The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-05-22
FILTRATION PROPOSED.
Board Of Trade Discusses a
New Scheme to Clean
Passaie Water

Trade braved the disagreeable weather
last night and ATTENDED the regular
meeting of the board. The directors met
prior TO the meeting and cleared away
a mass OF routine business. On the rec
-ommendation of the directors, Mr.. BENZ
amin Van Keuren was elected a member.
At a railroad speed President John j.
voorhees, rushed through the ordinary
business and dived headlong INTO the
very much tangled up water question.
The President himself started the dis
clfssion by diving into his overcoat pocket
and producing two glass bottles contain
ing water, one of which was excessively
muddy and even dirtier and more re-
pulslye than Passaic water: the other
a little better in appearance and flavor.
These samples, Mr.. Voorhees, said, We're
taken from the Brandywine Creek at
the city eff Wilmington, Del. where a
system of filtration is in vogue. For
a supply of 1910 900 gallons daily that
city paid $S5, 900, and IN the same basis
Jersey City for a supply of 25,0 DOC, 900 gal
lon would pay about s250,0O0 per an
num-. h cost of maintenance at Will
mingtcm was about sixty cents a day,
and at the same rate Jersey City's cost
for a like scheme would be SIS per day.
Mr.. Joseph A. Dear agreed hat the
Passaic water could be cleaned; but it
certainly could not be purified.
The talk then became desuitory, and
Mr.. Myrom j. Furst. President OF the
Good Government Clubs League, said
that he had discussed with the Mayor
the necessity OF appointing commission
ers to look after the water question.
Mr.. Furst thought that the plan in
Brooklyn and New York of procuring
a law through the Legislature for the
appointment of a commission to procure
a water supply would be the best. The
members dropped the water question and
turned to the improvement of Bramhall
avenue.
BRAMHALL AVENUE IMPROVE
Mr.. F'urst, lnrolling a map of the city,
explained the advantages accruing from
the opening of Bramhall avenue to La
fayette.
Mr.. Dear, While entirely favorable to
improvements in general and that sug-
gested of Bramhall avenue in particular,
thought that the city boards should be
cautious about granting Improvements
until they were reasonably assured that
the assessments would be paid. These
improvements shoul not be a burden on
the general tax; because it might lead to
the city dipping into new new bonds. The
Street and Water Board ought, he
thought, to exercise great caution before
granting these improvements.
Dear as to the caution to be exercised
before %plung:ng the city into the re-
sponsibifity Of making extensive improve
ments.
Mr.. F'urst assured tine board that
those who advocated the Improvement
will stand the brunt of the cost, and
gave the name of Lawer John w. Heck
as a guarantee of good faith N the
MR.. coRcoRAN's BLANKET.
and members were primed to unloa
their grievances and air their pet
schemes Fl when Mr.. Andrew J.. Corcoran
about to endorse everything N the way
of Improvement without regard to cost.
He reminded the members that the board
Why only the other day a man said
US lave good water?' Iaughter.)
Tfade. @ea dRen ey ffa iaaghte erS Board OF
According to Mr.. Corcoran the board
ought to extend sympathy to, every
fremely cautioup Before endorsing 9 ne the
schemes Of Tom, Dick and Harry,
Mr.. James, e; Banks delivered a dole
ments N the city and attributed it all
authorities. # he Said l. more % improVes
ments were made the city would increase
0<A1
Mr.. Furst and Mr.. Dear critized sharply
Mr.. Banks lavish desires for improve
ments by reminding him of the enormous
Indebtedness under which the city labors.
which eats up the taxes. Mr.. Dear
clinching his reply by saying that he has
always been IN favor OF improvements.
He himself approved of the Pavoria
avenue improvement and the interchange
of traffic between the Consolidated Trac-
ton and North Hudson County Railroad
Companies, but it was q dangerous pre-
eedent for the Board of Trade to adopt
to approve of every Improvement.
MIR. DEAR DISAPPROVES.
we will find ourselves burdeneG with
so-calIed improvements, entailing great
expense, which I think we should avoid.
Is It not better to leave these improve
ments to the local associations, tic
which really these matters belong, rather
than foist them on the Board of
Trader
The Blamha1l avenue improvement was
affectually souelched by Messrs. Dear,
Corcoran and voorhees,. and it was
quickly dropped and the meeting as
olinx1v adiOI1rnp6