The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-11-09
PUMPING COSTLY.
Resumption of Testimony in
the Water Certiorari
Proceedings.
MORE EXPERT EVIDENCE
Engineer Gubelman Criticized the
CitY's Specifieatioa-Jersey
City's Consumption.

CltyS C0nSHHlptlOh.
There was little of interest in the water
certiorori hearing yesterday. resumed before
Supreme Court Commissions John A.
Nugert in Chancery Chambers. Civil Engi-
| neer c.. G. Vermeule was in the witness
chair all the morning explaining his report
made to the Geological Survey of the State.
In the course of his testimony about rainfall,
drainage area, stream flow runoff, storage
reservoirs, sheds and other matters pertain
ing to the question of a water supply, he
praised the upper Rockaway River, which
is included in the watershed of the Jersey
City Water Company, and from which
stream Jersey City will take a part Of its
supply. That portion of the river, he de-
clared, was ilnmeasurably superior to the
lower portions incladed III the plans OF the
East Jersey and Rockaway and Hudson
Companies. The waters in this lower por-
ton are polluted with the sewage of Dover,
Boonton and other towns, which matter,
according to Mr.. Vermeule, could not he
taken care of by a sewerage system. Tn
town of Boonton, it will be remembered,
abandoned the idea of attempting to take
care of the sewage, and now takes its water
supply from the Split Rock stream, adjoin-
ing the drainage area offered by the Jersey
City Water Company to Jersey City.
Mr.. Vermeule, questioned by ex Senator
W. D. Edwards for the defendant Water
Company, showed the errors made by the
prosecutors who garbled extracts from his
report to the State Board; a proceeding
which caused the East Jersey Company's
paid expert, Mr.. Croes, and Libbeus B.
Ward, figuratively to turn up their noses.
Al adjournment was taken at one o'clock
s.to fill up the recess" as the stenographer
put it, and it was past three in the after
noon before the lawyers were ready to pro-
coed.
Mr.. vermeule read a table of estimated
per cent. basis and a per capita consumption
of 100 gallons daily.
EDO you think when Jersey City buys
water per gallon this amount will be used?'
asked Mr.. Edwards.
st think the tendency will be to econo-
mize."
GLOW could Jersey City economic her
water!'
by metreing the water. The blowing off
of hydrants will not be needed"
How much is needed per day to clean out
the foul pIpess"
"About 900, 900 per day, which would be
saved by the new supply" replied MIR. Yer
meule.
Referring to the estimate of relative
prices of the three bids, witness said that
in 1914 the city will save nearly three mil
lions of dollars over the bid of the Rock
away & Hudson Company, and if the city
accepted the latter company's bid, it must
invest $4,000, 600 to purchase the works.
Witness next spoke of the quality of the
watersheds, and said that the shed of the
Jersey City Water Company was better
than that used for Newark's water supply.
Speaking of reservoirs, the witness said that
the steady sustaining ground flow would
keep the water in the reservoirs sweet and
clean, and comparing the reservoirs in the
P~equannock and Rockaway regions, the
latter were preferable.
Mr.. Vermeule explained how the lower,
middle and upper strata of water in the res
ervoirs could be drawn off, and what device
could be employed to keep portions OF the
water in the reservoir continually in motion.
.'Supposing the whole of the Rookaway
river was taken as a water supply, would
there be any difficulty in serving storage
reservoirs in the southern partg asked Mr..
Caivand.
ssThere would be on the southern portion
of the watershed because the topography is
not suitable"
sYou mean that nature hasn't provided
valleys for storage purposes?'
EXACTLY replied Mr.. Vermeule.
"How, Mr.. Vermeule, will you give us the
average rainfall of the yeara''
81 have adopted IS inches as what may be
expected, and the minimum of 81, II has
only once occurred since 1926. The average
one might fairly expect is So inches"
JUDGE STEVENS CROSS-EXAMI7EES.
It was late in the afternoon when Judge
Stevens began his cross-examination of Mr..
Vermeule, and after a series of questions re-
specting Jams and storage reservoirs, coun-
sci asked witness to state any specific case in
which any reservoir was in operation with
such dams in it as suggested by the Jersey
City Water Company.
81 have asked you this question" added
Mr.. Stevens, 'because Mr.. Croes tells me
that he does NOT know of any such case"
Il am surprised to hear Mr.. Croes make
such a statement said Mr.. Vermeule, ssfor
that expedient has been repeatedly recon-
mended by engineers
ssWould it not be dangerous to Jersey City
iftyphoid fever germs were conveyed to the
reservoirs from the village of Hibernia ~
asked Mr.. Stevens.
Witness said tina it would not necessarily
follow that these germs would propagate,
because they would find little alburninoid
matter in the water on which they thrive.
In a large body of water these germs would
be destroyed by friendly bacteria which de-
YOURS that class of germs.
Ex-senator Edwards, on redirect exami-
nation. drew from the witness the statement
that Hibernia was rapidly decreasing in
population. Showing Mr.. Vernleule a dia-
gram Of the Croton reservoir which pro
vides for submerged plans, which Mr.. Croes
had never heard of, counsel asked if these
dams were not similar to those proposed by
the Jersey City Water Company.
aPrecisely the same" said Mr.. VerTneule.
Tne hearing adjourned until this morning.
TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS.
This morning Civil Engineer r. J. Gubel-
man. of the East Jersey Water Company
and the Allegheny Water Company was
called by Counsellor Chas, L.1Corbin to tell
about the suggestions he made to Commits
sioner Cone about q new water supply for
Jersey City. Mr.. GubeIman had drafted
cnooiEoat;ons which he sent To Mr. fyona