The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-09-12
ABSURD CHARGES.
City Officials Accused of
Tampering With the
Drinking Water.
DROUGHT CAUSES POLLUTION
Pumps at Belleville Going Night
and Day but the River
Is Low.

The New York Word" this morning
0rints nearly two columns of stuff in
which it attacks the Jersey City au-
thorities with tampering with the city
water supply for the purpose of advances
ing the schemes of the water syndicats
who have bribed these officials.
In its accustomed manner it distorts
the charge of Judge Lippincott, and
prints the usual fake about utterances
of resident, and publishes an interview
with Mayor Wanser as faky as the en-
tire article. Mayor Wanser positively de-
MED this morning that any World" res
porter had seen him.
The entire tenor of the statement Is
that there is conspiracy on foot among
officials to pollute the drinking water
so that the disgusted citizens viii demand
new supply. and a new supply means
nice haul for the syndicate and the
officials. That such an Irresponsible ac-
cusation should be made has aroused
contempt in the minds of the officials,
who declare that the statement is ab-
surd and utterly at variance with the
facts.
THE JUDGE WON'T TALK.
So far as the garbled statement from
Judge Lippincott's charge is concerned,
the latter was interviewed this morning
by News reporter, who asked him if,
in his charge to the Grand Jury yes
terday. he meant to imply that a cons
spiracy did exist to keep the water bad.
and he replied
This was a matter addressed to the
Grand Jury for them to investigate into
the causes of the present condition of
the water of Jersey City l have Moth
ing further to say for publication about
the natter
Mayor Wanser was then seen; but he
declined to discuss the statements. Cape
tain w. H. Hooker was the only member
of the Street and Water Board who
would say anything about the charges,
and he was brief and very much to the
point. He riddled the statement of a
conspiracy bp proving that since the new
board has been in office the water in the
BellevIlle reservoirs has been kept ten
inches higher than it was kept before.
The low state of the water in the Jersey
City reservoirs at High Service is due,
he said, to the fact that there is NOT
sufficient carrying capacity in the mains
leading from Belleville."
STREAMS DRIED UP.
Then again the water is poorer because
the PasSaic River has not been fed foG
weeks and weeks by these rills, riviletS
and streams from the mountains, all OF
which are dried up by the long drought.
The Jersey City Water Works depends
greatly on these streams from the water<
shed. In consequences of their being
dried up in parts above the Dundee damsI
the water lay in pools below AID stag
mated. This is entirely the cause of the
Door water, and Mr.. Hooker, as well s
Mr.. Cone and other members are pre7
pared to substantiate their words. They
court an inquiry.
Chief Engineer w. S. Miller of Bellies
vile dismissed the Worlds ridiculous
charge as contemplate, and said that
the long continued drought had un-
questionahly affected the water There
had been, he said only seven hquRs rain
comes the water win imprtove: As for the
accusation that the pumps were were shns sflut
false. By his books he showed that the
pumps were going continuously TO keep
up the supply.
Mr.. Felix Mallon. assistant engineers
corroborated his chief. and added that q
large quantity of sewage in the river BET
low the Passaic Falls affected the scanty
A BUSINESS QUESTION.
In the New York Sun today comes
another complaint about the water. BUT
this is from a business point OF V1ews
1t is from the pen of a Jersey City mans
Mr.. w. w. Hastings, manager OF the
Standard Watch Factory at Lafayette-
He complains that as part owner ana
agent of ten houses and six flats. he
could have rented the same to respects
able out-of-town parties upon three oc-
agreeable condition of the city water.
AS a stockholder and manager of one
of Jersey City's largest industries, he
says that they have been put to Sreas
expense for wells. pumps and other ap-
oaratus in order to obtain pure waterS
that the water fouls steam boilers, neees@
Stating waste and exn,snse; that in
many mechanical and chemical opera4
tions which require water of some de@
gree of purity they are annoyed, de7
layed and compelled to adopt eXpensiya
methods They have paid thousands of
dollars for taxes and water rates, anG
have paid nearly one and a half millions
of dollars in wages to a respectable and
law-abiding class of people.
To Mr.. Hastings complaint the of
ficials say that they do the best they cam
until they are instructed to spend a vast
sum for new supply.
HUDSON CIRCUIT COURT.
Calendar Thursday. September IS, A. D, 1894, So
preme and Circuit Court Cases.
N.ns Z \ O