The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-24
WATER FROM B%RANCHVILLE
A Gr0undless RumOr and Yet Ii
May Be a Pity There Was
No Truth in 1t.

The increasing demand for a supply OF
pure and wholesome water by cities
throughout the State is causing holders
of property on which is found water aud
owners Of property bordering on lakes
and streams to open their eyes to the fact
their holdings will, in time. be Of inestin-
able value. The Lebi0h Valley Railroad
Company is steadily acquiring all the
water money can buy, its object being to
sell it to all the large cities In the State
and possibly to New York.
A few days ago surveyors were dis
covered at work in the vicinity Of Branch
vile, Sussex county. Near this town Il
water Is to be secured u spectators are
striving hard to secure che lands sur.
rounding this supply. Residents and
property owners near Br~anchville, upon
discovering the surveyors ut work. al
oDce circulated the report that the sur.
veyors were in the employ of the Street
aud Water Commissioners of this city
This story was printed in all the papers
in that part OF the State. The statements,
however, were groundless, and the men
are suspected of being connected with the
Lehigh Valley Railroad Company.
1t is true that Commissioners Dugan,
Madden. Somers and Cook have individ.
ually and collectively visited Branchvllle
and have on more than one occasion dis
cussed the advisability of bringing before
the public the necessity of securing a new
water supply from that region. The
Commissioners have had the water anal
lied and find that it is as pure as running
water can be obtained. The supply from
this source is bountiful aud Is easy of ac-
cess. Water In millions Of gallons could
be conducted to Belleville on the gravity
| system. The expense in extending the
| pipe line to this source of supply is CON.
sidered no barrier.
Il have on more b one OCCASION
said Commissioner Cook this morning
''visited Branchville. l combined bust
ness with pleasure. The supply of water
to be obtained in that locality Is some
thing remarkable. The water Is pure and
sparkling, n the supply seems to he iD'
exhaustible. Jersey City has been crav
ing for Il new supply OF water, and If any
steps are ever taken to secure 1t l would
certainly favor obtaining it from that
| part of the State. The expense of laying
water pipes from Belleville to Branchvillt
would be enormous. but it Is my opinion
that the benefits derived would more than
compensate property owners for the parl
OF the expense they would hive to bear.'
Commissioner SOinelS, Who has also
been sampliug the water around Branch
Vile, states that it is 100 per cent clearer
and purer than the supply now being Sc.
cured from the Passaic by this city
by adopting the gravity system" con
tluued Mr.. Somers. I'VE could obtain 6
bouutiful supply. The water is pure ant
l imagine We could sell it cheaper than
the water we are using at tho presenl
time. We have not sent surveyors or in
spectors out to look for water, but IL tn
citizens of this city would sanction such
a course, i would advise the engagement
of men to make some Investigations as tc
the probable cost of extending pipe lines
from that locality to Jersey City. A
purer supply cannot be obtained in any
| part of this State"