The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-21
BOARD BOMBARDED
Commissioners Apathy on
Water Question Brings
Forth Many Protests.
RESOLUTIONS FROM GREENyILLE.
Public Sentiment Demands a New
Supply and Action Should
Be Taken At Once.
RESOLUTIONS FROM GREENvILLE.

The apparent refusal of the Street and
Water Commissioners to notice or act
upon appeals of property owners from
all parts of the city to procure a pure
and wholesome supply of water is having
the effect of placing the board in the
u~nenviable position of a target, at which
complaints of a severe and pointed char
acter are being fired. At last nights
session of the board the following in
teresting documen was received from
Greenville realty owners, represented
by Messrs, Michael Schultz. S. l.. Har-
vey, Henry Lembeck. D. w. Oliver,
Adam Reid and Robert Carey
THE RESOLUTION.
To the Honorable Board of Street and Water
Commissioners of Jersey City,
Gentlemen-Whereas, The water supply of
Jersey City has of late become SO bad that
the welfare, physical and financial, of our citi-
zens and property owners Is threatened;
And whereas, The matter of re1medying the
condition of affairs and securing a new and
better supply of water is an absolute neces-
sity and is popularity demanded, the present
supply teeming with the pollution OF scores OF
sewers and factories that drain into the Pas
sale River, the source of the supply, in the
proximity of our intake, this containing the
otherwise pure Passaic and injuring it for all
domestic purposes apparently beyond remedy;
And whereas, This polluted condition Of the
supply not only destroys the rental value of
city property, drives away prospective ten
ants and citizens by its obnoxious qualities
menaces the health of all who are Obliged by
matter of necessity to use the supply regard
less of its merit or condition, and in the opla-
ion of chemists and physicians is unit for
any and all domestic use of any nature what
soever, but also Injuries and hampers our city's
credit and standing amongst the municipafi-
ties of the State and nation;
And whereas, Ample opportunity is afforded
for the securing of a new supply either by
contract or by independent action of the city
government the latter being by far the most
preferable method in our opinion, several
suggested sources of supply being available
and the matter of accomplishing a favorable
change being feasible beyond any question of
a doubt, for certainly if there are a score of
water companies and syndicates standing
ready to undertake the project, certainly the
question of availability and feasibility cannot
be gainsaid;
And whereas, despite public protestations
to the contrary the public sentiment is al
most if not quite unanimous and emphatic in
the demand for a reform in this most i'm
portant and consequential municipal interest,
and the proper city authorities are in duty
bound to heed the call and exert some effort
to remedy this great evil, an evil which is
increasing in its proportions and results to
a menacing degree;
And whereas, the conditions are such that
a new supply can be obtained at an expense
not much if anything beyond the cost of the
present supply, and which in the course of
a very few years will undoubtedly result in
I anu ms OcuiI AN oiAN
physically both to the municipality and to
the individual;
Therefore be it declared by the Greenville
Citizens Association that it be the sentiment
of our Organization and of our section of the
city that to further delay action in this mat
ter, the most important that has agitated the
public mind locally in the history of our
city, is morally nothing short of criminal
negligence, and that we deem it the bounden
duty of the proper city authorities to exert
every effort tending to the immediate solu-
ton of the water question; that we thorough
ly and conscientiously believe that the pro-
position for a new water supply is feasible
and practicable; and above all, no matter what
the cost, the people demand it and of neces~
sity must have it, and we most respectfully
demand as citizens and taxpayers that your
Honorable Board give this matter your i'm
mediate, fair and tenacious attention to the
end that this most pronounced municipal
and domestic necessity may not be delayed
more than the circumstances and conditions
necessitate. ga condition (and an aggravated
one at that and not a theory confronts us"
Respectfully submitted, Michael Schultz,
ST., Henry Lembeck Stephen l.. Harvey,
David w. oliver. Adam Reid and Robert
Carey, Committee.
HARRISON,S OBJECTION.
Immediately after this had been read
and ordered filed away, a delegation of
property owners and officials. of Harri-
son was granted the privilege of the
floor. Corporation Counse Rice and P.
c. Cairns declared that Passaic water is
filthy and unfit for use. 1nasmuch as all
the water sold to Harrison is filtered,
they demonstrated very foreibly against
Jersey City blowing off their hydrants
for the purpose Of cleaning it, and their
and also for the water blown off.
They asked that their last six months
bill be reduced $1,000, claiming that at
least that amount had been blown off.
The complaint is to be looked into.
The West Side Republican League
was again heard from. 1t complained
of the vile Passaic. and charged the
board with being the means of causing
disease to- spread owing to inactivity
in doing something to, remedy its ten
rible condition. The League further de-
clared that the present water supply
is the greatest detriment imaginable to
the growth and extension of the city. 90
The last communication received by
the board touching upon water was from
the Rev.64J. Lester Wells. The water
is so dirty and filthy that he now asks
the board to let him have all he can
use in the swimming baths at the Peo-
pies Palace. He wants it for nothing,
however. He is not willing to pay for
it, even for bathing purposes. His pc
tition is to be considered.