New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-11
Polk Demands Glynn Veto
Bill for Protection
of Citizens.
SHEEHAN SNEERS AT
Mitchell CRITICISM
Defender of Measure Says Mayor
Is Disappointed at
Police Action.
rBy TELEGRAPH to The Tribune. J


Albany. April 1o.-With the broad init
nation that the Ramapo Water Company
was behind the Maier bill. Frank L. Polk.
Corporation Counsel. at q hearing on the
bill to-day demanded that Governor Glynn
veto 1t, on the ground that IT was against
the interests of the citizens OF this city.
The Ramapo company is the concern
which. in 1906 sought to secure water
contract with the city.
Mr.. Polk declared that Governor Glynn
will deliberately AID the Ramapo COM
pany in its litigation against the city II
he signs the measure.
The hearing was enlivened by an at
tack on Mayor Mitchell by Blue Eyed
Billy Sheehan. who represented a water
company in which he Is interested.
Sheehan accused the Mayor of picking
flaws in the Maier bill TO distract atten-
ton from his failure to get his police
legislation enacted.
'It may be that 1t is only coincl-
dence," Mr.. Polk said. but IL 80. II is
a most unfortunate ono that the IAN
guage Just referred to operates also 10
place on the statute books one OF the
principal items Of relief demanded by
the Ramapo Water Company In It's &C
ton instituted March Is, 1914. IN tho Dis
trict Court Of the United States against
the City Of New York. Among other
things, the company prayed that the city
be enjoined from conducting any or SAID
waters (namely the Catskill waters) 10
the City Of New York. for tho purpose OF
there using said waters for municipal
domestic and other purposes
Does the Legislature desire to aid the
Ramapo Water Company in its litigation
against the city? If yes. II could not
have devised a better means for DONG
So
Mr.. Polk also declared that the bill
confers upon the Conservation Comnis-
sion power to direct in minute particulars
the manner in which the water supply
Of the City OF New York shall be man.
aged and distributed
ION the strength Of possible injury
TO the companies" said Mr.. Polk. the
legislator proceeds to inflct not only
positive injury to the city but TO give
advantage worth millions OF dollars TO
the companies. Meanwhile the city has
invested nearly 100000 In its water
works system. constructing IL in the ex-
ercise of a governmental function and not
as a corporation engaging In a business
for profit This investment has been
made under authority granted by the
Legislature, and the city has right 10
demand that the legislator allow 1t to
continue the great water system which 1t
has thus built out of it's own funds, in ac-
cordance with what II, not some other
body, deems to be for the best interests
of the citizens of greater New York"
The hearing which lasted four hours,
was attended by about zoo prominent
citizens of the city.
Water Commissioner William Williams,
who was prevented from answering Mr..
Sheehan by an adjournment OF the hear
ing, afterward characterized as con-
temptible the statement Of Mr.. Sheehan
that Mayor Mitchell sought to divert the
public attention from the defeat OF his
police bill
Mr. Williams also denied the assertion
of Mr.. Sheehan that the Mayor had said
that the mains OF the Citizens Water
Company might become junk unless the
company got SpeCldl franchise unuer
the Maier bill.
The statements attributed to the
Mayor ard upon which Mr.. Sheehan built
up the last part of his argument are not
true" he said.
The Mayor referred to the city's water
mains in Kings County, which in certain
streets parallel those Of the Blythe
bourne Water Company. If the Mailer
bill is approved the city will have to buy
this company at big price"
Edward j. McGodrick. Assistant Cor
poration Counsel, declared that the bill
was a legislative hodge-podge in that the
courts alone would have to interpret to
Just what extent 1t affected the City Of
New York. George II. Chadwick. of the
Board of Water Supply, also spoke
against the bill.
George II. Wickersham who repre-
sented the New York State private works
association, argued for the bill