New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-25
NEU-yERsEY'S Eater SUPPLY.

NEUJERSEY,S UATER SUPPLY.
The annual report for 1893 Of the state TIE
o,o,,is+ % Ncw-Jcrsev lust issued. IS far more
interesting volume than the average pupilc uo'-
-, scientific men will find in 1t some
orchocoloCic revelations that are almost sens'-
tionoI While TO the multtudcs 10 whom 'nc
lessons of the rocks are SIM Scaieu pooN' :.
offers practical suggestions ana instruction Vi
the most valuable kind. The chapter on wafer
SUNNY and Water Power, by MI I. = Ne'
meule. is especially to be cominehuu' ia u,e
strongest possible manner, 10 the Stt'e oi"' nus
and to all philosophical ciuZehS lor o'i'i",
consideration and as a basis LOT prompt "
affective action The subject has Deeh ulscuSneu
before in the Governors messages anu ei'e
where. but perhaps never so thoroughly ANU ~
,ha game time conciscly and lucldly rs Ill Ihis
report T., .,o+ rho
ono fact that is made most clear Is that inc
Possaic River and its tributaries below i"'eI
son must not only be at once aDanuoheu do
source Of potable supply, but even as Il i''ui III
sewer must be radically reformed uiiesS 'i'e
nublic health is 10 be endangered. FOE Veins
at n time in summer one-seventh OIL us c"''0
flow ut Dundee Is sewage OF the most "iio"''o
character; and there are periods Wheh lor "d'
or two from 40 to 90 per cent OF 'ne inno" i"
Dundee Lake is sewage. The condition OF lhe
stream amid such circumstances Is HlucScI'o""i9
foul. Its channel is so deep ana lis no" 80
smooth and sluggish that there Is no chahce
Of standardization. 1t is, therefore, from Dun
dee Lake TO Newark Bay simply reehi'lS'
noisonous sewer, full of menace 10 ihoSe VIII
dwell ON or near lis banks. Mr.. \erhheue I''-
sonablv urges as sanitary necessity "l the
near future. that the bulk Of the sewage DC
diverted from the river and otherwise dSpoSeu
of ar else that reservoirs be constructed from
which the channel can in dry weather De perIoa-
icoly flushed and thus be made approximately
clean.
The notable water supply FOR the vast masses
Of populatlon in Hudson. Essex, PaSSalc ana the
adjacent counties must come. then. from streams
above the Great Falls. The flow Of those
streams is ample for all present demands ana
for many wears 10 come The Rockaway. ram
apo and Wanaque rivers have supplying ca
nocty Of o5S 900 600 gallons daily available 10y
gravity. At present this water is not utilized
excepting 4 part Of it by the Morris Canal. ard
IS Of admirable quality. Il IS, however. IN i'm
mIncnt danger Of becoming generally polluted.
Already Tuxedo is pouring It's sewage into the
Ramapo. and IIiburn and Suffcrn threaten 70
10 likewise. Dover, Rockaway and lioonton
will soon construct sewers cmptying into the
| Rockaway, and the Whippany affords The only
natural outlet for the drains OF Morristown
Unless prompt legislation intervcncs, therefore,
| the whole Of this magnificent water supply VIII
| In few wears be rendered unfit for Use. The
moral Of tho situation TO tho men At Trenton Is
ohvious They cannot control Tuxedo and other
places on the Ramapo IN Newlork, unless
| through negotiations with Albany, which might
| nronerly be undertaken. But they can and
should Immediately take steps 70 prevent the
nollut,on Of those and other streams within tho
borders Of their own State and TO secure ~
that State for It's great and growing communl-
tios the richt TO use them. II they do not, tho
present generation will certainly SEQ the de
| mand for potable water In Northern Ne""ciSe!
| considerably exceed the supply.
| Elsewhere in the State the question IS l'Ss
urgent. though important. 1t is evident that the
water OF the Delaware below Trenton is and
| henceforth always will be unfit for use. The
river there IS merely n huge, sluggish, tidal
ditch, containing Mt best more than and Mt
| worst or 10 per cent OF sewage FOR coll
siderable distance above Trenton It IS polluted
by the drainage of large towns, but It's rapid
current there perhaps effects publication Al
| IL
| the flow there is 5l7,00O,0OO gallons day Win
| out storage With storage this could readily he
Increased TO 1861, 100000. This superb supply
is not now utilized, nor IS there any prospect
| that 1t will be In the near future. Ii Is, oi
| course remote from the great centres OF popula-
| ton and IS moreover. divided In ownership be-
| tween three States lis vast quantity. It's line
quality, and It's heght-300 fcct-above tide
level. all suggest however, that at some time
the three States concerned may find it desirable
to conserve it and apportion it equitably among
them. for the use Of Philadelphia, OF the large
cities of Northern and Central NewJerSey, and
OF the consolidated metropolis Of Ncw-l DIX
That however is a matter which may safely be
left to the future. The present problem con
Germs New-Jersey alone, and Is most urgent
II IS how to preserve from pollution or anena
ton the quarter Of billion gallons Of potable
water furnished by the Ramapo, Rockaway ant
Whippany rivers, which will very soon be need
c1 for city use That Is the question which th'
state Biologists report presents. and whlcl
most urgently demands the attention of the pco
plc of the State and Of their public servants.
|
VORK FOR TIE NEEDY
| A committee OF the New-York Charities Con
| nj a Schpn,