The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-01-29
THAT WOODLAND SEWER
Lehigh Valley Company flinders
Its Completion-Citizen
Irritated.

lrPltated.
The woodlawn section Of Greenville
is a district where the rapid growth Of
our population has been made noticeable
by the large number of new dwellings
| erected within the past year. The prop
erty owners in Woodlawn years ago,
realized that the district possessed CON
spicuous advantages as a residence To-
| cality, and that in order to place it IN
an equal footing with other sections of
the city improvements would lave to
be secured. The first Improvement that
the property owners decided to prod the
city officials for was a eve which
would, with connecting mains, drain the
entire section. The Sixth District Citi-
zens' Association lent It's aid, and after
three or four years agitation the Street
and Water Commissioners decided 10
build the nue. needed sewer. When the
contract was awarded there was much
joy at the prospect of al early compile
zion of the work. This was two years
ago, but the sewer is not yet completed,
and, Judging from the present outlook,
the much needed drainage for the sec
ton VIII be some time in coming.
OBSTACLES IN THE WAY.
Contractor P. j. Condor, who secured
the contract for the sewer, lost no time
in getting to work, and, although he en-
countered large quantities Of solid rock,
he made much progress. Last summer
he had laid the large double pipe line
on the meadows, from the canal to the
bay shore, and had completed the large
brick sewer from the other bank of the
canal to Ocean avenue. Contractor Con-
don had hopes that by last fall at the
latest he would be able to turn the sewer
over to the Street and Water Commits
~sioners, but an unexpected obstacle loom
ed up which upset all his plans. TO
complete dhe sewer and connect the pipe
Line on the meadows with the other por-
lion of the sewer, it was necessary to
lay a siphon on the bed Of the canal.
Contractor Condor started to lay the
siphon when the Lehigh Valley Railroad
officials took a hand and promptly or
dered the work stopped. The contrac-
tor. who had experienced similar trouble
with the railroad before, ordered his
men to go on with the work of excavat-
ing at the towpath. The railroad Off
Gals then quickly sutI-ioned a gang of
Workmen, and while Condon's men SHOW
elled out the earth the railroad men
shovelled it back again. The railroad
company's men won the day, and the
officials finally called a truce and agreed
to allow the contractor to lay the siphon
as soon as the canal had been closed
for the season. Contractor Condor then
devoted his attention to the other end
as Van Cleef street. All that remained
then to complete the big drain was to
lay the siphon in the canal.
RAILROAD TACTICS.
Last week the contractor thought to
take advantage OF the mild weather, and
the canal being free of ice he put a
sang of men at work. Word soon reach-
ed the officials OF the railroad that the
contractor had begun to lay the siphon,
and as before they promptly ordered 1t
stopped. The railroad being the owner
Mr.. Condor but to obey their orders.
The work was stopped, and noW Mr..
Condor is in q quandary. If he does not
complete the sewer before spring the
canal VIII again be open to traffic, and
he will have to wait until 1T closes in
the fall. The property owners are in
the meantime adding TO his discomfort
by complaining of the delay, and, al
though he is not at fault, hi is being
blamed for the delay.
A GRAVE SOURCE OF DANGER.
The early completion of the sewer is
of greater Importance than ever owing
to the new Woodlawn school. The school
is receiving new scholars at a rate that
will fill 1t to overlooking by summer, and
If the sanitary arrangements are render
ed useless by the lack of drainage there's
no telling what may gain a foothold.
The section of the district where the
school is located is low and marshy, and
If the surrounding lands are not properly
ain the school house windows will
have to be closed in the summer to keep
out the stencil arising from the marsh
land.
WILL PUT ON THE SCREWS.
Contractor Condon Will request the
Street and Water Board to take prompt
action at onc 1t being rurnored that
the railroad officials viii apply to the
Court of Chancery for an Injunction re-
straining the city OF Contractor Condor
from crossing its land With a sewer
siphon. The property owners Of Wood
lawn are talking of holding a mass meet
ing to protest against, the interference
of the railroad. One of the property
owners, when interviewed by a reporter
Of THE Jersey City News last even
ing said
II do not understand why the Street
n Water Commissioners have not
taken a hand in this matter. This is
not the first time that the railroad has
interfered with the work, and If the
railroad has a right to deny a privilege
to cross it's lands that fact should first
be established by the courts before the
city gives up the fight. am sure tina
no railroad can obstruet such a public
improvement, and we certainly can con-
49, - -S-LA