS.
Many bills have been passed by legis-
latures to create values. This Is SO
rare a case where a bill was passed to
destroy corporation franchise and values
that it is worthy of note. The diversion
of water from the State was prohibited
for the protection of the future supply
to the inhabitants of New Jersey. 1t
proves the States sovereignty over its
natural resources.
Staten Island should belong to New
Jersey. If it gets too thirsty for Jersey
fresh water it should be annexed.
1t has been a matter of much inquiry,
as well as of some curiosity, how it came
to pass that Staten Island is included
within the bounds of, and under the col
troll of, New York State, while its terri
tory is so much nearer, and is only
separated by a small kill or sound from
New Jersey, and that, while it is included
in New York State.
SIN 1864, Charles II. granted to his
brother, Duke of York, all that territory
lying between the Connecticut and Della
ware rivers. He at nee sent expeditions
out and settled Elizabethtown and New
ark: with Middletown and Shrewsbury,
i'll Monmouth county. In the meantime
he sold bis claim west of the Hudson to
Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret.
The boundary was not specified with ref
erence to Staten Island, and the prOprie-
torship became a doubtful question,
although the island had previously been
held by the Dutch and Swedes as well as
the English ~colonists. Its geographical
position, it was agreed, allied it to the
nearest mainland, while, on the other
hand, it is maintained that the waters of
the Hudson flowed west of it. The Duke
Of York finally settled it, by declaring
that all the islands of the Hudson that
could be encompassed within a days sail
belonged to him. Captain Billop, a
favorite of the Duke, accomplished the
feat in the ship Bentley" and was re-
warded for the service with the gift of
the southern part of the island now known
as Bentley's Manor. Thus the island, so
unimportant then, was wrested from New
Jersey, and has become of 30 much conse-
quence as to attract the attention not only
of louislatorc lint of couUrnssmon in tho
for right of way to it,"
1t is the home of some of the wealthiest
men in the country, whose palatial resi-
dences skirt the whole island, together
its inland towns, assuming proper
of young cities, give a picturesque
and beautiful appearance. 1t is also the
final resting-place Of the remains of New
princely dead.