Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1868-12-07
Report of water Co m mil 81 Oners for
the City of Elizabeth.


Report of water Co m missi oners for
the City of Elizabeth.
The undersigned having been duly appoint ed
Water Com. sioners by the City Council of the
city of Elizabeth. on the LIST day of May, 1868,
| in pursuance of the authority granted to said
| City Coun& byau act of the Senate and General
Assembly of the State of New Jersey, entitled
"An act Tor the appointment of Commissioners
in relation to supplying the city of Elizabeth
with pure and wholesome water, Apr owed
April 1868. respectfully present this their Re-
port OF their action under the authority given
them by said act
The estimates submitted are based upon pro-
spec i've population of 100 900 persons, and allow
ing sixty gallons to each 6000, 600 standard gal
! lons will be required daily.
| The Board have carefully examined four differ
ent localities in the vicinity of Elizabeth which
appeared best situated and from which II SEEM
| ed possible that proper amount pu and whole
some water could be obtained namely teltvile,
situated on Green Brook, eleven and half miles
! from the Railway Station at Elizabeth Mllburn
situated on the Railway River, about seven miles
from said Railway station: the Elizabeth River
near Keans Upper Dam, about two and a half
miles from said station and Crawford, situated
on the Railway river. about four and three quar-
! ter miles from said station
! The considerations which have governed the
Board in selecting from the above mentioned
| places have been;
l. That the water should be pure and whole
some.
e. That the supply should be sufficient to meet
the wants of rapidly increasing city at all times
during the year.
g. That the source of supply should have been an
elevation as to secure sufficient head of water
in the highest parts of the city without tne use
o! pumps, or expensive machinery ana reser'
y0irs.
A. The expenses of bringing the water to the
city and for purchase of the privilege.
After a careful examination oil the position AT
Feltville, it was found that the elevation was SUI
ficient, and the quality of the water good, with
he & M h OF CEN rs
New Jersey to the centre ofthe city. But the TACT
that the supply of water was irregular and insuf
ficient during portion of the year to meet the
rapidly Increasing wants OF the city taken win
its distance from the centre of the city, cansed
the Board to abandon it's further consideration
The position at Milburn was next carefully eX
amined and surveyed by the Beard, and offered
the advantages OF sufficient elevation to give
good head OF water, which would reach the high
est point of the city without the use OF pumps,
and a chemical analysis ofthe water showed that
it was of pu re and wholesome quality. lSee
the report OF Prof. George Ii. Cooke, OF Ratger's
College, Analytical Chemist, heretofore annexed
marked b.
The Board were, however, compelled to aban
don the position for the following reasons, There
appeared to be grave doubts as to the suficien:y
OF the supply in times of drought, although it
was proposed and considered that the supply
might be Increased by bringing branch from
Monker's Pond. Its selection would involve the
extraordinary expense OF purchasing the acquir-
ed rights of about twelve mill sites situated near
would be destroyed or seriously interfered with,
while the only practicable route for the main
passed through private property, over which it
would be necessary to purchase the right OF way.
The Board caused careful survey and an esti-
mate to be made of the expense likely to be in
Cured by an adoption of this position by an ex-
perlenced and competent engineer, who's report
Is hereto annexed, marked A, by which matters
herein stated will more fully appear and which
is adopted by the Board and presented as part
of their report. The estimated cost ofsupply1ng
the city from Millburn is 1896. 755 exclusive OF
the amour: to be paid for mill privileges which
has not been estimated. The position near keans
naya tha hath and hats
Crawford on the Railway river, were then care
fully examined and compared by the Board as to
their advantages aud respective availability, and
the preference OF the Board was decidedly In IA
vor of the source at Crawford for the following
reasons The quality of the water as shown by
its analysis, is superior, lsee report heretofore
annexed. marked b. to that of the Elizabeth
river, and the supply ample at all seasons OF the
year being greater than that of any other locality
examined.
Its position gives an easy, direct, and compar
atively mex pensive route Tor the mains to the
centre of the city, along street now being open
ed parallel with the Central Katlr ,sa OF new W
the city which, as now projected, VIII ultimately
become one of the most densey populated parts
of the City of Elizabeth.
and Crawford involve the Intervention OF pump
insfmachinery to raise the water to reservoirs OF
su&eient heights to supply the higher parts of
the city: but the additional outlay and expense
of so doi9g is far less than would be incurred by
bringingithe water from the other more distant
sources at MtIDurn ana teILNllle, WHICH give DuI
limited and doubtful supply. while tie expense
for rights ofway and the purchase of privileges
is comparatively small The Board estimate the
cost OF supplying the CITY from inc sItaaslod at
kean5 Ponds, at x325,503. ara at Sfahioru Ut
$338, e55
The Board would refer to the accompanying
report oil Mr.. Peter Sours, civil Engineer Ior ine
estimated cost of bringing the water from MIL
burn, Kean's Ponds and Crawford, the quantity
of water which can be supplied by each source
the cost of dams, reservoirs pumps pipes au9 NY
inc the same engines aud engine houses lanuslor
lines and reservoirs and for the heights OF sources
of supply as compared with the highest parts o.
the city; The report also shows the neigns 20
which the water must be raised from the sources
at Crawford and Kean's Pond.
The Board would also refer to the accompany
ing map, prepared under their direction, , wnigh
shows The relative positions of the several locai-
ties herein mentioned the routes over winch tne
mains must necessarily pass 10 the city, and the
proposed situations Of the reservoirs, 80 70
The Board have made diligent inquiry as 10
the actual cost of the property now owned ana
held BY the. Elizabethtown Water Company ana
repsrttbat il is represented oy me oSers o. sand
sand dollars, $3.50, OO0) which is now represent
ed by sixty thousand dollars ($60,0O0l in bonds,
and ninety thousand dollars 1890 000 in the stock
of said company, upon which no dividends have
ever been declared.
The Board have made careful estimate OF the
value of the reservoir, pump, steam power, en-
CINE house, pipes, water privileges and real es
tate now possessed By said company, and DO es-
timate the present value of said property to be
one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars
In Conclusion, your Commissioners. for the rea-
sons already set forth, unite in recommending
that the site at Crawford be adopted as the source
of supply for the city of Elizabeth, and do rec
ommend the passage OF the bill accompanying
this report. c-
JUsTUs MORRIS.
SAMUEL l.. MOORE,
| HENRY nj. BAKER,
WILLIAM BALL.
E,rzARrru November. 1865.