New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-06

ouested by the Edison Company and its
subsidiaries,
And this is what the Edison Com
pany and It's subsidiaries promise TO
give in return for this valuable fran
ehise;
What the Company Would Give.
Install, reserve and maintain for the
exclusive Use OF the city, as an integral
mart OF tho generating and distributing
system. Of the grantees, generating
machinery, sub--tstion apparatus
cables, switches and controlling appa-
retur w 10 the switchbosrds in the
struc,ures OF the drainage chambers
how or Go be hereafter provided by the
Hoard ~ water supply Of the city for
the unwatrring Of the pressure tunnels
Of the Cztskill aaueduct.
,rbors are three OF these siphons or
,rsrsure tunnels, and they will be pumped
cut or ,'unwstered" for the last time Some
,pe during the next three years. The
cor, NJ Ibis work is estimated not TO eN-
coed 100000
Tho provisions Of this proposed iran.
ohise sineulsrly enough, are IN ehe0'
~. provisions Of bill that has sp-
reared almost regularly before the Leg
i.lsture Of this state for the past ten
wears, at almost every session.
Money vas spent lavishly 10 pu, such
measure through measure which mere
w sought 10 give the right to private IN
-terests TO condemn land for the placing OF
high mower electric transmission lines
which land, OF course, would be paid for
Nv the electric power conranies.
But by the terms Of this proposed con-
,rsct now before Mayor Mitchell, Presi-
don't McAneny and President Mathewson
for their consideration. the land IS gwen
free TO the Edison Company and its sub
salaries.
PINT the scheme in its original form
when il was first presented to the city, a
,it,le moro than a year aeo-would have
e,vcr the Edison Company and its SUD
salaries free right of way over the iour
aoueducts leading into New Nork-namoly'
the Old Crotor the New Eroton' me
Bronx Pipe Line and the new aqueduc''
LEGAL Objections to Plan.
The Tribune was informed that there
are several legal objections TO the grant
ing Of the franchise. The big stumbling
block. il was pointed out, was that the
Catskiu aqueduct land, having been &C
ouired for water supply purposes, could
rot be used for any other purpose
Since the form OF contract tas drawn
nm three other WestChester electric power
companies have appeared on the scene
md bv virtue of an agreement between
the original four applicants they nave
been LOT in on the proposition. The three
new entrants are the Northern Westches-
ter Lighting Company. the PeeksKllI
Lighting and Railroad Company and the
Westchester Lighting Company.
In an official report TO Mayor Mitchell
made by Harry i. Nichols, engineer and
,bier of the Bureau OF Water supply, on
the application for the franchise he states
nat ~ the city erected its own plant TO
nump out the three pressure tunnels
which the Edison Company agrees to do
free Of charge If granted the tranchise-
the cost would amount TO considerable
sum until the aqueduct is in successful
operation. but after that time would
amount to practically nothing
Mr.. Nichols. who foreshadowed the
action Of the Board OF Water supply IN
his report TO the Mayor, which was dated
Nav is last, figured that this cost would
be S73. 900 a year.
Fxperts figure that there would be no
need 10 pump out the pressure tunnels
after the third year OF the aqueducts run
ning