The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-01-30
MORE Sewer TROUBLE
Eighth Street Main Must
Go Over Erie'S Ex-
tension.
A WOODEN BOX SUGGESTED.
Opposed By the Street and Water
Board and Not Likely to Please
Property Owners.
WOODEN BOX SUGGESTED.

An apparently innocent little petition
was received by the Street and Water
Commissioners from the Erie Railway
Company few days ago, which seems
somehow, to have escaped the notice of
the parties most interested. When prop
erty owners along Eighth street read, to-
night, the first revelation of the true in
wardness of the guileless little applica-
tion, storm of protest will inevitably
follow.
The outlet of the Eighth street sewer.
at tidewater, is upon Erie Railroad prop
erty, which corporation, by virtue of the
inscrutable riparian laws OF this State,
has power to fill in the "fiats" to the ex-
terror line for solid filling, as laid down
by law. The Erie desires to
increase its yard or terminal facili-
ties at the foot of Eighth street,
but in order to do so, must provide for q
new outlet tor the sewer. Long years
ago some level-headed legislator had Il
law passed to meet just such emergencies,
whereby any corporation desiring to fill
in along the river front must extend the
sewers crossing the tract to the new
made water edge. In other words the
law prohibits the arbitrary closing up OF
sewer outlets, with ali the evils attendant
upon such proceedings, and places the
cost of the extension of such outlet where
1t properly belongs-upon the corporation
which reaps the benefit of the land taken
from the river.
WANTS TO SAVE MONEY.
The Erie, like good many other rail-
road corporations, likes to avoid spend
ing money for the good of other people.
as far as possible, and proposes, in eX-
tending the Eighth street sewer. to build
the new outlet of wood. The petition
asks for permission to construct what is
technically called box drain. as an out
let for 36-inch iron pipe sewer. By this
plan, If the Commissioners consent, the
Erie will save large bill of costs for
iron pipe, and a still larger one for the
| foundation pillng and cribwork which
| would be necessary to sustain the heavy
pipe line through the soft mud to tide
water.
The Commissioners have very little
doubt as to how this economical PROPOSE
tion will strike the Eighth street property
owners, who will readily recall the fight
with the Pennsylvania Railroad officials
over the Second street sewer extension a
few months ago. The latter corporation
was finally brought to terms. and built
the extension in the substantial manner
demanded by the property owners in
terested.
AN IMPORTANT ARTERY.
The Eighth street sewer is one of the
most important drainage arteries in the
lower part of the city. A few years ago
the Hill sewage, which was accustomed
to meander at sweet (D will over the
meadows, was turned into the Eighth
street main. After the Grand Jury had in
| dicted pretty nearly all the city officials
TOR maintaining the nuisance, an iron
pipe sewer WAS constructed across the
meadows. The volume of Hill sewage
thus added to the local drainage
| gives the Eighth street pipe line
all 1t can carry. 1t threatened TO prove
too much of tank at one time, as flood
gates, laid near convenient creek, now
permit most of the Hill drainage to flood
the meadows with every rain storm, but
even with this relief, the Eight street
sewer is heavily taxed.
A box sewer constructed at the foot OF
the street would probably work well for
few months, but sooner or later. but
usually very much sooner. as dear ex-
perience has taught other sections of the
CITY, the river mud and sewage deposit
would clog up the plank f1ume. Residents
along Eight street would not be long,
thereafter, in discovering the result of
falling to lodge prompt protest against
the Erie's present proposition.
The Street Commissioners, or major
ity of them, are decidedly opposed to
granting the Erie's petition, and will
gladly listen to property owners inter
ested,