The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-27
WATER FAMINE
ANY DAY
Terrible State of Affairs
Discovered at Bellevllle
Works
ROTTEN MEADOW MAIN
The Big Reservoir Crumbling
Away-Tottering Buildings,
Too.
INSUFFICIENT PUMPING POWER
A Million Needed for Repairs
Frightful Condition of the
Passaic at the Intake.

The visit of the Street and Water Com
missioners and Finance Commissioners to
Belleville yesterday, may result in many
improvements at the pumping station. 1t
will certainly result in the agitation of
new water supply. After inspecting the
water works the commissioners sailed up the
Passaic. They were Mortified at the condi-
ton of the water which is being dished up
to be.drunk in this city
Accompanied by Chief Engineer RGggles,
the officials left the Court House i'll carriages
at ten o'clock They were out for business,
not pleasure At various points along the
ROAD I'd Belleville, stops were made to ex-
anime the water mains across the Hacken-
sack Meadows They found the old cement
main in a deplorable condition In hundreds
Of places the coating of cement has broken
off, and the bricks have become loosened
and fallen into the main. Its general con-
dition was such as to alarm the commission
ers, who had been inclined to believe that
the statements OF the old commissioners con-
cerning its dangerous condition were un-
true They were fully convinced before
they had reached Belleville that it Is abso-
lutely necessary to do something to protect
the city from the possibilities of a water
famine which would result if the old main
were to give way.
HUGE OUTLAY NEEDED:
proposition To build new main was
made Chief Engineer Ruggles said the
probable cost would reach s5000OO. This
was surprise to the commissioners. Mr..
Ruggles added that if a new main was built
the old reservoir at High Service would have
to be completed This would cost at the
very lowest figure $3.50 600.
The commissioners were staggered by the
enormous cost of tho undertaking.
Next, the big reservoir at Belleville was
inspected. Masonry work, new gates. new
machinery and extensive Improvements are
absolutely necessary for the city's protec-
ton. 1t was estimated that $1,000 could be
expended in repairing the reservoir.
SIMPLY ROTTEN.
At the pumping station Commissioner
Hooker opened the eyes of his colleagues
and the Finance Commissioners to a de-
plorable condition of affairs. Parts of the
station are in an almost dangerous state.
The wear and tear of a quarter of a CEN
tury has not been Offset by any repairs or
improvements worth speaking of. Masonry
work TO cost perhaps $4,000 will have to be
done to keep the building from tumbling
about the heads of the employees The big
chimney is in urgent need OF repairs
The engines were next examined OF the
four at the station, but one is really OF any
service. The Others are old and worn out
and there is some degree of danger in oDerat-
ing them. The are not of sufficient power,
should the new Worthington pump break
down., to give the city an adequate supply of
water
BY twelve o'clock the Finance Commits
sioners had seen enough. All the work sug-
gested as urgent, if done at once would in
volve the expenditure of 81 100000. They
had no idea such a sum was needed, but,
having seen for themselves, they began dis
cussing how right it would be to spend the
money and still give taxpayers the same old
Passaic to drink.
THE AWFUL RIVER.
The smell of the water at the intake was
SO bideous that the visitors declined to go
cruising until they had taken hearty lunch
at Belleville. Then they embarked on q
private steam yacht and steamed up the
river. The banks on either side were lined
with filth, which had stagnated and turned
green. In the centre of the stream there
was discernible black streak of dye stuff as
it rushed down toward Jersey City's intake
from the dye works and manufactures
which line the water front.
An antiquated cat apparently in chase of
still more ancient chicken. swept by on
the bosom of the stream.
To the right of them, to the left of them,
in front and behind them, closets and private
drains emptied into the river A stop was
made at the abandoned pumping station of
Newark Filth an inch thick lined the river
banks
The commissioners proceeded up the river
q little further, and the evidences of con-
tamination seemed to increase. They had
sailed about one mile above Jersey City's in
take when their yacht grounded in mud. 1t
was about the same spot where party of
officials grounded on dead horse two years
ago Being uaable to proceed further, the
party returned to the pumping station and
then back to the citF, arriving at about five
o'clock.
The officials will hold a conference with
Mayor Wanser in a few days