The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-09
NO WATER YET.
Break in the Big Supply
Pipe Discovered at
Belleville.
pOsTpoNEMEST 10 SATURDAY
High Pressure Developed and
the East Jersey Engineers
Well Pleased.
COST OF PEQUANNOCK
Startling Comparison of Income
and Expense Points for the
Board of Trade.

There may be people in the city who
have been sanguine enough to allow
themselves to believe that they have
been drinking the pure. sparkling, ice
cold Pequannock water they have read
50 much about for the past month, since
noon.
They are stin getting the Passaic wa
ter and are likely to continue getting it
for day or two. The Pequannock was
to have been turned on at noon today
unless something unforeseen happened.
Something did happen.
The water was not turned on.
This morning at eight o'clock the pipes
up to the connecting point were tested
and showed a pressure of So pounds to
the inch. The East Jersey officials were
delighted and felt sure that with such
a pressure they would be able to prove
TO the officials of Newark that the main
from the Pequannock valley would carry
the specified 50.O0o.oOO gallons a day
While they were congratulating them
selves upon the efficiency of their plant,
Chief Engineer Miller, at Bellevlile, dis
covered that the pressure was dropping
from So pounds to the inch rapidly and
within half an hour it registered only
45 pounds to the inch.
A hasty investigation was made and
water was found rushing out of the
ground on the River Road near Belle
vile avenue The cutoff valve near the
river was turned off and the water turned
into the river. Ground was broken at
once and it was found that there was
not one, but series of leaks in the con-
nections with the big Voltaire water
metre
JUST about the time the leaks were dis
covered the Street and Water Commits
sloners were preparing to drive to Kear-
ny and Befleville and witness the turn
ing on of the water. Commissioner
Harding was bundled up in a big storm
coat and was slipping on a pair of seal
skin gloves when the telephone rang.
He answered it and received the news
of the disaster which will deprive the
peopie of this city alrd Harrison of the
new water for some time. Further in
quiry elected the information that it
will probably be Saturday before the
new supply will be turned into the pipes.
A length of the 42-inch pipe connecting
with the metre will have to be removed.
and to get at it it will be necessary to
dig a trench about feet deep and IA feet
long. Owing to the frozen condition of
the ground the work will be tedious. 1t
is expected, however, that the company
will be able to make the necessary re-
pairs in thirty-six hours.
The turning on of the water will not
be announced again until the water com
pany officials and the Street and Water
Commissioners are satisfied that no
breaks will occur and that the public
will be submitted to no further disap-
pointment.
While the public in general win doubt
less hail the introduction of the new
supply of water with joy, taxpayers will
have few interesting facts to toss over
in their minds. Mayor Wanser was op-
posed to the acquisition of temporary
supply because of the increased burden
1t would place upon the city. He con-
sented to the contract with the East
Jersey Water Company upon the earnest
solicitation of the Board of Trade and
for the reason that at the time the ques-
ton was agitated, it was represented to
him that there were 1900 vacant houses
in the city. These rented for an average
of over $40 month and entailed con-
sequent loss of over 81, 900 a year to
taxpayers in rentals.
1t is estimated that the East Jersey
Company will furnish the city about 2O,-
0o0,oeO gallons daily. The price is S43 per
million gallons. Thus the supply will
cost $4,000 a pear.
Every million gallons less will reduce
this amount by s15695.
Nineteen million gallons will cost $685.
EOS.
Eighteen. S2S2 $40.
Seventeen. s26s. SIS
sixteen. s25f. .12o
Fifteen ss35. 49,.
The receipts of the water department
from November 60 1894. to November 20
1895. were ses7 4s7. go. This showed an in.
crease over the receipts of the nrecedine
year Of SS1.314a6 which was dine <to : re-
vision of sth water assessment nv the
direction OF Commissioner Harding who
has made every effort possible ~ make
the department self-sustafning
AS against the receipts. the navrolls of
the water Registrar and clerks. laporers