The Jersey City news., 1892-01-12
THE JERSEY CITY NEWS TUESDAY. JANUARY l2. ls


pine land belts, and Is more sandy, and not
adapted to tillage: that the value Of these
belts of pine timber can be increased by the
clearing Of the larger area, and by their re-
duction in size and surrounding them with
farms; that these pine forests can be moro
carefully watched in this way, and guarded
against the ravages of fire, which now
sweep over them and rob them Of both
valuable timber and the vegetable matters
of the soil.
The increased value which can be given
to these forest areas warrant the cost OF
clearing the oak lands as an economic meas
ure. Instead of tracts of tens of thousands
of acres menaced yearly by fires, II not
swept over by them, the transfer Of l,0OO-
600 of acres of land from this unsafe con-
dition of value to profitable farm land
would leave about 20 per cent. of the whole
territory in tracts so located as to be OF
greater value in producing wood than the
/ 800 600 acres now in forests.
The successful farming Of Hammonton,
Vineland, Atco, Egg Harbor City and other
and newer settlements are proofs of what
can be done i'll clearing and farming these
south Jersey lands.
The report on iron mining notes the active
mines and important changes in them dur
ing the year.
Water Power.
The subject of water power was placed in
charge of Mr. c. c. Vermeule. The census
of water power sites in the state has been
practically completed. A serious of gang
ings of the flow of the larger streams is in
progress.
State Water Supply.
The Importance to the state at large Of
collecting more precise information regard
ing the sources which shall be permanently
available for water supply, with the view OF
securing their unrestricted use by the i'm
mense urban population of the future, can
scarcely be overstated, and l again draw at
tention to the subject. That New Jersey
possesses such sources, of unsurpassed value
rs to quality and location, seems to be put
beyond doubt by the researches of the state
geological survey and that they should be
carefully guarded and husbanded to meet
future demands is likewise indisputable.
The number demanding a public water
supply IS increasing in a greater ratio than
the population of the state This is true
not only in our state, but in the neighbor-
ing states. The ratio of increase OF popula-
ton during the last decade was G.1 pei
cent, while the ratio Of increase of those re-
quiring public water supply was s2.s pei
cent.
Geological and engineering considerations
seem clearly to demonstrate that in the belt
of country underlaid by the granitic rocks
which extend from New England across
the Hudson river and into the northern
part of this state there exist the sources
from which the urban population OF New
Jersey can best draw its future water sup
ply. From this formation ON the east side
of the Hudson the city of New York obtains
! its supply through the Croton aqueduct
from watershed of 33S square miles in ex-
tent, which, with the aid OF comprehen-
sive system of storage reservoirs, is relied
upon to meet the wants of 1850, 600 persons
| in the future
OF this granitic region, hereafter referred
! to as the New Jersey drainage district, an
area equally available for the collection and
storage of water, amounting to almost SOC
! square miles, drains into the Passaic and
+, Raritan rivers through their northern
| tributaries; in this estimate is included
| eighty-two square miles of New York terri
| tory drained into this state by the Ramapo
and Wanaque rivers
This territory, with proper storage reser
voirs, could be relied upon to meet the
wants of New Jersey population OF ovel
| 100000.
In 1860 the population within the present
| limits of New York city was $50, 369; that ol
| the state of New Jersey was 6T2, OBS. II
! 1890, New York city had a population o1
| 1,515,301 and New Jersey a population oi
| 1,444,933. In 1920 assuming the same ratie
| of increase in each case to continue, New
| York city would have 2, ,765 140 and New
| Jersey would have 3, los, 730 inhabitants.
| 4 If the future wants of New York city
| will need the comprehensive system which
it is now completing, it is certain that il
| thirty years New Jersey will need suppl,
from system equally extensive.
| Assuming that the percentage of popula
| tion dependent upon public water supply
will be no more than at present t6S.8 pei
cent.), there would be in 1920, in New Jer
sey, 9, 1876, 800 persons to be supplied witt
| water. If, therefore, the state is to hav,
| enough water even in the near future. tx
supply it's people, it must preserve ant
| guard the sources of supply at its command
| The flow from $50 square miles of ths
| New Jersey drainage district is tributary to
or can be turned into, the watershed of tn,
| Raritan river, and collected at point 50
| feet above tide at distance of 35 mile.
| from tide water at Trenton and so mile
from the Atlantic coast at Long Branch
| The water thus impounded should be used
| for the supply of towns in that part of th,
state south Of the Raritan river
The flow from eighty-seven square mile,
of the watershed of the Rockaway river
can be collected at point 500 feet above
| tide at distance OF twenty miles from
tide water at the head Of Newark bay ant
| fifty miles from Trenton. The water from
this area can be impounded and used for tht
| supply of the northern, central or southern
| portions Of the state, as may be required.
| In addition to the above there are dnclud
ing eighty-two square miles drained by tn,
Rarnapo and WanaIue rivers in New Yorl
state) 23i square miles of territory tributar,
| to the northern branches of the Passai,
river, the water from Which is capable o
| being impounded at an e.eyation of over 80'
feet above tide at point distant twenty
| two miles from tide water at the head o
! Newark bay, and can be utilized for tn,
supply of the population in the country
| lying between the First (or Orange) noun
| tain and the Hudson river, and stretching
from the city of Paterson to the Raritai
| river.
| 1 have dealt with this question of watel
supply on the basis of a comprehensive sys
tenn looking to the securing of the pures
water from the best geological formation a
an elevation permitting its economical de
| livery by gravity to all parts of the state
| The counties of Warren and Sussex must