The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-17
THE NEPPERHAN NUISANCE.
A RIVER THAT rs USED As A SEWER
IN YONkERs.

RIVER THAT rs USED As A SEWER
IN YONkERs
Maiariai Fevers Increasing and Festi-
ienee Fesred-M nnuroeturers md Teae.
ment Owners object TO Reforms.
There's going to DO an interesting contest IN
Yonkers about dirty water. A millionaire is to
DO arrested to-day for CONTEMPT OF court He
was ordered TO oct IN certain manner In re-
gard to the dirty water. Tho Health Offlcer OF
Ycnkers snys lie tass.'t obeyed the Courts
mandate. He Is mani ia, turcr and uses the
water to turn = wheel In HIS big silk mill.
Other manufacturers who use the water arc
Interested In tho case. and. II is said. they are
going to do some fighting. too.
Tho Napperhan River. which runs from tho
northern part OF Yonkers south ana then
west until il emptics into tho Hudson. supplies
the dirty water. It's n pretty small river, and
along it arc ak mill ponds. John Corcu.t.
wealthy TX manufacturer uses two ponds ex
clusively and portion Of third one. Two OF
the ponds take his name. Ono Of them Is at
Warburton avenue. and tho other a. Ncpper-
han aNenue ard Garden street. BRldwin's
Pond. at Paisade avenue and EN- street, 10
the one which he uses In partnership with an
other firm, tho Alexander Smith Company
For u dozen or more years lonkers people
have been saving vigorous things about tho
dirty Neppcrhnn River. 1t is full OF all sorts
Of refuse. ! he water Is no more pleasing to
look ut than It is to smell. Until month ago
the manufacturers a'ong its banks had been
using the water Tor many years as motive
power. Every night they filled their mill
ponds with It. As work progressed during the
day the water in tho ponds ran off, until along
in the afternoon tho bottom OF each pond could
he seen. When there was no water in the
ponds the stench from the mud and refuse on
the bottoms was almost unbearablc.
All classes OF Yonkers's citizens have been
obircttng to tho smells. Last week the ply
scinns OF the city hold meeting at which a
action in the matter was formulated. Many
81 the phvsjcians say that II something isn't
aNn rc Inc Place HSsw MIN n SS H.nS
Ohc.r o. ionters has been active in tho war
ngainst the nuisance A.munth aen he had the
Eoepsie. Judge Barnard granted ON injunc-
ton restraining the manuiacturers from
Ssn n their 'h mill TG nsns. Ery
order Of ihe Court. When ihe wasssr had been
worse than ever. Saturday morning Health
arrest OF Copcl.t for a violation Of Judge Bar
nard,s Injunction: lie wasn't sErcsted satpr..
hin IL 10 ske
tody to-day. His case will be heard this after
The manufacturers aren't tho only people
likely, to get into trouble on account Of the
dirty Nepnerhan. Frsluent comp,aints have
the river is almost hidden By dwelling houses.
honse Ss Ssd la, ss ra.e 81 ro one
these houses is allowed TO run into the rivor.
John Wheeler; a wealth. property owner wa,
under pain Of prosecution. il is said TINT
70 5. es are s sH
until the nuisance Is abated.
=, For long time sewerage system has heen
the exception Of one section. which takes IN u
lew streets Il is now IN working order The
HUDSON; Owners OF property along the Nep-
perhan have been ordered to nuke connection
ss wca hsy ssysy s ssS
Meeting pines across the Ncpperhar. and that
IN the winter the matter In the PHI ss would be
tiles say connection can be made in other and
safer ways. ~. 1,
The Theg
and lot t" the
ssIa Health az K? n Brq Ssn
reason why the river shouI d Re so foul. Prop ID
erty owners along its banks can easily make
vent The nth from their houses from ' flowing
into It Five Thousand persons are employed
the pollution OF the stream. The water
OF the Nepperhan isn't the only power
can use stsam Il they Wish. or late The river
has bred great deal Of d. case. The resi-
dents along its courae h9ye been attacked with
malaria very badly, II the nuisance isn't
ionkers this warm weather that Wa may have
pestlence before. we know where we are.
Our city can easily be made one Of the health
lest IN the United States. Tho country. here
abouts 10 rolling and everything Is very favor
able for a perfect sewerage, system. Perhaps
tho best thing We can do Is to close VI the
river entirely. and pay the manufacturers a
lust sum for the privilege Of the nse Of the
water that will thus be taken from tbem."
: Mr.. Copcutt cai ma that he Is not responsible
for the flthy condition Of the river He says
through his property. and that when 1t leaves
his factories It as Is clean as when 1t reaches
them.
The suthor4ties believe he puts the, public
OF his ponds. The public health. they shy,
must be protected. no matter what the cost to
an individual may be.