The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-09-05
THE STATE AND WATER SUPPLIES
From The Neacayk Sunday Call.

From n Ne1Cu1R SultudY Cuu.
1t would be wise legislation if the State
of New Jersey should proceed to take con-
troll of the water supplies and the sources
of the same in every part of the State.
The anageme of water supplies has
become too great a matter for any single
municiuality to manage by itself. New
ark made the effort under peculiar civ
eumstances. with much in its favor as the
first and greatest customer OF. the water
syndicate, and without competition in the
selection of a source of supply, yet it paid
two millions more than was necessary,
was involved in scandal, Increased It's
debt beyond the limit permitted IN some
States, and is likely to have difficulty Tor
wears in connection with the storage ana
TRANSFORMATION of the water. Now Jersey
CITY IS entering the field and is likely to
nave mulch more trouble than. Newark.
Take the proposed source of supply OF
Jersey City as an instance of the dihl
Guilty met with. The RockawaySRlVer Is
suggested as the source, and the water
syndicate has purchased reservoir siies
near Boonton, which will be eventually
utilized for the purpose, even II Jersey
City should not be a customer, me ROCK
away has a very large ana exceiient SUP
ply, and the storage reservoir sites nave
sufficient height and the natural conform
alton is excellent; but the river reser-
voirs are in another county, and the dif,
lcUlIX OIL COllIO1lI15 SFCh Lily SiCPSo ~
the reservoirs is considerable. Up stream
from the reservoir site is the large and
growing city of Dover, with much. OF the
town draining directly into the river, aHa
the Longwood Valley to Pompton the
river is the drain of numerous villages
and farms. 1t is necessary, OF course
to protect a supply from c~ontafnlnatlon
and how Jersey City or the water syndi-
cate could protect a stream without ac-
quiring it and the lands adjacent, at
frightful cost, is Impossible to imagine.
With State control it would be feasible.
for there would be no conflicting Juris-
dictions, and law comforting the neces-
sary power could be framed, ii they
We're to be executed under state dlrec-
tiopl
| Jersey City, and how it will be possible
for the community to stand the expense
| nary comprehension. 1t could, perhaps,
| afford to pay the interest on the bonds
| and provide for a sinking fund; but, with
S18 600. 600 debt now, the weigh of addi-
tional liability would shake confidence
of Investors so hat the city could not Dor
row for ordinary running. expenses and
would be in peril of bankruptcy. Witt
State guarantee there would De no Oil
fculty whatever.
The question which confronts the PEG
| pie today is whether a water syndicate
shall take millions out of the treasures
| of the several municipalities of the State,
at enormous profit, and still leave the
greatest difficulties of pure, perpetual
/ water supplies unprovided for; or, shall
the State take charge in place of the
| water syndicate, give the consumers
| complete protection, save municipalities
form peril of bankruptcy and give al
an equal opportunity? Newark's in
| terest in this matter is less pressing thar
that of cities which have not obtained
| a satisfactory supply, but it would be
| equaIly benefited by State control in a
| few years. It would, of course, be en-
filled TO the same privileges as regards
| debt created for new supply, and 1t would
be equally the gamer by the States pro
| lection of the sources of supply and care
| and maintenance of plant.