The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-12

William z. Hest Tells the jersey Sanitary
Association or lts DimeuIties.

- ~
The problem Of disposing Of the scwnGe of tho
Passaic valley is shortly to BIO brought before
the New Jersey legislature. through a report
which has boon prepared by tho Passaic Valley
Sewag Commission, and q bill has been
prepared In which IL Is provided that this
problem and every other one OF n like kind
which may arise In the State shall DO turned
over for solution to special commissions Of three
members each, appointed by tho Governor.
The commissions are to be empowered to devise
the necessary means and then to have the work
done. while each community benefited is to DO
assessed for Its share of the cost OF tho work.
William I. Hunt of Newark, u member of tho
Passaic Valley Sewage Commission. delivered
an address upon this subject yesterday before
the New Jersey Sanitary Association Mt Lake
wood. in which he urged that association to
support tho proposed bill. After passing
r raos' through NJ Iass siiu With shf Is, 900 ps's persons si nnd
Newark, with Its quarter OF II million. gathering
eoDtsminste e6Ob By 0'e ontriSntio ns'' from aD'i many
smaller places. The commission estimates that
the ,S pSPula Tho1 Of Oft The EVA VALLEY may reach ii hiS %
was proven Ia the dry summer Of 1896,
trunk sewer line twenty.six miles long, extend:
s enpab 5E9 on ]asrrylSs oil Fall ali tho To SEWAGE MswsFs Of f tSc
whole district and estimated to cost So, SOC, 900.
1t IL to moet the difficulties and cost of build.
ing this sewer and to compoia ali the towns and
cities along the line to use 1t and pay their, shares
of the cost that the bill has been prepared.
w have parts of five counties and eighteen
or twenty cities, towns. or hamlets in the lower
Passaic sewer district. Each has its own in.
each has much to do and little money to spend.
Tho work is necessarily, OF a State, nature, re.
quiring q broader and higher authority than
that granted to any of the local branches of
- A..
meet other needs of the same ki,d in other
parts OF the State, and these may be expected in
time; need not say to you that tho sewerage
problem Is everywhere-in the remote farm.
house, where the well may adjoin the cesspool
and tho dairy which supplies the city milk may
be tainted; in the suburban community desir-
Gus of city improvements ut n rural rate or ex-
pense; in the city struggling to make It's sewer;
growth and requirements OF health-on and up
to the questions which are involved in the col
ipalities Of some great drainage district Where
the means OF local disposal are not available.
We find the problem in New Jersey compelling
and we deem ourselves unfortunate that the
costly problem is pressed upon the state for
serious and often strangely like our own are
being encountered throughout the country,
Gus value has been taken; in Connecti-
cut. where the subject is under present investi-
ssivers being polluted. and an intelligent body Of
ranitarianst to attack the evil. We look across
the ocean for the experience. which, ancient civ
citations have taught, and we find London.
Manchester, Glasgow. Berlin. Paris and count
less other centres Of population graphing with
the problem-and stin guessing their way.
London continues to spend its millions. and
within n week u cable despatch informs us that
Berlin Is to appropriate over 3 200. 900 addi-
tional for the extension of Its admirable sewer
age systems, The taxpayers in our cities not
unnaturally fear this great increase in the cost
of living, but the sound bodies and clear heads
which have. through invention, lightened labor
and so vastly increased the earnings OF human.
ity may be considered more than an offset for
tntioni which not only reduces The death rate.
but adds to the comfort and efficiency Of the
living"