The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-11-21
HACKBNSACK SEWERS.
Working for Proper Drain
age in Bergen Hill.

Bergen Hill is largely and deeply inter
before the Board Of Works for the con-
struction of main sewers on the west side
of the hillside to tide water The want of
proper and sufficient drainage has meas
urably retarded the growth of that sec
tion of the city. That part of the Hill
known as Marion is, in fact at q stand
still in the matter of progress because it
is absolutely without drainage facilities.
The slope of the Hill on the west side is
toward the Hackensack River, and the
river is natures own receptacle for the
waste.
The difficulty is that no street is ex-
tended to the river between the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad on the north aud Com
munipaw avenue on the south, and there
is no public highway therefore through
which sewer can be laid to tidewater.
A PAGE OF HISTORY.
Greenville found herself in the same
fix some years ago. No street there was
extended to Jidewater, and the citizens,
led by Henry Lembeck, had an act drawn
enabling the condemnation of lands for
the construction of main sewers across
private lands to tidewater in places
where no public streets were laid out.
The act was passed through the Assem-
bly, with the aid of Messrs. See, Kelly,
Dickinson, Chapman, Romaine, Heck.
Wade, Besson, Frambach and Clarke
the entire Hudson delegation, and through
the Senate with the aid of Senator Brink
erhoff and signed by Gov Albeit. Under it
Greenville extended her sewers and priv
ate lands to tide water, and her improved
drainage has increased the value of her
D@1., Il, 70 on haf 1o
her to repay the the city's share Of the out
lay many times over in the form of in
creased taxes,
It is under this act that the taxpayers
holding property on the west slope of
Bergen Hill are moving to have main
sewers laid through Sip and Duncan
avenues to the Hackensack river. There
is not street in the mile and half
square of valuable land lying between
the Pennsylvania Railroad and Com.
munipaw avenue, and Beegen avenue,
and the Hackensack River, that is ex-
tended to tide water; and 1t is proposed to
condemn the right of way through pri-
yate property, west of the poin. where
the improved streets end, to the Hacken-
sack front. The land through which the
sewer is to be run by condemnation is
all meadow land.
HOW IT WILL BE ARRANGED.
The act provides that of the expense of
U06 sewer Ulo property D0uoItcU Sndl1 DO
assessed to the extent of the benefit; and
that the remainder of the cost shall be
paid by the city. and the city may issue
its bonds therefore.
Almost every owner of property on the
West Side has signed for these needed
outlets, though each is certain to be
called upon to pay heavy assessment for
their construction.
The meadows, through which tide
water is to be reached, cannot be expected
to have any very lively interest in the inn
provement; and SO they will not con-
| tribute much towards the COST. The
bounding of the city for part of the cost
may be due partly to this tact. But the
sewers will bring other formssrof income
| that are not Immediately available; and
the bonds are TO issued in anticipation OF
these.
The main sewer will lead to the con-
struction of lateral sewers all over the
district, and the property benefited by
the construction of these will have to
contribute to the expenses the city is to
incur in the erection of the main sewer,
without which they would be of no
earthly use. Property, too, will enhance
in value within the better drained dis
trict, and the issuance of the necessary
bonds seems to be not only safe, but the
proper, thing for the city to do.