The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-05
EAST JERSEYS CONTRIBUTION
Their supply Shut or without
Warming and Ice Forms in
the Empty Pipes.

A water famine seems inevitable The
distributing pipes of the Beleville and
High Service reservoirs are completely
choked with anchor ice to the depth for
at least thirty feet from their mouths.
The supply being delivered does not ex-
ceed ten million gallons for every twenty
four hours The reservoirs have been
drawn off to such an extent that the
sediment is being sucked into the mains.
The entire Hill is without water. Down
town the situation is just as critical
Manufactures have been forced to shut
down. In private houses it is impossible
to get water above the first story
The city officials are alarmed, but are
making heroic efforts to avert disaster.
Chief of Police Murphy has ordered out
the reserve policemen of all the precincts
and streets in all parts of the city are
being patrolled so that fires, should any
occur at such a critical time, may be
speedily reported.
In the engine houses the horses are
harnessed to the apparatus ready to
start OFT without moments delay
From six O'Clock last night until nine
o'clock this morning Street and Water
Commissioner Hooker with a force OF
men worked at the distributing pipe of
the Belleville reservoir, but very little
headway was made. Today an effort
is to be made TO erect a barrier in the
reservoir about fifteen feet from the
mouth of the pipe. 1t is believed in this
way it will be possible to prevent any
more of the small anchor ice from enter
ing the pipe.
A force of men is at work on the
screens raising them at intervals of
every ten minutes and clearing them Of
the pieces of ice which choke the pipes.
There are several things in addition to
the cold weather which precipitated this
troubie. To begin with, when the East
Jersey Water Company encountered
like difficulty with the mains of the New
ark plant, it shut off the surplus flow
which has been running into the main
which supplies Bayonne, Harrison and
the Greenville section of the city. The
sudden emptying of the main in such
cold weather caused it to quickly become
lined with ice. Had the East Jersey
Company notified Engineer Miller of the
BellevilIe station of its intention to turn
off the Pequannock water, the trouble
with the Greenville main could possibly
have been averted by giving additional
pressure 1IOllI llfG pumping St<1liOH
Another cause is that high, north
westerly winds have prevailed. The water
Is pumped into the reservoir al the north
erly end. The distributing pipe is 10
Gated at the southerly end. AS a con-
sequence the soft anchor ice was blown
into the gates of the distributing pipes
and packed solidly before the trouble
was discovered. The commotion of the
water at the gate house kept the anchor
ice from freezing and gradually it was
drawn into the pipe.
Engineer Miller discovered that there
was something wrong yesterday after
noon. He made a hurried investigation
and then notified Commissioner Hooker
of the alarming state of affairs. 1t was
at first believed that the intake in the
river was choked up. The flood gates
were raised and it was found that every
thing was all right at that point No
trouble there is anticipated, as the well
from which the water is pumped into
the reservoir is deep and nearly 300 feet
from the river.
There is no trouble about keeping the
Belleville Reservoir full. 1t is useless,
however, to keep the pumps working be-
cause the water cannot escape through
the distributing pipe This consequently
lessons the flow across the Hackensack
meadows, and 1t is at this point that Sc
rious trouble is feared. Last winter it
will be remembered the 3S-inch main
which supplies Marion became soiidly
frozen for distance of 1900 feet The
pipes finally burst and for ten days con-
sunlers could only obtain a meagre sup
ply. A repetition Of this experience is
feared. Should one of the large mains
on the meadows freeze it would be at
least two weeks before the usual supply
could again be turned on.
There is already formation of ice in
side the mains across the meadows and
unless the usual pressure can be obtained
before tomorrow morning 1t is feared that
nothing will prevent disaster.
At noon today the Street and Water
Commissioners engaged two divers. One
was driven to the Belleville Reservoir,
and he is at this time at work at the
mouth of the pipes removing the ice
which threatens to cut Off the city's en-
tire supply.
AS the High Service Reservoir in this
CITY are dependent almost wholly on the
ReIleville Reservoir for their supply the
officials are more anxious to clear the
latter
The High Service reservoirs are prac-
Ideally empty, and what water there is.
Is them can only be drawn or with diff
culty As 1T BellevilIe the distributing
pipes are effectually choked with anchor
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