The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-06-09
SEEING IS BELIEVING,
Mayor Wanser Inspects the
City'S WaterWorkS from
High Service to the
Intake.
THAT PASSAIC PILlNG JOB.
He Finds the Work Well Done
No Army Of Idle
Employees.
THINKS THE WATER FAIR
Captain Ho0ker's Two Foot Rule
Incidents of the Day.


missioners yesterday to High Service and
BelIeville, for the purpose of inspecting
the works at these two points. was one to
which the members of the Board are &C
customed. To the Finance Commission
ers it was hing less than a confirma-
tion of the statements of the Street and
Water Commissioners that the engines
and water pipes were in deplorable con-
dition. To Mayor Wanser, Spencer
Weart, his Secretary, and Captain Hooker
and his two-foot rule, it was virtually a
voyage of discovery and miraculous reve-
laton.
Yesterday morning Mayor Wanser.
President Madden, Secretary Weart,
Captain Hooker, Commissioners Somers
and Yoe, President Edelstein, of the
Board of Finance; Commissioner Allen,
Clerk German. Clerk Bouton, Water
Purveyor Coar. Michael Doyle and Chief
Engineer Ruggles left the office of the
Street and Water Commissioners at half
past ten in closed coaches. and began the
drive to High Service.
HIGH SERVICE.
Arriving at this point about eleven
o'clock an inspection of the pumping sta
tion and reservoirs was made. The
works were models of neatnesS. The old
man was at his post. The first inquiry
made by Mayor Wanser was as to the
number of men employed at this station
He was readily informed that there wer e
fourteen men, divided into day and night
gangs. The old reservoir. No. 2. was
first inspected. The water WAS clear and
clean. The reservoir was well filed, its
capacity being 70,000.000 gallons The
new stand pipe recently erected was
pointed out to the Mayor and he express
ed much pleasure upon ascertaining that
it was In first class condition and
OF it. Before leaving Reser-
vor No., 2. His Honor's attention
was called to the top of the chimney,
which is In a deplorable condition, slowly
but surely crumbling away for lack of
coping The Street and Water Commis-
sioners have asked the Finance Commits
sioners for an appropriation TO repair the
chimney. His Houor acknowledged that
the work should be done, and iptimated
that he would approve of resolution to
make the necessary repairs.
This was one point gained for the Street
Commissioners.
Reservoir No. 3, with its capacity of
10000, 900 gallons was looked over. The
new stand pipe was pointed out to the
Mayor and the clearness of the water
su prised him. While inspecting this
reservoir the Mayors eye fell upon the
unused plot of ground which is sur
rounded by a stone wall and which was
originally intended for reservoir. The
enclosure was.in possession otihalf ia dozen
cows and an equal number of geese. dogs
and goats. the Mayor was informed
that should anything happen the
water pipes crossing the meadows, the
10000, 900 gallons in the two reservoirs
would supply Jersey City for six days.
The deplorable condition of the mains
from Bellevile was discussed at length.
The advisability of blasting out the rock
in the ur used reservoir ground and con-
feet dees, was considered; but as soon as
Chief Ehoineer Ruggles volunteered the
informatel that an expenditure of half
million of dollars would be necessary
20 make the reservoir useful, his Honor's
brows contracted, and it was readily
recognized that his approval would be
withheld from such proceeding.
Captain Hooker and his two foot rule.
who had presumably been bought by the
Mayor for the purpose OF posting him on
the quality of the machinery and pipes he
would examine, bobbed up at this juno
ture and did lot of talking that was at
tentively listened to by the goats that
were enjoying the tin cans and glassware
which makes the unused reservoir site a
thing of beauty.
That the two reservoirs were connected
surprised His Honor, as did also the in
formation that Hoboken was paid $500 per
day at one time TOR supplying the upper
nartion of the city with water at the time
of break in the mains. The question of
supplying the city with water occupied
the Mayors attention all day. but he mad
little 10 say on the subject. His Secretary
did all the talking with the Commission
= ers. Captain Hooker had monopoly OF
We breeZeS.
NJ THAT PILING.
I Fully convinced that High Service was
J i that could be desired and that the
(force of men in charge was none too
large, the Mayor and the party made
start for Belleville. Arriving at the
Eackonsaek bridge, another stop was
made. This point is where Contractor
Connolly did the plling and other repair
ing, of which His Honor, through his Sec;
retary. complained. The rotten old
bridge covering the main water pipe.
with the piles swinging to and fro
with the tide, was pointed out
to the Mayor. The point where
The loaded schooner collided with the
water pipe extending under the river ln-
terested His Honor. Following upon the
Explanations given him, Chief Engineer
Rnyoles escorted His Honor across the
hr,d9e. showed him what work had been
done. the NUMBER OF piles driven, the
number of anchors made and the amount
of work SUlll necessary W PAnSo WIZ "a iNsO
ond water mains in condition of safety.
These revelations opened HIS Aon9r's .n.s
ewes, and to his Secretary ne remared tha5
he guessed the piling had been well ana
cheauly done. This Demonstrated to the
Street and Water Commissioners that the
Mayor had been lead into making his re-
cent attack upon them by some person
who wished to place them. If possible, In
rhe he mains crossing the Hackensack
&kare next examined. The old cement
~ in which is enclosed sheet iron pipe
NAM five-sixteenths of an inch in thick
Wss W. discovered to be i'll positively
KNten q 'ition. The cement Is break
~ off the pipe is eaten away. the brick
hfering is loose and breaks are fre-
foW nt occurrence. The Mayors surprise
complete when he was informed that
Vic cement pipe gave way the iron pipe
J AMTng would be washed away and the
US supply of water cut OH :
i,nq argument as to the advisability OF
ING another water pipe arose. and IL
gss 81 the onlnion of President Edelsteln