The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-15
NEWARK'S MARSHES
Valuable Suggestions for
Their Improvement
Made By C. c.
'Vermeu1e.
SANITARY BENEFIT OF DRAINAGE
Engineering, Financial and Legis-
lative Features Discussed
Method of Procedure.

AT a meeting of the State Sanitary AS
ISOLATION held at Lakewood last week
Engineer C.. C. vermeule, Of the state
Geological Survey, read a valuable paper
upon the Improvement of the tide marshes
of Newark and the Hackensack River
Engineer yermeule,s suggestions not only
covered engineering, but financial and
legislative features. The tide marshes
extend north for eighteen miles, he said,
with a general width Of four miles, and
a total area of $1,000 acres.
sUnderlying the marsh Is a mass OF
alluvium mixed with peat, wood and other
vegetable matter, more or less decayed.
The depth of this ACCUMULATION ranges
generally from Z to 15 feet. There are
large area where it is less than s feet,
while 20 feet is reached in some places.
The marsh raises a luxuriant crop of
worthless sedge and salt grass, reaching
often a height of 6 feet, and which adds
every year largely to the decaying vege-
table matter. The natural level of the
surface is 8 or 4 inches above mean high
tide, but the whole is frequently over
flowed, and such extreme tides as that
of the second week of last October cover
it to an average depth of IS inches. These
meadows are not salt like those iame-
diately along the coats. The average in
fow of fresh water from the Passaic and
Hackensack Rivers is over twelve hun
bred million gallons daily. and this is
sufficient to keep them most of the time
quite fresh. Experience gained by months
spent continuously on the really salt
marshes leads me to doubt that they are
~unsanitary in their natural condition. but
as much cannot be said for those which
are only braekish.''
The drainage of marsh lands has proved
of sanitary benefit, and instances in
Europe and in this country, according to
Engineer Vermeule show this. The
deaths from remittent and enteric
fever are 50 per cent. more num-
erous within the influence of these
marshes than elsewhere in the State,
but this should not be given too much
weight, as the water supply until recent
ly has been bad and sewerage defective.
That the influence Of the marshes is in
furious cannot be questioned.
1.-THE country between the Hudson River
and Orange Mountains says Mr.. YER
meule, Extending from Elizabeth north
east to Hackensack, contained in 1895 a
population of 0o.o00. This population has
increased very steadily during the last
half century at a rate of 40 per cent. each
ten years. II this ate continues, the next
twenty-five years will bring the total up
to two millions. The whole district must
be affected to an increasing extent by the
EMBELLISHMENTS of these marsh lands.
owing to their almost worthless charac-
ter, and the neglect which naturally fol-
lows, there is a growing tendency to ac-
emulation of nuisances of all kinds;
mahaae piles, garbage dumps, slaughter
nouses, ~fat-rendering establishments; and
lately an unhealthy and undesirable popu-
iatlop Is beginning to be crowded upon
Them Twelve lines of railroad cross the
marshes, six of them trunk lines, and the
impression made is unprepossessing. Here.
100, Is the birthplace of the insect so
typicaI OF the enterprise and activity of
New Jersey, the mosquito.
What is the simplest and most effective
remedy for all this? There Is but one.
Inc marshes should be drained. If this
earge area IS made available for better
purposes 1t will be cared for and will in
crease in value like the neighboring up
taGd- Thls is not the difficult undertaking
winch at first sight it appears TO be. There
mas already been some discussion as to
the proper methods by which to reclaim
TINS land. It has been suggested to fill it
up, but the cost of+this is prohibitive, The
method which has been successfully
NNNRANt CtSS6 mere HnOulQ De applied mere.
namely, enabanking or ykjng end re-
moyal of the water by pumping. Even if
tnese marshes are filled up for city pur-
poses. pumping will still have to he re-
sorted to. as there Will not be sufficient
IAN 10 sewer and drain the district by
gravity Filling to the extent of six feet
Nhl cost an average of $3.50 per acre. The
whole area can be embarked and pumping
works installed for about 81, 900. 900, or less
than forty dollars per acre. AS the tax
aple value Of the neighboring districts,
Mnich we nave outlined, is about 5000. 0Ocs-
wv. the cost of this Improvement could
readily be borne. even ii It presented no
return other than improved sanitary con-
dlnons ana a mitigation Of the mosquito
pest To make the improvement of the
greatest sanitary benefit the whole area
Under cultivation
This work is urged as a sanitary meas
ure. but besides the advantages indicated
tne value Of tpe Hackensack with its
large flow Of water for navigation and the
value Of the meadows for business enter
prlses must be apparent to all. The Pas
sale would be less valuable for trade,
but the great scenic beauty of its banks
would make It most desirable for resi-
dence purposes.
70 the west as far as Orange Mountain,
les what Will continue to be a choice resi-
dence district. Here the river should be
developed by a line Of marginal parks and
parkways extending from Newark to
Paterson. When the Passaic River Com
mission has succeeded in Kidding this
stream of the great volume of sewage
which now makes it a thing to be
summed, such a treatment as we nave
suggested will make it the greatest orna-
ment Of the Metropolitan district.
It appears to me that q wise method
of procedure would be to create a drain
age district including all of these marches.
appoint a State Commission, give it
authority to issue bonds or to assess the
cost upon surrounding communities, and
then have as much as possible of the
marsh land purchased by condemnation
or otherwise, and held IN the interest
of the Improvement. On all not so held
a reasonable share of the cost of i'm
provement should be assessed. Then let
a comprehensive plan be developed for
draining the entire district and fmproy-
ing the water ways. / would at first
construct only the entertainments and main