Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1916-01-17
WANAQUE BILLS
WOULD CHECK
MORRIS CANAL
Amendments Made at Confer
ence Here Aimed at Lehigh
Valley Railroad.

Representative OF the munlclpali-
ties interested in the passage of two
bills for the creation of water supply
commissions for Northern and South
ern New Jersey met in the office of
City Counsel Spaulding Frazer today
to discuss the measures. Those pres
| ent We're George l.. Record, as special
counsel for Passaic; former Judge
Farncis Scott, city counsel of Pater-
son: Walter Kidde. of Montclair; Mr..
Frazer and Chief Engineer Morris L.
Sherrerd, of this city.
Mr. Record acted as chairman OF
the gathering. The bills were closely
scrutinized and a number of changes
We're made in the wording of the
measures. 1t is expected to have the
bills introduced into the Legislature
tonight by Senator Thomas f. Nc
Gran, of Passaic county.
Mr.. Sherrerd offered an amendment
to the bill. which provides that in case
the construction of any reservoir or
the development of any water supply
authorized under the bill interfered
with or abridged any right of any com
ply plant the commission would have
the right to acquire or condemn such
right and that the power to acquire
shall not be interfered with by any
legislative grant or grants given for
such canal.
This is apparently aimed at the
Lehigh Valley Railroad Company,
| which controls the Morris canal. 1t
is declared that with the development
of a reservoir in the Wanaque water
shed the railroad company, which
obtains a. source Of supply for the
canal from Greenwood Lake, could
assert that the development inter
fered with the water supply of the
canal.
One of the principal reasons for the
conference today is to go over the
bill carefully and to see that it does
not conflict in any way with the law
creating the new State Board of Con-
servation and Development or any of
| its powers.
The bills If passed will create two
commissions-one for each section of
the State. They will give the COM
missions power to develop the water
sheds of the State and to condemn
filtration and distribution systems.
The latter section of the bill was in
cuded so that the northern commits
sion may take over the plant of the
| East Jersey Water Company at Lit
tie Falls.
The commissions. according to the
bill will be paid by the municipalities
within the respective sections under
which they come In the matter of
approving plans for water diversion
and restricting the quantity of water
that may be diverted from streams,
the new State Board Of Conservation
and Development which will super
sede the present State Water Supply
Commission after July l.
Sherrerd's Amendment.
The new amendment of Mr.. Sher-
rerd's which is inserted as section Il
is as follows:
Should the construction of any
reservoir or the development of any
water supply authorized under the
terms of this act interfere with, af-
feet or abridge any rights Of any COM
pany operating or controlling any
canal. water course or water supply
plant, the district water supply COM
mission is hereby authorized and en-
powered to acquire such rights, by
condemnation or otherwise and such
! power OF bt III
yoked Notwithstanding any legislative
grant or grants heretofore given for
the operation of such canal, water
course or water supply plant, or the
use or disposal of any surplus waters
claimed by or appurtenant to any
such canal, water course or water
supply plant.
",Fhe right is hereby given to the dis
| trict water supply commission to con-
struct any reservoir, although the
same may intercept the flow of waters
which may be a part of the feeder of
any canal, provided such reservoir is
constructed and operated so as to al
! low an amount of water equivalent to
! that which may be lawfully used for
such feeder to pass by or out of such
reservoir into the stream below the
same. Notwithstanding any grant or
grants, consent or authority to take
| such water heretofore given by the
State to any company owning or
| operating a canal"