The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-03-28
STOP THE WATER STEAL.
Newark Is Preparing to Tap
One of Jersey City'S Best
Sources of Supply.
THE SWINDLECATE WILL DO IT.
Why Does the Law and Ordinance
Committee Hold Alderman Sal
inger's Resolution?

Corporation Counsel John A. Blair said
to me, when made enquiry of him this
morning, that SO far the Committee on
Laws and Ordinances of the Board OF Al
dermen have not called to consult with
him about Newark's prospective invasion
OF Jersey City's water privileges. Alder
man Elliott is chairman of the committee.
"He probably won't do any thing about
the matter" said a well informed city Off
cial this morning sHe is not a candidate
for reelection, and probably takes little in
terest therefore in his Aldermanic
duties"
The committee should, however, have
done something by this time in pursuance
OF the resolution offered by Alderman
Salinger at the last meeting of the Board
of Aldermen. The reason for the resolu-
tion is the impending contract between
Newark and the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Company, for new water supply. The
Lehigh Valley Railroad Company is the
owner of the Morris Canal; and the canal
is the water source from which the rail
road company will draw the water which
~ plOPOSCo w 1ulAtCll w 4NCW dA ASeNe
the canal is not an adequate feeder to meet
the conditions of the contract which New
ark has decided to enter into; and the
company proposes to add to its water vol
ume by tapping some of the streams of the
PaSSaic she'd
WHERE JERSEY CITY WILL SUFFER.
These streams make the Passaic river.
Jersey City has purchased land all along
the front of the river between Aquacka-
n toll, ,t,D H. ,%x-1 ur1d
Belleville, and has SO acquired the right to
take of the overflow what the people or
this city need for domestic and other uses.
Alderman Salinger is informed that the
tapping of any of the feeders of
the river will decrease the volume of
supply, and SO impair the efficiency OF our
water service, not only as to volume, but
as to purity; for the larger the volume OF
fresh, pure water that sweeps down the
hill sides of the PaSsaic watershed into
the basin from which this city drinks, the
more thoroughly is the water used here
cleansed of the impurities that are thrown
into it near it's mouth. The cleansing
power of these mountain waters is re-
garded by the Aldermen as of more conse-
quence even than their volume.
Beyond the filth and poisons that are
emptied into the city's intake by. the
mills and factories and the sewers along
the line of the river, the water would be
made brackish beyond endurance by the
rise of the sea tides up to our intakes, but
for the counteracting pureness and power
of these mountain streams.
Newark's proposition to steal q large
volume of the waters of these feeders is
therefore matter of the largest moment
to the residents of this city, and Mr..
Salinger'S resolution directed that a.
formal protest be made to the city
authorities of Newark against the con-
summation of the outrage. The resolu-
ton was referred to the Committee on
Laws and Ordinances, whose inactivity is
exciting much unfavorable comment.
THEY'RE AFTER THE ROCKAwAY RIVER.
Inquiry made this morning led to the
discovery that the impression is general
that the design of the railroad company is
to take the Rockaway river, at Rockaway,
railroad company has erected gate
through which the water of the river has
been turned into the canal when it was
needed But the only purpose for which
the river has been drained here
tofore has been that Of food
their craft. When the canal was once
flooded the drain on the river ceased and
the overflow was at all other times at the
service of the city. The making Of a con-
tract with Newark contemplates an end
less drain of the river. The seriousness of
the matter may De rea1lZeQ Wnen IL Is
known that the Rockaway river is one of
the largest of the streams that help to
make the volume of the Passaic river.
City Clerk Scott said this morning that
such protest as is proposed by Mr.. Salin-
gers resolution should be made without
delay If Newark steals part of Jersey
Cityss water rights, this city would have
an undoubted right to sue. But the
failure to make protests before the COM
pletion of the contract between Newark
and the railroad company might possibly
be construed, in the event of a suit being
instituted, as consent on the part of the
city to the diversion of the water.
'If the order of things were reversed"
Mr.. Scott continued "and Jersey City
were about to make a contract to steal
part of Newark's water, we would have
heard from that city long before this, and
in manner that could not be misunder-
stood, either"