The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-09-22
FOR Pure WATER.
The Action of the Street and
Water Commissioners
Discussed Very
Favorably.

Commissioners in adopting resolution
looking toward the requirement of new
supply water. created almost as much
surprise in this city as did the news that
Corbett had defeated Sullivan.
For three or four weeks past the Com
missioners have held numerous con-
ferences, the subject of discussion being
the filthy water that is bein G
doled out TO the public. Two of the
Commissioners held out, it is said, be-
cause they feared howl would be
raised by the public. The other three
Com mmissioners We're satisfied in their
own minds that new supply was need
ed ant stated that they believed
pubic that has been drlnklng
the polluted stuff taken from the Pissaic
would aid them lii devising some plan to
secure a better and purer supply which
could be owned and operated by the CITY
itself.
President Madden has consulted with
number of citizens Oh The question tor
new water supply. VINO 'on4 year ago
raised their voices against such scheme
becoming operative. Perhaps the recent
cholera scare or The flthlness Uf the water
they have been drinking this summer,
changed their minds. but at any late
these persons are ready to aid The Com
mlssioners i'll securing supply.
GENERALLY DISCUSSED.
The action or the Board IN adopting the
reso ution directing Chief Ruggles 10
prepare specifications for a new supply
OF water WAS being discussed by every.
one. and a JERSEY CITY NEWS reporter
Who overheard many OF the opinions eX-
pressed by property owners, heard moth
ing but words OF praise.
One DeptnmnO heavy tayDaVar
sald:-"lt is time our city officials took
some action in this matter. The great
trouble has been that any plan to secure
new supply has been made political
capital OF. The water we have been drink
ing this summer is the filthiest stuff
l have ever seeu. How Jer-
sey City has escaped an epidemic of
some kind is strange to ME. The pollu-
tlon of the Passaic above Jersey Ciiy's
intake has made our intake nothing more
than receiving basin. How any per-
sons can raise his or her voice against
plan to give us better water | can't i'm
agine. L hope to see the Street ami Water
Commissioners act wisely and quickly"
This was the general tone of express
sions given vent to last night
President Madden of the Board of
Street and Water Commissioners in
Board said:-"The resolution adop-
ted by our Board yesterday is the out
come OF many conferences. Hundreds
of complaints against the water have
been received at our Office, and we de-
cided that we would be answering the
petitions of property owners by taking
steps to secure pure supply. The evil
deDce Water INSPECTOR Leake has given
concerning the condition of our
water supply is nothing less than sicken-
ing. That itis necessary to do something
to preserve the public health is apparent
to everyone. We hope that the resolu-
ton adopted yesterday will start discus
sion of this matter, and then some settle
ment will be made of the subject"
Have you any source of supply to
advocatea" | asked.
None whatever" was the reply All
desire is to have the city get a new sup
ply, one that wilt be adequate to meet
The demand in future years. We must
have better water aud more of it,"
what course will next be pursued in
securing this supplyF"
81 canpot say" said Mr. Madden.
| But whatever is done. the best interests
of the city will be carefully protected"
Commissioner Dugan was not disposed
| to discuss the matter at all. That he fa-
| vorS the plan to obtain q pure water sup
ply is demonstrated by the fact that ne
voted for the resolution adopted yester-
| day.
COOK TALKS FREELY.
Commissioner Cook said:-'Tbe water
| Jersey City people have heen drinking is
| awful. The water must be III q bad con-
| ditiOn when physicians condemn il, and
| i'll fact direct sick persons not to touch it
under any circumstances, and we'll ones
| not TO drink it. | fully agree with the
editor Of The JERSEY CITY NEWS when
( he says, 1T is almost too filthy to wash
| your face iu.' want to see better sup
| ply of water obtained. 1t matters little
ybavn r
| get it,"
| Commissioner Yoe, who is Chairman of
the Com mittee on Bellevile and High
Service. said:-"People canuot realize
what the ondtion of our drinking water
| is. If some people could see the
intake at Belleville they would
| decline to use the water
| for any purpose whatever. The engines
at Belleville are frequently choked up
! with mud and filth and it requires men
| constantly 20 keep matters straight. The
Passaic river as source Of supply is Il
| thing of the past" e
Commissioner Somers was not at the
meeting yesterday, but he favors the
| acquisition OF a new supply. Commits
| sloners Somers with the other membe
| of the Board has frequently visited
| Spotswood in Sussex County. Iu that
| vicinity there is a bountifuI sup
ply of pure and wholesome water
| Lug dIOpblOu VI bh0 SldNlGJ SySUcul
would save Jersey City lots of money,
| MIR. Somers believes. He is also of the
| opinion that the best supply of water to
| be obtained is in Sussex county. The
| subject will probably come up again at
next Mondays meeting of the Board
| Mayor Wauser decliued this morning
| to discuss the action of the Street and
| Water Board. He was non-committal.
He would not say that the Passaic water
was good or bad. He did say, however,
that the acquisition of a new supply was
! a question which should be given much
time and thought. He has not given
the matter any consideration as
yet. His Honor will probably
| pay his respects to the Board
when the resolution comes before him
| officially. His Honor does not see the
great need of new water from the same
point of view as do the Street and Water
| Commissioners.
HERE'S A CHOLERA BREEDER.