The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-04-28
AN epidemic BREEDER.
Horrible State Of Affairs
at Railroad Avenue
and Warren
Street.
THE SEWER CHoKED UP
No Garbage Boxes Used, and the
Street Filled Up With Reeking
Refuse.

The deplorable condition of Railroad
avenue between Warren and Henderson
streets, is the subject Of much complaint
from residents and property owners on
that avenue. Some of the owners are
held by others directly responsible for
the condition of affairs that exists, while
they in turn attribute it to the rotten
condition of the sew er that is supposed to
to drain that section of the city.
The frame buildings which line the
avenue between the streets named are in
general occupied by poor people, who are
packed into the tenements like sardiues
in box. Ash barrels and boxes are
made conspicuous by their absence, and as
result waste material-garbage. ashes,
old papers, rags and every conceivable
article which becomes useless to the resi-
dents-f1nds it's way to the middle or
the street. All during the winter
months, the small piles of garbage have
| increased, until today the avenue is alive
with germs of disease Complaint has
been made to the Board Of Police Com
missiouers as the City Board of Health.
President Feeney visited the section com
| planned of and without further ado d.
rected Health Inspector Benjamin to ex-
| anime into the matter, to confer with the
| proper officials and If possible secure the
| removal of the filth which is certain, II 1t
| remains to cause an epidemic.
| SEEKING A WAY.
| Health Inspector Benjam viewed the
| spot and in report to the. Police Com
missioners said, ''If that avenue is not
| properly cleared of the garbage and filth
that has rotted there all winter, there
will be an epidemic"
Health Inspector Benjamin made an
effort to get The owners of the houses to
| place garbage boxes on the sidewalks fol
the use of the tenants, but in this object
he failed. The Police Commissioners in
tend doing all in their power to remedy
the existing condition OF affairs before The
| worm weather sets in,
Health Inspector Benjamin held CON
ference with Chief Engineer Ruggles. oi
the Board of Street and Water Commits.
sioners, to try to devise some plan where
by relief can be Immediately obtained.
THE SEWER STOPPED.
Chief Engineer Ruggles las discovered
that the prime difficulty is with the
sewer, which in some places has caved in
and consequently prevents the full pass
age of the sewer water from the sur
rounding territory. AT the present time
the sewer Is choked up. The receiving
basins also are choked up with dirt ant
filth, and as result the sewage water
backs up and floods the cellar all arounC
to the extent Of several feet.
| Prior to the construction of the eleva
ted structure by the Pennsylvania Rail.
road Company the sewer was in a fairly
| good condition and partially performed
the duties for which it was constructed.
Now it is useless and it Will probably re
quire an expenditure of several Thousand
dollars to place it in good condition
The railroad company is held partially
responsible for the destruction Of thu
sewer and it is the intention of the Stree
and Water Commissioners to get the
company to bear part of the cost of re
production.
PRESIDENT soMERs TALKS.
President Somers, in speaking OF thu
matter, said:-"The sewer is broken il
places. The receiving basins are choket
up and it Is going to necessitate the eX
penditure of large sum of money t,
place it in useful condition. Our at
tention has been called to the condition
of Railroad avenue. and l know tina
Contractor Byrne has done all in hi
power to Keep it free from filth. Rail
: road avenue at that point cannot b
swept very well inasmuch as the cobble
stones have become loose and in como in
, stances have settled SO as to leave dee
holes in the street Chairman Dugan
OF the Committee on Streets
/ has looked into the matter, ant
will himself make an effort to secur
, the corporation and assistance of tn
Pennsylvania Railroad Company in re
, pairing the sewer. There is no doubt i
my mind but that it ls couruing an eD
demic not to make some Immediate in
provement In the matter Of draining tina
: portion of Railroad avenue. Our Boar
will take some definite action in the ma
ter, in a short time, and we are hopeft
that the Railroad Company will asst.
usV