New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-29
WATER FROM NEW-JERSEY.
AN ABUNDANT SUPPLY WITHIN EASY REACH.
TUE RESOURCES OF THE REGION DRAINED BY
THE PASsAIC AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.

THE PASsAIC AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
Paterson, n. j., Nov. &c (spccial)-The emergency
in the matter of NewYorks water supply suggests 10
many minds that the limit OF the Croon's general
adequacy is in sight There is grave doubt as to the
extent which the system may be depended either
now or hereafter, and such sources of supply Us
may afford auxiliary service are entering
the question as conspicuous factors. The nearness
OF New-Yorks necessity on this point appears Oh
examination OF Croton figures. At the same time inc
growing importance Of the other available watersheds
Of the metropolitan district will be readily understood
The full present efficiency claimed for the Crotoh ssS
TEN, including the Bronx River supply. Is, under nor
NAL conditions I5s 100000 gallons daily. The aver
age was maintained up TO two weeks ago by the use OF
stored water each Gay since May To- ING small
reservoirs toward the head Of the watershed now Des
constructed. should increase the daily depehdehce Vi
normal year to l90,oO0,O00 gallons, the estimate OF
six prominent engineers who have reported ON the
subject This increase will not be available Tor thfee
or four years According the indicated per capita
demand OF ZOE gallons with 100000 as the estimated
population the present need is for 1T3oOoooo gallons
daily. In Chicago the per capita allowance Is loo
gallons The only way OF adding apprecably TO the
Cro,on supply would be the building Of such dam
rs the Quaker Bridge. which would impound the entire
flow and bring ii 10 the maximum daily average OF
$50 600 gallons Such dam will take six years
TO build and cost many millions. So. practically, the
cly's largest prospective supply will hardly exceed its
present necessity, and the danger of recurrence OF
such douth as this Is apt to be always a menace.
The available sources of an auxiliary supply are
mainly in New-Jerscy. To tap tbs Hudson above its
point Of pollution would require an enormous outlay.
divert part of the Iousatonic would bring storm
of objection from host of Connecticut m-owners.
Brooklyn needs all the water its side Of the East
River and the streams in Westchester not tributary
TO the Croton or the Bronx insignificant. So 1t
seems likely that Northwestern New-Jersey, oil OF
which is drained BY the five tributaries Of the Passac.
will eventually be called upon These five rivers will
naturally form subject of growing interest Two
Of Them the Ramapo and Wanaque rise in New-fork.
draining large of Orange and Rockand counties
and dozen lakes Their daily contribution to the
Passaic as estimated by the ewJersey State gcolog
cal reports, is o40.OO0000 gallons, the greater part
Of this flowing from New York. The interstate rivers
meet the Passac, Rockaway and Pequannock at
point few miles above the city of Paterson. The
five streams together like the fingers of an open
hand and, rounding the extremity of the Orange
Mountains, flow through Paterson and over the
Great Falls to the main rlverbed, sXty-hvc 1eet
below. Here at the Great Falls. fifteen miles from
New-Yorks City Hall, the drained by the united
Passaic Is 81 square miles. The total area of the
Croton watershed is 361 miles. The average daily
flow at the Great Falls is estimated at 7OO'OO0OOo
gallons. Allowing for the power rights of the Pater
son mill owners, there Is residue OF 45I,Ooo,ooo
gallons available for water supply.
The mountains from which this water flows are
mainly Of granite formation and the district Is
sparsely populated. The Ramapo and Wanaque drain
Greenwood Stirling and Tuxedo lakes, with number
OF smaller bodies. Greenwood the largest of the
lakes lies half in each state. IL is miles in
length and has surface of oGO0 acres. The Pc
quannock River drains very high area, III which
Lake Macopin is the largest natural reservoir The
Rockaway brings the water from Lake llopatcong ana
the lakes of the Longwood Valley. while the main
fO1lO nn no
Of the Orange Mountains and fed continuously by
mountain streams. At present the bulk Of the vol
ume Of water gathered In the main Passaic at Pater~
son flows 10 the About 5O.OO0OOo gallons omH
are used to supply Paterson Newark and Jersey City
the first-named city drawing the water from above
Great Falls the Others from below where the river is
polluted by the sewage of Paterson and Passac The
residue Is lost.
With the view of supplying the ewJersey towns
with water direct fIon the mountains the several
owners OF the Passac waterrlghs have perfected pans
for the storing and distributing of as much water rs
may be needed. These plans, II would seem, may DC
feasibly extended to fit the prospective demands OF
New York.
Through each subsidiary watershed, reservoir sizes
have been located, and natural lakes selected for
artificial extension. The lakes In the Ramapo sheo
are among these latter. The claw Of the Wahaque
passes through tie sites of Ringwood and Mecahesi
reservoirs. The PcQuannock reservoirs are at Oak
the last named being already damned as parts OF the
new system fer Newark. The Rockaway connects
with Hopatcong, already semiarthcial reservoir
holding depth of nine feet OF impounded water lor
eight miles Of length. The reservoir sites OF tms
shed are Mountve. Upper and Lower Longwood' Green
Pond and Split Rock The combined storage capacity
of all these reservoirs will be many billion gallons.
In the Great Notch of the Orange Mountains, Just
above Paterson the distributing reservoirs OF the
system known as Great Notch Garrett Mountain and
sclers POSER, oirs Garrett Mountain the largest, IS
natural bowl of 900 acres sco0ped III Inc solo rock
400 feet above level. Great Notch reservoir Is
almost as high and almost as large while Sisiefs Is
considerably smaller. !, ao,.o,
partially by gravity from the mountain reservoirs ana
streams partially by pumping from me man river
below and delivered under SIOoot peSs sdct will do
the carrying and the of part of the Hudson tunnel
would complete the connection so far as Ne" hoiH Is
The fact tlGd these New,Jersey rivers contain
so large proportion Of the potable waters o Oi
the metropolitan district, and practically All not now
drawn upon gives them an Importance peculiarly ap-
preciable at this time -, 49,. ...,,,o.,. s,,nn,,,
as will I'm time be needed Is secured by It's watesuppY
act Ct 1883 and supplementary acts The inteIs'al9
phase of the matter is also covered by legislative en-
actment II is probable that in the event OF taking
water from New jersey the new supply WOuld DC usei
GTst In The district below Fourteentl-st where high
nressnre wouId he almost a. great a boon plenty
of water The highest pressure az present gwen any
where I'm the city is that corresponding TO the maximum
elevation of 1O feet in the Central Park reservoir
pressure 800 feet would force the water 10 the tops
Of the tales buildings IL wo mo rno p4VG ut in
Fulion-s when the entire district was endangered by
lack of water pressure.
consideration by the fact that 1t would provide an in
fallble safeguard against the danger OF drouth: IL
permanent resources Of the COton are being rapidly
exhausted.
F0URTHCLASS POSTMASTERS APPOINTED
oC ploSS m stars yerp