Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-11-16
WATER BOARD
TO BUY LAND
Will Purchase Rights of Way
from Chesebrough and
c. Pardee Companies.
ENGINEER TO NEGOTIATE
Would Do Away With Con-
cessions on Meter Rates.
Runyon Tax Bills.

In order to secure riparian rights
for laying It's new twenty-four-inch
main under the Raritan river and
to free itself from obligations to
give reduced water rates to certain
factory concerns the city will en-
deayor to purchase strips of land
from the Chesebrough Manufaetur-
Ing and c. Pardee Works. This
subject was brought before the
Board of Water Commissioners at
its meeting last night by Acting
Mayor William D. VOORHEES, and AL
derman F. A. Seaman. They con-
tended that 1t would be well for the
city TO own land ON both sides of
Raritan river for the reception of
present and future water mains
Aside from the fact that the pur-
chase of such land would free the
city from obligations to factory con-
Germs for rights of way, 1t would
be of much future benefit, Messrs,
Voorhees, and Seaman contended,
and 1t would make matters very
easy for securing riparian rights for
placing mains under the river.
Heretofore the water board has
neen granting concessions for rights
pf way for the water mains. Pardee
interests, 1t Is said, have secured
water for seven cents a thousand
gallons and the choice between d
similar rate and the placing of a fire
plug has been given the Cheese
brough Manufacturing Company
Mr.. Seaman objected to the city
granting any such concessions and
City Engineer Mason said the ques-
tion had been raised as to whether
It had q right to so discriminate
in water rates Alderman Seaman
urged the purchase of such neces-
sary property outright, no matter
what the cost, so long as 1t was
within reason.
Engineer to Negotiate.
Discussion on the subject was
closed with instructions to City En-
gineer Mason to negotiate for the
purchase of necessary property. If
the owners VIII not sell at fair
price the city will press condemna-
ffon proceedings, as It's officials
deem the land is much needed. A
strip ten feet wide extending from
ere river northwara may be secured
from the G. PaFdee Works and q
similar strip from the Chesebrough
Manufacturing Company. A wider
strip may be purchased on the
southerly side of the river. The six
teen-inch main will shortly be re-
moved, thus nullifying an agree
mant for q seyen-cent rate with the
Pardee concern.
Alderman Seaman contended 1t
Was unfair for the water commits
sioners to give low rate to facto-
ries, when small consumers were
forced to pay more than double
that charge. In response to ques-
tions he was told the factory water
rate was about seven cents thou
sand gallons, while the house charge
was fifteen cents for the same
amount Some of the commission
ers agreed with the alderman 1t was
unfair to charge the small consumer
double the rate the large consumer
was paying. Mr.. Seaman deemed
factory rates low enough and COM
missioners agreed with him, that II
any change was made, they should
be increased He strenuously OPP
posed any action of the water board
to grant reduction of rates for priv
ileges. He rather advised that the
privileges be bought outright and
paid for.
Bills for taxes on the water works
property at Runyon In Madison
township we're received and read.
They were referred to the real es-
tate committee to be taken up with
City Attorney G. G. Hommann. Bills
for last years taxes on the same
property are still In the hands of
the city attorney 1t Is expected
that he will dispose of the subject.
For the past year he has been fight
ing asor exemption OF taxes In cer-
tain lines.
Other Minor Matters.
An ordinance providing for a
bond issue of $4,000 for improve
ments TO the eity's water system.
was passed on It's second and third
and final readings.
superintendent A. Fl. Crowell in
formed the board that 1t was poor
policy to lay water line in the
same trench with sewer pipe. He
declared leaks were often caused
and it was difficult to find the water
pipes because straight lines were
seldom followed
galley Cohan appeared before the
board and asked that water main
be laid In Paterson street, between
state street and Brighton avenue.
The subject was referred to the pipe
committee A car load OF slx-ineh
pipe was ordered.
Herbert Lipman. 270 Oak street,
entered an application for plumb
er's license. The application was re-
ferred to the superintendent with
power to grant the same
The minutes OF the last meeting
OF the board were ordered returned
to the printers for corrections. A
number of typographical errors
were discovered and sometime was
snens n correcting tssc1i.
Fred Haney acted as clerk OF the