Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-10-24
MAJOR D 'bR|EN
PUTS RATE OVER
Raritan Arsenal and Colonia
Hospital Supply is Finally
Agreed Upon
WILL ADVANCE $25, 900
Mason Says City Will Profit It
Large Quantity is Used
at Two Points

Unless the Board OF Water Com
missioners would agree to sell water
to the United States government for
use at Raritan Arsenal at Bonham-
town and at the u. s. General Hospital
No. at Colonia at seven cents
thousand gallons. or $40 a million GAL
Ions the government would not hesi-
tate In the least to commander the
water plant of the city was the ultima
tum delivered by Major O'Brien or the
United States Ordnance Department
at a special meeting held at City Han
last night.
The board accepted the views of the
government as expressed through Ma
jor O'Brien and the government will
get water at $40 a million gallons.
The government will advance the
department $4,000 at once on the
first years payment for the use of the
water. The contract will be made Tor
six months or to July l, 1919. at the
$40 rate at which time a meeting of
the water commissioners and a repre-
sentative of the government will be
held and If the commissioners can
show that the city has lost money the
government will enter into higher
rate for 1t is not the intention of the
government to have the city suffer
loss but they feel after a thorough in
vestigation that the city will not lose
but will make money at the $40 rate
as the government will use at the start
close to two million gallons day and
later will take nearly three and half
million gallons q day.
The resolution accepting the gov
ernment's offer was made by Commits
sioner Snedaker and is as follows:
Major O'BrienN accompanied by N.
s. Hill, who has represented the gov
ernment in the water transaction for
Raritan Arsenal and Colonia arrived
at the meeting at $40 o'clock and they
got down to business at once and the
commissioners from very start could
see the mapor had made up his mind
that the United States government
was going to have the water from this
city for seven cents a thousand gallons
or $40 q million gallons and that
nothing would change him and that
while he was open for argument he
was also ready to commander the
plant of the city for the United States
government If need be.
Major O'Brien stated that after an
investigation carefully made by Mr..
Hill that he felt that the government
was doing the right thing in offering
to pay $40 q million gallons for the
water and he did not see how the
members of the board could hesitate
to accept this offer from a business
point of view as the government would
be a large user of water and that In
consuming such a large amount the
profit would be greater.
President Landbeck explained how
the rates had recently been raised In
this city from $40 million gallons to
$50 million gallons and that he did
not think that 1t was fair for the gov
ernment to come along and say that
they would have water and pay less
money for 1t than a poor citizen had to
pay. The rates had been raised, the
president explained not so the water
board could make money, but to meet
the ever increasing debt of the board.
He explained how the board was now
heavily in debt and that If they could
see their way clear they would not
ask the United States government for
one cent for water, but would gladly
give 1t to them free of charge. but
as he had previously said tho city
was in debt and he felt that the gov
ernment should be willing to pay the
price asked of all consumers.
Mr.. Snedeker stated that the city
of Perth Amboy had always responded
to the call of the United States gov
ernment and that il had always gone
over the top in anything patriotic and
that they again stood ready to do any
thing that the government asked them
to do, but felt that the government
should he willing to pay the 500 mill
lion gallons rate which was asked of
everyone in this city. He explained
that the town was composed of poor
people and that they are under heavy
expenses and that 1t is not just or fair
for the government TO ask for water
at the $40 rate.
Superintendent S. z. Mason stated
that the citv would not be losing any
money at $40 a million gallons pro-
viding the government used two mill
lion gallons of water per day. Mr.:
Hill stated that this amount would
be uesd at the start and that the three
and half million gallons would be
used later.
Major O'Brien stated that there were
two ways out of the matter, the
first to have the government issue an
order to commander the plant. This
would mean that he would issue an
order at once, after which the general
board at Washington would act and
set the price that they thoueht the
city should receive and he seemed GER
tain that they would not set any more
than $40 a million gallons, and may be
they might not agree to as much as
that. The matter at best, would take
a long time, possibly six months and
In the meantime the government
would be using the water.
The second plan and one he would
would be that the commission
ers enter into a plan whereby the CITY
would agree n cell water 10 the gov
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