The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-24
PAssAIu RIVER A MENACE.
MIR. Anderson Price Writes on the
Suhiect of RollulIOn.

subject of Pollution.
To the Editor of the Jersey City News
Sir-It is only a few years ago that the
Passaic River was a beautiful clear
flowing stream, and was q perfectly safe
source of water supply for Jersey City.
or any other city, to draw from, but the
neglect of all natural law, and also the
law of the State of New Jersey. has
turned this beautiful water course into
a foul smelling. disease breeding sewer
from the city of Paterson to it's mouth.
This has been in violation of the laws of
the State of New Jersey, because an in
spection of these laws show that there
Is one law on the Statute book Which
provides that where any one throwing
sludgA acid into a stream or water, that
he or they are liable to a penalty of
pne Thousand dollars. one-half of which
goes to the informer. There is also a
further provision by which q city may
be indicted for maintaining a nuisance
in the shape of a sewer, and If so in
dicted, has power under the act to raise
mona to construct a proper sewer.
Thee is also a further provision which
makes it unlawful for a city to empty
a sewer into water used or connected
with water which is used as a water
supply for any other city. We have then
|. "a very palpable Illustration of the dis
regard of the State law in connection
with the sewerage and also a violation
of the natural law, which is that we
should so use the gifts which God gives
us as not to damage our fellow man.
It is high time that the inhabitants of
the country bordering on the Passalc
River should take some action to re-
liox-n tharaSn1unc from fhne III niger 10
which they are exposed. The Passaic
River is a menace to life and healTh,
and the danger is SO imminent that me
We do not need any further Legislation;
what is really needed is an enforcement
of the law.
bordering on the Passaic River to utilize
the sewerage is not only a crime against
nature. but it is also a disregard ana a
neglect of a product which could pc
made a source of large revenue The
sewerage mater which now runs 10
waste to bread disease in the Passaic
which. in gathering and making mer-
chantible, would bring a large
alive business, and would ray, II not
expense of the sewerage of either the
cities of Paterson, Passaic or Newark,
because sewerage matter, is one OF the
most valuable fertilizers known
But even if this sewerage matter IS
not utilized as a commercial product
it's poisonous qualities should be destroy
ed so that it should not render the
all its beauty and its utility. 1t should
be deodorized and destroyed by Gre
nation, or in some other, way Wen
known to science rendered armies
We have before us an example of other
and continental cities. like Leeds, Lon
don. Augsburg. in German. where this
is being done. end where they naHd oeen
wait until the inevitable comes, ano
after we have learned the serious iess9n
in the form of epidemics. seek to remedy
The cities of Passaic. Paterson ana
Newark. if they would see 1t; n II
can easily be demonstrated. should be
compelled. or they should Willingly CON
meet their sewer outlets with pumping
stations which would entirely remove
from the river the sewerage. matter
a central station. and then either treat
it for commercial purposes or Destroy
it. This could be done at comparatively
moderate cost.
than the plan which has been carried
out in the case of Newark, and when
is now talked of being carried out in
the case of Jersey City. where immense
sums nave been expended for the pur-
pose of securing a water supply by ron
bling the head waters Of the Passale
flow to the detriment of the lower END
OF the valley. when one-half of the
amount so expended, if it had been APP
piled to the purifying of the river itself
IN the manner indicated. would have
realized to the cities of Passaic. Pater--
son and Newark an income, and would
nave left the city of Jersey City in the
full possession of a safe and healthful
source of water supply.
This country has been SO supremacy
blessed by the Divine Providence with
it's magnificent forests and water
courses, that the people have come to
look upon the same as an i%nexhaust-
ible supply which can never be damaged
or decreased, whereas. in fact. our
forests and our streams need now 4
careful supervision. and should receive
the same at once. especially in the
neighorhood of our larger cities. New
jersey and New York have both taken
an excellent position with ega to the
preservation of the Palisades. yet the
preservation of these beautiful rocks is
only a matter of looks, and while no
one would depreciate the effort in thar
direction. how much more noble weuld
he the effort to compel the preservation
in all their purity of the beautiful
streams which have become through
~-e~lec+ and misuse a source of danger
n of menace TO the public health.
Respectfully.
ANDERSON PRICE,
Rutherford. N. r.