The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-04-12
LOOKING FOR WATER
City Officials Inspect the
Sources of the East
Jersey Company's
Supply.
RESERVOIRS AT GREAT NOTCH
Powerful Pumping Station Capable
of Keeping 100000 Ahead
of the Demand.
.EsERyolRs AT GREAT NOTCH
spsetel to the Jsrscu cstu Ne,cs.

OF the new W2ser supply Whleh Inc East
Jersey Water Company proposes to fur
= ,c,,.o Jersey City. The party consisted
~ Mayor Wanser. his Secretary. John
? evins; Corporation Counsel John A.
Blair. Corporation Attorney Spencer S.
Weart. Alderman-at-Larg Reuben Simp-
son. Finance Commissioners Harden
bergh, Detwiller, Jones and Bailey
Street and Water Commissioners Nc
Arthur. Cone, Harding and Kellers;
Charles Corbin. counsel for the Water
Company. and Engineers IIirschel and
4 Charles c. Poe of the Water Company
The gentlemen left Jersey City at a few
minutes after eight O'Clock on a train
over the Newark branch of the Erie
Railroad and alighted at Athena, a pleas
ant little village about three miles from
! here.
1 There tlaSwere met by ex-senator
fGarret A. hobart, of Paterson, who
awaited the arrival of the party with a
number of carriages. One Of these vehi-
scles was a long sort of carriage, with
lass sides which was Immediately dubbed
ne hearse. Mr.. Weart thought, in the
!, light of recent events, it would be ap-
propriate to have Messrs. Macarthur,
Cone and Kellers ride in that carriage
but Mr.. Cone objected strenuously, de-
claring that notwithstanding what had
happened, none of the three commission
ers was corpse, political or otherwise.
GREAT NOTCH RESERVOIR.
After a half hours delightful drive
Athrough the pleasantly wooded hills
which abound IN this section and which
afford giimpses of some pretty scenes of
IN and vale, just taking on their spring
lses of green, the party halted at Great
ofaa eh- This is a narrow gorge, walled
Walmost perpendicular hills of rock.
E0hing an excellent site for a reser-
~ I. The Notch is about 80 feet above
= level of the sea, and will afford a
korfng ground for many millions of gal
pms of waiter.
IT appeared to the party that the valley
e fs intended by nature for an immense
n servoir, as all that will be necessary
do will be to build huge retaining
III to hold in the waters. Along one
- of the gorge runs the pipe which
carries water TO Newark, while the centre
is traversed by a highway. This road
furnishes a good example of the many
items which figure in the cost of securing
a water supply which do not present
themselves to those worthy gentlemen
who consider that the only expense there
is in securing a supply is for pumping
and building works. Should the COM
pany receive the contract and locate
Reservoir at the Notch, it will have to
divert this road over one of the rocky
hills which would form the natural sides
of the reservoirs. The great cost of
that work is apparent to the most cur
sorry observer after he has once seen
t.ilststeepness and rocky formation of
these hills. The large amount of blast
ing. grading. filling in and excavalting
which would amount to a considerable
sum. Then again Newark's pipe line
would have to be taken care of. and that
cannot be done for nothing.
AN HISTORICAL SPOT.
Great Notch is an historical spot. 1t
is sometimes called the Rifle Camp. be-
cause during the Revolutionary War
detachment of Washingtons Army,
which was henming the British in New
York, was encamped there. The valley
was one of gaps through the hills of
the northern part of the State, and was
guarded most carefully by Washington
to prevent the British breaking through
A small brook runs cheerful1y through
the Notch. which also has a history.
Some time ago man discovered some
pearls in the bed of the brook, and the
discovery. becoming noised abroad, there
was rush for the precious stones A
few were taken out, and then the supply
disappeared entirely. There is sus-
picion in some minds that the stream
was Sailed" but for what purposes is
not known That the pearls were genu-
inc is attested by Senator Hobart, who
ofa -1ary hot vUa in
session of a member of his family.
Engineer Hirschel pointed out in the
distance the sites for two other reser-
voirs of much greater capacity than the
one at the Notch. which viii be capable
of holding coo gallons. and will be
used for 4he purpose of Fitting the water
TO a point where it can be sent to the
BsEevllle reservoirs. This reservoir will
afford an additional factor of safety
In case of emergency, and from it the
water Will flow by gravity through
steel conduit or conduits TO the reser-
voirs opposite Befleville. This pipe line
will follow very closely the route taken
by the pipe which carries its new sup
ply to the City of Newark.
AT LITTLE FALLS.
The party re-enrered the carriages and
were driven to the Little Falls of the
Passaic River, situated at the village Of
that name, where the company proposes
to erect it's pumping station and estab-
fish its intake. There it will have power
ful machinery and pumps capable of lift
ang the water and forcing It into the
reservoirs on the high ground at and
near Great Notch
The cataract was at its best. and afford
ed the party an excellent opportunity
Of viewing the picturesque falls Oriin-
ar.ly about 120oo,oO0 gallons Of water pass
over the Falls, but yesterday, owing to
the spring freshets, 1.2oo,oooo00 went
plunging and roaring down the chasm.
Those Of the party who were unacquatnt-
ed with the spot wondered at the uni
forn1ity and regularity Of the channel
through the scaid rock in which the
water rushed after going over the falls.
Their wonderment ceased when Senator
Hobart explained that the State had
cut the channel out of the rocks soune
years ago. It was choked up with a
shallow ledge which backed the waters
up over large area which was known
as the big Piece. It was the theory
Of the late State Geodogfst Cook that II
ME ledge was cut out the waters would