The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-02-02
DEVARK'S NEW WATER.
Stories That the Reservoirs
Leak Seem to be I'm
founded.
SUPPLY GOOD AND SUFFICIENT.
But the BellevilIe Works Will Still
Be Kept on Tap in Case
of Emergency.
SUPPLY GOOD AND SUFFICIENT.
Special to the Jersey city Ne,cs.

rate of "a, 600, 900 gallons a day through
two breaks in the dam and that Oak
Ridge reservoir had three leaks through
which the water was flowing freely. In
tie same story it was stated that Mayor
Haynes and Engineers Jacobson and
Fteley, together with members of the
Street and Water Board went to the res
ervoirs to make an investigation, and yet
not one word was quoted from them to
show that any of these Investigators had
found affairs in the dangerous condition
stated.
On the other hand Mr. Clemens Her.
schel, Chief Engineer of the works, said
subsequently that he was sure there was
no water flowing through the core of the
dam at either reservoir, and that no
trouble was anticipated from any such
source. He said that the water had
been flowing over the spilway at Oak
Ridge for weeks, and at Clinton Falls
reservoir it was seventeen feet over the
"berm," or within eighteen feet of the
full capacity. and that no breaks had oc-
CURED in either place.
General Foreman Paul Rurlbert said
that the rumors of breaks in the dam
were unwaIranted by fact, and that such
thing could not occur without his
knowledge. Mr.. Herschel said that both
MS OIIlCe anu MS TeSlueuCo were III Ceie-
phone communication with the two dams
| and affairs were reported to him daily.
Commissioner Harlan said there were
slight leaks at both dams, but they were
of no Importance. and nothing more than
should be expected Of works of this mag
nitude.
A gentleman who spent much time last
year at Oak Ridge said that below the
site of the dam there was considerable
water flowing from springs during the
whole time that the dam was being
raised, and that it was supposed to be
percolating through the dam, although
at that time three was no water in the
reservoir. The water was of a different
| quality from that of the river.
THE WATER OF GOOD QUALITY.
Leaving other details of the new water
| supply aside for the present, every citizen
| is greatly interested in the question,
"What kind of water are we getting at
presents" The answer is:-"Better water
than we have had for several years."
1t is better, not only because the river
| was thoroughly flushed out by freshet
which lasted more than week, but ow-
| ing to the fact that large proportion of
the water from the Pequannock has been
| commingled with the Passaic water dur
| ing the tests which have been going on
| from day to day.
While the Belleville reservoir was
empty few months ago all the water
consumed was pumped directly from the
river into the low service reservoir on
Clifton. avenue and the nigh service
reservoir at South Orange avenue and
| Eighth street. Ordinarily the water
| from the Belleville reservoir on the hill
| back of the village flows by gravity into
| the big well at the low service pump
house on Clifton avenue.
Arrangements were made at the Belle
vile supply reservoir last year SO that the
WA or ppniI D1 nIImna6 Qr0nnd the hiO
basin directly into the pipes. Now the
water pumped from the river flows out of
the standpipe in the Belleville reservoir
| in huge fountain, and at the same time
| a generous supply of Pequannock water
gushes out of the five outlets in the four
arched windows of the gate house. falling
| il crystal streams down the slope of the
wall to join the Passaic water in the
Pequannock.
the proportion of Pequannock water
from Wednesday until late Sunday night
ordinarily it would have been
generally remarked by consumers. but
| for the fact that the natural flow of the
Passaic has been unusually pure for sew
eraI weeks. When the Pequannock
water was first let let into the reservoir
| on the day when Mayor Haynes and other
| officials were so previously disappointed,
| the difference in the color of the Passaic
water gushing out of the top of the stand
pipe and that which flowed from the big
| pipe was striking, but just now when
10, 100000 gallons are being delived each
| day by the conduit. and less than 100000
| gallons by the pumps at North Believille,
| the difference is scarcely discernible in
| the color of the flow from the two
| sources.
CASE OF MIXED DRINKS.
The mixed water is now being sent
| through every section of the city from the
Clifton avenue pumps and the direct flow
| from the Belleville mains, but the new
| three-foot steel pipe has not yet been put
| in service. II is understood that the sec
| tion of the pipe between Belleville and
| the South Orange reservoir is to be tested
next week.
Meanwhile, those who are buying pure
| drinking water in demijohns from
springs and wells in various parts of the
| country and State can continue to do so
! for a few DAYS. This business has flour
| ished amazingly within the last year, and
| those who went into it did so with the
| assurance that it would collapse as soon
| as the new supply was turned on. The
necessity for spring water will cease as
| soon as the pumps at Belleville are
| stopped, for then. aud not until then, will
| the pure water from the Pequannock be
| flowing through the pipes. The water
| from the Passac is at its best now. but
even at us ue5L ~ ID GREATLY luleAlOL W
the new supply.
Hereafter an analysis of the aqueduct
water, which will enable people to note
| the improvement which the opening of
| the new works is expected to effect, will
| be prepared and published weekly by Mr.
| William Wiener. A. Nj, Pm. B., con-
| shifting chemist to Hanson, Van Wlnkle
| g. Co., of this city. Mr. Wiener is grad
uate of both the School of Arts and the
| School of Mines at Columbia College. and
! has made a special study Of water analy-
| sis.
The pumping station will still be main
tanned at Belleville to guard agal nst
| emergencies. 1t is conceded also that
the pumps must not be allowed to rust
and corro e, aud that they must be
! worked at frequent intervals to keep them
| in order
| Superintendent Marsh said yesterday
/ that at one time during the dry spell last
year the pumps had all they could do to
| supply Newark with water, and that in
| another year, If the new water supply
| was not assured, the city would have mad
| 10 go to the expense of other pump
! pumps, boilers and smokestack. He said
that even now a new supply reservoir was
absolutely necessary, and that eventually
a second conduit would have to be laid
to the source of supply in PequannocE
| Valley.
1t is generally acknowledged that the
engineers of the East Jersey Water Com
pany bluudered in not laying two three
foot conduits instead of the one of four