The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-12-06
AGAINST A CONTRACT,
Text of the Board of Trades Memorial
to the Street and Water Board.

Text of the Board of Trades Memorial
to the Street and Water Board.
Following is the full text Of the memoir
ial of the Board of Trade to the Street
and Water Board on the water contract
question:
To the Honorable the Board of Street and
Water Commissioners of Jersey City
AT a meeting of the Board of Trade the
Undersigned were appointed a committee to
present TO your Honorable Body a resolution
passed at a meeting of that Board called to con-
slider the pending plan and proposals for sup
plying Jersey City with water from the Rocka-
way River. After considerable discussion and
full rearing of the gentlemen who are seeking
10 Obtain the contract, the general opinion Of
the Board as expressed, was adverse to the plan
proposed, and a resolution was adopted asking
your honorable Board to readveruse for pro-
posals. This was tantamount1 10 a request from
citizens of Jersey City after hearing, to reject
the old of MoffaUt, Hodgkins. Clark & Co.
1t is with no desire to dictate to your honor
able Board that we present the request of the
meeting of the Board OF Trade. nor does the
resolution reflect in the least on your proceed
ings for the presentation Of proposals for a new
supply OF water for Jersey City, and in present.
ing the request of the Board OF Trade as en-
bodying the sense of the meeting, we would
say
First. The plan contemplates taking the water
from the Rockaway River below Boonton, stored
by q dam across the river, at q point, badly
selected for permanent structure and OF not
oAAOA 49, oSA64S w LALA G11NC III HAI
at the Bellevilie reservoir.
Second. The plan ~contemplates retaining high
service pumping, nee .~ssitating as population
increases. additional expense, danger aud
trouble and making what was hoped to be.a
temporary expedient, a fixed part OF our water
for all time.
Third. The R~ockaway River above the pro-
posed Boonton dam, passes Port Gram Dover.
Rockaway, Denviile and Booton, at present con-
tanning quite a large population; the river in it's
flow takes the sewerage from allthese places
and the wash from the surround n country. IL
also connects at several places with the Morris
Canal. AL these are fruitful and growing
sources of contamination. This commi tee fail
to see The reason for spending millions of dol
lars for water that is exposed to all The dangers
of our present supply with the certainty that
what we are to get will be worse in q few wears
than what we have. When we change the
waters should be taken from SO high a source, as
to be above suspicion.
Fourth. The admitted danger from sewage
and wash is sought to be avoided by a receiving
sewer around Dover. Whether the people Of
Dover would submit to foreign regulation of
their sewage system is more than doubtful. bnt
if the scheme were practical We should be COM
PEELED for ever TO take care of the sewers of a
distant town or city, when we haven't shown
any remarkable degree of care and skill about
our own. But Whatever may be done about
Dove, the ofscouring of Port Dram, Danvllle,
Rockaway, Boonton and the twelve miles of
intervening territory with the outflow OF the
Morris Canal, Is to be entirely neglected; that
we are to ger no matter how great or small the
dose may be, n
Fifth. There is a decided objection in the