The New York herald., 1922-03-26
MACKAY AND DEYO
FIGHT RAMAPO PLAN
Senator and Prosecutor in
Movement to Preserve Jer-
sey Watershed.
BERGEN COUNTY AROUSED
Bayonnc Expects Fight il
Courts Against Scheme to
Get Water Supply.

The outburst of protest and criticism
against the plan.to develop the Ramapo
watershed for the purpose of supplying
water 10 Bayonne and other municipal
tiles near ny in New Jersey at the ex-
pen.s> Of many fine estates along the
way OF i six mile dam continued yes
terday, with Senator William b.
Mackay Jr., President of the upper
House Of the New Jersey Legislature,
and j. Willard Deyo. prosecutor Of Pat
erson. leading the attack.
IN a letter to the State Board of Con-
servation and Development Senator
Mackay denounced the boards action
in granting permission TO lSayonne tn
go ahead with its scheme 10 dam the
Ramapo between Suffern and Oakland.
Prosecutor Deyo, who has been en-
gagged to fight the plan for Oakland,
Clifton and Passaic. said the boards ac-
tion was so contrary to public interest
that it demanded immediate court ac-
tion. lie criticized It also from the
angle that the Board Of Conservation
and Development has usurped the powers
granted to the North Jersey Water Sup
ply Commission by special act OF the
Legislature.
Criticism In Bergen County.
Up in Bergen county where the dam
ming of the river will be DONE provided
the plan is followed out and Bayonne
and the cities interested in its develop
nent win in the courts. further criticism
was heard. In Bergen county are many
fine estates. including those OF William
Hand Paterson silk manufacturer :
Emerson Mcmillan of this city and Harry
Havemeyer. The value of these estates
was estimated yesterday at from S10,-
100000 to $15.000,0 They are in the
way Of the dam and the water will
back UP, it Is said, and they will be
taken over by Bayonne in condemnation
proceedings should the opponents of the
development lose their case.
No official copy of the decision OF the
State Board of Conservation and De-
velopment giving Bayonne the right to
carry out its plan had been received
yesterday by any OF the officials who
are against it, They said they were
waiting only to read the decision before
going into court.
DIR. Bert j. DAILY. Director OF Revenue
and Finance of Hoboken. father of the
Ramapo development. said yesterday
that he and other officials of his city
contemplate no easy time in pushing
their plans ahead TO completion.
Expects Long Legal Fight.
'Bayonne anticipates long legal
fight" he said. I'VE anticipate litiga-
ton over every foot of the road. The
powerful influences of the East Jersey
Water Company. from whom We now
secure our water and who are trying to
Increase our rates from $l925 to 500 per
million gallons, will be arrayed against
us. The East Jersey people, through
different municipalities and individuals
whom they will use as catspaws, will
contest every move on the part of the
city
Or. Daily said he believed the cost OF
the entire project would not 20 beyond
E,ooO.0o0 or sS,e0oo00. In other quarters
Il was predicted that Bayonne would be
lucky to find 1t costing less than slS,-
000, 600
Among other things called to the at
tention of the Board of Conservation
and Development by Prosecutor Deyo
was the fact that any development OF
the Ramapo as proposed will destroy
$4,000 OF new roadway and some OF
the most beautiful scenery in the State