The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-07-16

ljeve It IS economy, or that it is financial
~ possible to SO purify the Passaic River
as to make il a safe source of supply for
Cur City. Even If this is lone. and the
diversion OF the upper part of the stream
70 supply other towns Is to continue. the
water al Belleville win become unwh5Ie-
some from natural causes. BY abandon
ing the intake at Belleville we greatly
simplify the problem of purifying me
Passaie River. and although Jersey City
has been the greatest sufferer from the
poilutions,. n has been Ia no way re-
sponsabIe for the present conditions. she
IS. nevertheless, glad to aid in this Nay IL
solving the problem which has been laid
before your Board, and finally we urge
upon you the wisdom of recommending
such q policy on the part. Of the State as
well as preventing the repetition else
where Of so grave an abuse.
When Mr.. yerrneule had finished Mayor
Wanser introduced Mr.. Joseph A. Dear
of the Board of Trade, who objected to
Jersey City should abandon IT'S rights
at Belleville.
NO man. said Mr.. Dear, ebe he
Mayor or engineer has n right at mis-
is the very thing to be settled and the
citizens hope that this Commission will
not be misied by this statement: We
the results Of your iabors."
Mr.. Dear contended that the city had
rights n the Passaic which the courts
w liz APl4tt+ az tCa l{1C ALt
to show that the city mad an equity.
Then Mr.. Dear mounted his filtration
hobby-borse and worked in a little pun
for purifying the foul stream for drink
ing purposes. He modestly abstained
from criticizing the engineering part Of
the scheme. to purify the stream. but
.rstaneed the work being done on the
There the nuisance was similar to that
of Belleyille and in obedience 10 the
complaints. Of the Inhabitants of Not
1 oil n 49, nrr~A
them special legislation to provide for q
sewage farm. The sewage was s~killfuily
treated and that method could be en-
Dear then wrin turned Pnsd' MI. s attention hsaaorl's il a he
defunct State Water Commission and
urged ITS resuscftation in a speech which
eyes OF Mr.. Lebbeus Ward. who is aching
TO get his fingers on the manipulation OF
the States water supply at an annaa
salary. Of 1900 Mr.. Dear closed by
s~ioners should pay no heed to the
Mayors contention that Jersey City
should give UP its rights at the intake
mIssioners VIII have no dificulty in heed
ing because neither the Mayor nor the
engineer ever said anything about this
city abandoning It's rights in the Passaic
Counsellor Henry ". condlct, also of
the Board Of Trade. followed suit in
objectIng to what had not been suggested.
l AtAA[t ttlE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES IL jersey 2ttN =
rights in the stream. The speaker went
rapidly from river pollution, sewerage
water supply the evils of the East Jer-
waters OF the P~eauannock River for the
sole benefit of Newark ard wound up
with an eloquent appeal to the board TO
protect Jersey City from its m~alevoient
Mr.. Frank 0. Cole, the apostle of i'll
ration OF sewage. for drinking purposes,
continued the delns:on created by Mr..
! 1aaT AEof - 1I@-<- --f-A-
Vermeule suggested the abandonment Of
the ci.y's rights at Believille and added
his solemn warning He put on tie cap
plan should have been presented 70 the
Fopulistic Convention at Chicago and
embodied in the Platform to make every
body rch. The Commissioners smiled at
Mr.. Cole advocated a big trunk sewer
and the cooperation OF big cities up the
stream. A big pumping station could be
sack. where the sewage matter could be
property treated.
President Andrew J. Corcoran Of the
Board Of Trade was next introduced by
the Mayor. He said that the board
should ernrloy a competent engineer to
assist them In their labors.
@Wh hg yoq DO. gentlemen. We hope
million Of dollars in cur valuations and
people are leaving L city for other
places Our condition Is serious and
I AlSt%c @fCtf QtEtHt AtlCfAtlJIt. An IIt9E-
cepting sewer would be effcacious. but
any scheme you may devise VIII be gladly
hailed"
Engineer C. c. verneule at this spcint
had an opportunity to set Messrs. Dear,
Condict and Cole right on the abandon
ment question. He. Mr.. vermeule. only
mentioned a possible abandonment and
that was ali. On the subject of fltra-
ton Mr.. Fermeuie corrected another
error of the three gentlemen who talked
OF filtration. He said tina ever Mr..
Hazen. who is the expert whom the
Board of Trade freely quoted in their de-
sire for filtration. never advocated fl
tratien at Beilev.lle.
Mr.. Cole having proposed a vote of
thanks to the board for the hearing,
incautiousiy touched on the water cues
uion. Mayor Wanser informed the board
that the meeting was not to discuss the
water question or even filtration. hut
complete publication OF the river.
Commissioner DR.. w. T. Hunt in re-
Spouse thanked the meeting and particu-
iarly Mr.. Vermeule for his valuable
paper and said the board would at some
time cali on him for data. He asked for
a COPY of Mr.. Vermeuie's report.
Commissioner DR.. Marsh of Paterson
said that his city was as much interested
as Jersey City OF this subject. Pater-
sons interests are Identical The river
at Paterson smells abominably and thas
city will gladly cooperate with Jersey
City.
The hearing then adjourned.