New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-05
WATER FAMINE IN PASSAIC.
UNwAsHED HANDS AND COLD BREAK
FAsTs FOR EVERYBODY.
FIREMEN AND POLICEMEN DIVIDE THE CITY INTO
PRECINCTS TO GUARD AGAINST FIRE-rHE

FIREMEN AND POLICEMEN DIVIDE THE CITY lN1o
PRECINCTS TO GUARD AGAINST FIRE-rHE
INTAKE PIPE CLOGGED WITH ICE.
Passaic March 4-This city woke up this morn
ing to find itself without water. The authorities
had discovered the fact hours before. In many
places at midnight the water was drawn from be-
meath boilers. At o'clock the water had gone
from the mains in all but the lower part OF the
city and by morning there was not gallon IN the
mains
Since that time no water has been obtainaoie
save in one section of the CITY, and where there
are wells The little water obtanable was too
nrecious 10 waste on common things 80 many
commuters left home with faces and hands un-
washed Some Of the more fastidious pathed ther
hands and faces In Florida water
Most Of the finer houses and all the office build
ings and large stores In the city. being heateo
usually by steam, cold and dismal To-Day, oe-
cause of the lack Of water to feed the ooile's'
There was a rush for gas and coal stoves. Gas
s,ovas vera rented by some OF the dealers at
enough a day to buy new stoves. The grocery
stores had a run on prepared meats ana other
things that did not need cooking There was o.s
demand on the dealers In soft drhks' ior qu''
with which TO quench thirst The saloons uiu :"
thriving business Hundreds cut Ice out OF '"e
river and melted II 10 OBTAIN wafer 'o' Wv
pressing needs. 80, =.
The Fire Department was crippled by lack OF
water The wind had also brought down the wires
and no alorms could be turned in' az not '''ee
box in the whole system was In connec''o"'
The trouble arose through the ice at the water
works being blown into the pipes al 'he IMAM
and clogging them The officials say the pipes are
,oao.d In number OF places along the feed-p'pe.
7, IL thought the big main is frozen sodiy az sew
eral points. .,,os 49,.
One OF the first steps taken by the autnori'es wa
TO call out all the fremen and hold them IN
in the houses Patrols were ORGANIZED anu d,stricts
and firemen divided the city into pa.rV eiass RI.
As the steam engines in the city are Na,ns. .
fremen depending on two chsmic 5 ,tb nriva te
| fre-alarm system has been improViseu VIII" p'"'
| telephones III. - oh,,,rad IN the
This partial relief was oG pa Sa bumps
lower parts of the city by connecting me ps pue
at Reid & Barry's brick yards with the CITY ""'''
The employees of the Pequannock Water COMPANY ssay
all night and all ia, day ryns through, 10
They made little or no Roadway. The WIND Mhicn
is Blowing about Atty miles an hour forced ne wa Se
| to the intake faster than they couia pus" !" """'
| and they cannot even reach the pipe.
|. FOUR HOURS DROUTH IN TRENTON
Trenton. March 4-For four hours to-day TINS
! CITY was without water the wind drove the ice
at the reservoir into the intake pipes ana ciosseu
| them There no water until the emp'oSe7 VI
the Water Department succeeded In tree,nS t ,ne
| mines The absence of the water caused mucn III.
convenience but damage resulted, as he utc, VI
| a scarcity was made known early ana al, III, ia
| under boilers were drawn. No nre broke ou' anu
| except for the annoyance there was no trouble
NEWARK THREATENED.
| Newark was threatened by a failure OF the water
| supplv again yesterday There was another oioch
| Of anchor ice at the outlet at Macopin Inlet carr.
in the morning and it was found necessary 10 starr
| 80, tho numns at the Clifton-ave. pumping station
go AS to keep the high service reservoir sumc'eh..y
stocked TO supply the high service part Q. tne c,.y
| The supply from the East Jersey Water COMPANY
| niant would have been cut off entirely by the &c.
| had not force Of men been kept at work an ns u,
breaking up the ice and pushing II away as ias' d.
| Il cIogged against the intake screens