The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-10-20
TO Size UP PASSAIC.
The Board Of Trade Re-
quests Mayor Wanser
to Have the Water
Examined.
EVIDENCE OF POLLUTION.
Later Letter Collections Wanted
The Torrey Bankruptcy
Bill.

The most important subject discussed
by the Board of Trade last night Yves
water. and that came before the meeting
just before it adjourned. The attendance
was as small as usual, there being but
one more than a quorum present, The
subject was broached by Mr.. Jacob
Ringle. who introduced the followed reso-
luton
Resolved, That the Board of Trade Of Jersey
CITY request of His Honor the M ayor the appoint
ment OF a committee of citizens to inquire into the
present condition of the present water supply Of
Second, What steps msy be necessary In order to
purify I our supply OF wster II found md not f gsooSa. what
steps ay be necessary in order to obtain other
fouith, Also TO inquire into the cost of puri fy-
ing our PRESENT supply L it can be done aad the
cost and sources that other supply may be had.
A LIVELY DEBATE.
James Banks listened to the resolution
with pleasure and declared that he favored
it. G.. G.. Jewell said some people had
told him the water was good and others
had said it was bad. The cry Of the
neople against impure water was an in
jury to the city and prevented many
people from locating here.
Secretary Taite said that a short time
ago he vel to the PasSaic River aud eX-
amined the water. He found it awful.
1t WAS black. sewers emptied into it u
it was vile. In the neignborhood of the
| dye works at Passaic the water was red
one day and some other color the next
day. Mr.. Taite's remarks confirmed the
reports of the condition Of the Passaic
published on q number of occasions Ia
1HE News. He declared positively that
the water we drink daily is impure and
that it could be purified only by chemi-
| Gals.
Chairman Joseph A. Dear said this
country was not conducted properly. He
referred to England, his native place. and
said that there and i'll all other parts of
Europe. officials were appointed whose
duty it was to prevent pollution OF drink
ing water, but here it wa not done. The
law, he declared, did not recognize the
Newark and Jersey City Board of Pollu-
tion.
Mr.. Vessels said ne knew the water
was tad and he wanted a committee ap-
pointed which would recommend a differ
ent supply. "The committee" said he.
that the Mayor would appoint would be
of such a character that no man would
question the honesty or it's report"
A. J. Corcoran also favored the resolu-
ton and made a long speech In favor of
filtration which reused the Ire of Secre-
tary Taite. Mr.. Corcoran said that Pas
sale water could be purified by a flterer
and Mr.. Taite said it couldn't.
THE MAYOR INTERESTED.
Humphrey w. Carr said he believed
the Mayer would be pleased with the
resolution, for the Mayor invited every
one to give him information on the SUBJ
ject.
The Chairman said he thought the res
olution was not strong enough. 1t should
put the Board on record as condemning
the present condition of the water.
MI. Riugle objected to this. He would
not accept any amendment aud wanted
his resolution adopted as presented. He
believed that the Passaic River was the
best water supply between here and the
great lakes. and that If the water could
be purified, the supply would last five
hundred years. Mr.. Ringle said he
favored a sewer running parallel with the
river. This he thought would remove
the cause for the present impurities in
the water. e
The resolution was adopted.
MATTERS OF IMPORT.
The Board decided to again endorse the
Torrey bankruptcy bill in Congress.
A letter was read which had been sent
by a firm in Wales. asking for informa-
ton as to the best location for a tin plate
factory. The Board direoted the Secre-
tary to inform the firm hat this city is
q good place aud to send it maps and
other information.
The Chairman appointed A. j. Cor
coran. W. c.. Cudiipp and James E.
Banks a Committee on Municipal Affairs,
and directed the Committee on Railroads
to ascertain what progress the Jersey City
q Bergen Railroad Company was max
Ing with its electric plant.
John A. Walker wrote the Board to the
effecb that it WAS Q shame that beautiful
shade trees should be destroyed by house
moving. and he wanted the members to
take some action towards having
abolished the law which permits a mau
to move a house through q street. The
trees damaged, he said. were frequently
more valuable than the house being
moved. The letter was fled.
The Board recommended that the Gov
ernment be asked to make a iare collec-
ton of nail in the city. The last collec-
ton made now is nine O'Clock.
Jacob Ringle introduced a resolution
which was adopted. 1t demanded that
the city should at once build a bulk-head
Oh the banks of the Ha~ckensack river
near West Newark avenue. The city
owns a waterfront 200 feet long there.
If Protection increases eodqe ho1o