Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-04-04
FEDERAL LAW
TO HELP PLAN
Orders From Capital to Aid
Water Grab.

NOtlCeS OF lis penQonS nave OeeI
filed by United States District At
torney John B. Vreeland, with the
county registers of Essex, Hudson
and Bergen counties, respectively
disclosed that proceedings have beer
begun in the United States Circuit
Court in Trenton by the Department
of Justice at Washington, for the
condemnation Of q right of way for
a water main to carry water from
Belleville to Fort Wadsworth on
Staten Island.
Acting under instruction from
United States Attorney General Wick
ersham, Mr.. Vreeland on Thursday
filed in United States Circuit Court
seven separate petitions for the con-
domination of needed rights of way
and riparian rights, and United
States Judge Rellstab signed an or
der fixing April "a as the time for q
hearing on the petitions.
One petition is against the State
of New Jersey, the State Water sup
ply Commission and the Board of
Riparian Commissioners. 1t prays
for the condemnation of a right Of
way across both the Passaic and
Hackensack rivers and the XIII van
Kull, describing the locations of each
proposed crossing with the greatest
particularly. This petition takes
in also the interest of the State in
the whole or any part of the supply
of potable waters that may be drawn
from the wells at Belleyille owned
by the Hudson County Water Com
pany, which company is now in the
hands of receivers.
A second petition is directed
against the Board of Chosen Free
holders of Hudson county. 1t asks
for the right to lay and maintain n
water main for a distance of sixty
feet under and across the Newark
turnpike. : third petition is d.
rected against Jersey City, and asks
for a right of way across Hatch,
Danforth and Neptune Il in
that municipality.
A fourth petition is directed
against the Boards Of Chosen Free
holders of Hudson and Bergen coun-
ties, Jointly. 1t asks for the right to
lay and maintain a water main under
the Belleville turnpike.
A fifth petition Is directed against
the Mayor and Common Council of
the city of Newark and the Board of
Street and Water Commissioners of
the Newark. 1t asks for the right to
and divert a supply of potable
water from the driven wells at
B~elleville.
A sixth petition is directed against
the Mayor and Council of the Dor
0ugh of North Arlington. 1t asks for
right of wa GRO River road and
Schuyler and Kearney avenue
-ph- .vSe-a
against the Morris Camel and Bank
ing Company, 1t asks for the right
lay and maintain a main across
the Morris canal In Jersey City.
The filing of the petitions shows
that the War Department, In whose
behlf Attorney General Wickersham
is acting, has no idea of letting the
contract 1t made with the Hudson
County Water Company in 1906 for
a supply of potable water from the
driven wells at Belleville
go by the board, even though that
company is in the hands of a re-
ceiver. 1t has all along been shown
by those opposed to the scheme that
there Is enough water in Staten Is
land for the needs OF all it's inhabit-
ants, inclusive Of the troops sta
toned there, but the War Depart
ment's reply to this, according to Mr..
Vreeland, is that while there is
water enough 1t does not come up to
the governments standard, and the
government ts very tendr of the
health OF Its soldiers, under certain
conditions.
The governments contract with
the Hudson County Water Company
was to run for a period of twenty
years, to tide over the time until the
equeduct which is to supply New
York city from upstate waters
shall be completed.
No decision has as yet been
handed down by Judge Rellstab on
the constitutianality of the Bach
eller act and It's supplements which
prohibits the taking Of potable
waters, whether surface or subter-
ranean, out Of the State, which is
u was argued before him late In
December. Robert H. McCarter ap-
pearing for the receivers for the
Hudson County Water Company and
Attorney General Wilson for the
State. On the day Of that argument
Vreeland made application on
behalf Of the United States for leave
to intervene. This application Judge
Rellstab has under advisement also.
Throughout this action District
Attorney Vreeland has acted under
direct instructions from Washington,
where his superiors have directed
tha naO noto, aroIp,1 IT, S4eIa