The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-10

in length. Through that conduit runs
stream. of water of 100000 gallons daily.
1t is ice cold and runs with such force
that 1T never freezes. The stream is grow
ing larger every year, and it is fed ex-
clusively by springs in the mountain. Hhe
entlSe party sampled it and pronounced
it the finest water they ever drank No
company has ever offered the stream to
the city as part of a supply, nor is it for
by the Lord estate, but it's representative,
benjamin Niefoll, said it would be posi-
BILE for the Rockaway and Hudson people
to take the water and utilize it in the
Port Dram reservoir. The quantity of wa
ter running to waste daily through that
conduit is more, than sufficient to give
H0boken a supply.
From Port Dram, where is is proposed to
establish am intake the water now disap-.
pears. down the sides of mountain,
sometimes forming fails and at others
disappear under tons of tons of moss
covered rocks, with which the locality
abounds. Tt had rained Monday night and
early in the morning and as consequence
many of the brooks were swollen and ap-
peared at unusual advantage. AIT this
point alone more than enough water was
going to waste to supply this city. The
main stream in some places had a depth
of five and six feet, but the bed of the
river could be plainly seen from the rail-
road bank.
The next point of inspection was Dem
mark Lake, beautiful body of water,
situated high in the mountains. having
width lin some places of nearly two
Around this lake there are evidences
of a past civilization. For instance at
the overflow dam there are the ruins of
an old mill. which was operated some
twenty years ago by tie old water power
system All that remains of the indus
try are the wrecked and rotted water
wheel and several old stove furnaces,
which are fast mouldering away. There
are three houses within a stones throw
of the dam, but so far as the eye can
reach no trace of a habitation in the
mountains which form the drainage area
Of the lake. can be seen. What popE-.
latiOn the surrounding country ever had
diminished II per cent in the last few
years. The land is not fertile, and is
too rocky ITO be utilized for farming pur-
poses. The lake is now only the resort
raise the dam of this lake and convert
it into a storage reservoir with a capac-
ity of many million gallons tributary
to the large intake at Beach Glen. One
what engineering difficulties would nee
essarily be encountered in prosecuting
such a work as is contemplated. bet
ter idea would also probably be formed
of how readily millions of dollars can
be spent in such a project. In reaching
Denmark Lake the party enjoyed de-
lghtful ride through Uncle Sans pow
der reservation, which covers a thou
sand or more of acres, all enclosed and
kept in the very pink of condition.
In driving from Port Dram to Dem
mark the officials were shown the beau
tiful Berkshire Valley, where it is pro-
posed to establish a small reservoir TAX
ing the waters Of the drainage area of
the point will be supplied entirely by
mountainous streams The pond will
have an elevation Of sos feet an area Of
about 100 acres and a storage capacity
Lower LoHgwood Valley. as nag1...ffi-
cent a p'ece Of rolling country as CAP be