The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-10
NEW SEWER SYSTEM
Plans to Drain the Payonia
and Fill Sections Under
Discussion.
RAVIHE ROAD SEVER CONNECTION
Legislation Must Be Secured 10
Finance the Cost Of ttD
Improvement.
RAVIAE ROAD SEVER CONNECTION

An important conference, at which pub
lie improvements were discussed, was held
in the Mayors private office in the City
Hall today
There were present the Mayor, MEM
bers of the Board of Finance and the
Street and Water Board, Corporation
Counsel Blair, City Attorney Weart, Sec
retary Neyin, Ravine Road Commissions
ers Michael T. Connolly and Edlow Har-
rison. D. Fowler, Chief Engineer Ruggles
and Sinking Fund Commissioner Frank
Matthews, Andrew T. Corcoran, John
Casey, John r. Kelly, ex-Judge Kenny
and James Waters, representing owners
Of property north of the Erie Railroad
tracks. The latter were not expected at
the conference. but they were admitted in
order to express their disapproval of the
plan to connect the proposed sewer In Ho-
boken avenue with the sewer in Thir-
teenth street.
The gentlemen advanced the same argu-
ments they did when heard by the Street
and Water Commissioners, viz. that the
sewer is now in dilapidated condition
and incapable of carrying off the sewage
and surface water that drains into it
without being additionally taxed by the
flow from Hoboken avenue, and all that
territory on the Heights about Palisade
avenue.
After the protestants were heard they
were made glad by being informed that
the proposition to connect the Hoboken
avenue sewer with the one in Thirteenth
street will be abandoned. This had been
decided upon by the Mayor and Street and
Water Commissioners a week ago, and the
object in comforting with the Ravine Road
Commissioners was to arrange some plan
for the proper drainage of the Heights
from Newark avenue to the Hoboken line.
To do this it is proposed to build lateral
sewers to connect with the Ravine Road
sewer, the latter to be SO enlarged as to
be capable of draining in first class shape
the territory described. The lateral sew
erS will not connect with any of the sew
ers which now start at the foot of the
Hill, SO that all the sewers from Newark
avenue to the Hoboken line, down town,
will remain undisturbed and will be so re-
constructed as to better drain the area
they take in than they do at present.
The whole sewage system down town
and on the Heights from Newark avenue
to the Hobozen line IS to be remodelled.
With a view to getting as complete and
efficient system as practicable at rea-
Sonable cost, Engineers Edlow Harrison,
authorized to prepare plans which will
bring about the desired end. It is esti-
mated that 1t Will be at least three weeks
before plans can be prepared. In the
nSantime the law officers are to examine
al the statutes relative to the building of
sewer systems and report to the Mayor
and other officials.
1t is said today that as The laws stand
the whole cost of the work would have
to be inserted in next years tax levy
The Mayor and other officers say it is
impracticable 10 place the amount in
the levy of next year and suggest as
a remedy that legislation be obtained
Corporation Counsel Blair will draft
all the laws that are necessary to cope
with the situation The plan most fav-
ored is one which will permit the bor-
rowing of a sufficient sum to pay for
the work on bonds, a prescribed amount
until the issue has been redeemed. May
or Wanser is to have all the preliminary
arrangements made and confirmed so
that it will be possible to commence
work on the big Improvement early in
the spring.