The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-06
PLENTY OF WATER.
Divers Clear the Pipes at
the Intake ard the
City Is Relieved.
DEATH BLOW TO FILTRATION
East Jersey Water CompanJ's
Temporary Supply Again
at Fault.

The danger of a water famine has
passed and today the usual supply is be-
ing delivered.
Yesterday afternoon the wind which
for five days had been blowing from the
northwest shifted and the weather mode.
rated, This enabled the divers and labor
ers, who had been employed by the city,
TO make great Roadway in their work.
The ice about the intake was chopped
AID hauled away. The intake was prac-
ticaliy free at five o'clock.
Street and Water Commissioner w. II.
Hooker, who supervised the work, at
once gave Engineer Miller Of the Belle
vile station orders TO start the TWO
pumps. They were opened to their great
est capacity. and in short order millions
of gallons of water were flowing into the
reservoir. which had been drawn off to
a dangerous extent. AS soon as the in
take had been cleared Commissioner
hooker had a protecting buikhead built
out IN the river about ten feet from the
mouth This was done as a precaution
against a repetition of yesterdays alarm
ing experience.
While this was being done divers were
at work clearing the mouths of the three
distributing pipes. To- enable the divers
TO work freely the aoodgates were shut
- -AA~St ais VI Z At SlA " C4OCh
there was a sudden cracking and smash
ing and the ice which clogged the Dig
42-inch main which supplies the lower
section of the city gave way and disap-
peared. The full pressure was at once
turned on and an hour later down town
people were delighted to find water rush
ing through their faucets with the accus-
toned pressure.
People who had. been inconvenience
an day. imagining the relief was only
pitchers. bowls and pals. SO as to be
prepared for any further trouble. BY
seven o'clock the other two distribut-
ing pipes were clear and water was
rushing across the meadows to the High
Service reservoirs. In all parts of the
searcit peopsSs wa Wno S weTe c, aware OF sns
and in short order the High Service res
ervoirs began to fill. Factories had shut
down early. and many which have been
operated at night were closed. This as
sisted wonderfully in getting the reser-
voirs filled beyond the danger point.
The work of clearing the distributing
was attacked at a time. BY eight
o'clock they were clear, but the flood
gates We're not opened wfde This was
I'LL and thus give the desired pressure
for toddy. TIL situation improved stead
lily, and COMMISSIONS Hooker was noti-
fed at midnight that everything was
o. K, and that there would be plenty
of water today. He conyeyed this pleas
ing information to Mayor Wanser at
Although the water is a little muddy
today that Inconvenience will have dis
appeared by tomorrow. Its condition to-
day is due entirely to the stirring of the
sediment in the reservoirs yesterday.
At eight o'clock last night the East
Jersey Company having succeeded in re-
on what surplus it had into the 36-inch
main which supplies Bayonne. Harrison
and the Greenyille section. Tbs Pequan-
mock was .roilly also, but consumers did
not mind this SO long as there was plenty
of it. The city officials believe we had
a narrow escape They all feared the
the Hackensack and would burst the
pipes. Fortunately not a break oc-
Cured: The experience of the people of
this city yesterday was similar to that
which residents of Camden Passaic, Tren-
ton and Newark have felt.
In Newark yesterday the entire lower
The failure of the supply was as much
due to the ~inadequacy of the East Jersey
Eompany's plant as anything else. The
ton were not particularly choke up, but
there was no water. This fact when
made known to the Street and Water
thinking again about the. alleged bounti-
full supply of surplus which the company
Is trying to foist on them.
Yesterdays experience Is looked upon
as a death blow to the filtration scheme
(which several gentlemen are particularly
Interested in. Even some Of the members
admit tina the filtration scheme is not
possible. and consequently unworthy of
rumpus in the Beard of Trade within a
week or two and several membe who
have been misled and misinformed about
tho true condition of affairs will come
out and demand that If there is water
anywhere in the State which does not
REQUIRE filtration that it be bought at
once and 49, the expense.
The partial famine Yesterday is regard
ed as a practical illustration Of the fact
ersack meadows is necessary. and that
for the protection of consumers the old
unused reservoir on the hill should be
completed and made a storage for at
least one or two days supply.