The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-27
BOSTON'S NEW SUPPLY
Far Sighted Enterprise il
Solving the Water Problem
in Towns.

(From the Newark Evening News
The great enterprise which the State
of Massachusetts, has undertaken in es-
| tablishing the Metropolitan Water Dis
| trict is of interest as an Illustration OF
real and far-sighted enterprise in dealing
with one of the greatest problems OF ur-
ban life. This schemes contemplates the
provision of a water supply for Boston
and twenty-seven other cities and towns
within a ten mile adius of the State
House. The supply, which is to be OBJ
tanned from the Quinaposet, or south
branch of the Nassau River, is to be ole
that viii give reasonable promise of
| prolonged adequacy to meet the needs OF
| the district. The plan contemplates the
condemnation of large tracts of land;
the use of an enormous reservoir, the ex-
penditure Of a sum of money which will
amount to at least $780, 00, 900. and may
reach $50, 600, 900. The reservoir, about
thirty-five miles from Boston, is to be nine
miles long. to cover Abs acres to a depth
averaging forty-six feet and to hold &c.
06S, 100000 gallons. An aqueduct about
thirteen and a half miles long will lead
from the reservoir to a basin which is a
part of the present Boston water supply
system. The work OF construction is to
be carried on by a special commission APP
pointed by the Governor. This commits
sion will purchase or condemn property,
build a~queducts and dams and construct
highways and railroads, which will have
to be laid out to replace those passing
through the section of country which will
be Hooded. 1t is expected to nave the
work completed in six years, and it is
estimated hat for twenty years at least,
and possibly for forty, the supply that it
will yield will be ample for the metro
politan district. When the time comes,
if ever. that it is inadequate, it can be
increased by connecting the system with
the Ware and Swift rivers, which can
easily be made tributary.
The property marked out for purchase
or condemnation does not consist of farm
ing lands or of holdings of water rights
spectators. 1t includes fiourlshing Wiz
lagos. with large mills and manufacturing
3 for cdpdsmna r. the ne isg nrnnsn+I 9Sddin
tent of the territory to be taken and the
conditions existing there led to the max
marked by exemplary fairness and con-
sheraton. In the village of West Boyls-
ton ISL dwellings, three churches and four
schoolhouses are to be destroyed, the vaiu-
alton being $780,, or sixty per cent. OF
that of the whole town. The State has
provided a fund to be used for the sup
pert OF the poor and TO pay town debts
under certain provisions, as it is consid-
cred unjust TO compel a town so greatly
diminished in property holdings to sup
port paupers who have become town
charges, and to pay debts contracted
when property there has much greater
valuations Also the Legislature last
year passed a law recognizing as property
for which working. people have the right
to compensation, the means of livelihood
OF which they are suddenly and for the
benefit Of the State deprived. The bill
provides that the State shall pay to such
employees of the mills to be taken as were
employed at the time of the passage of
the act authorizing the construction Of
the reservoir an amount equal to six
at work for the same parties at the
time the mills are actually co~nfiscated by
the State.
The work is a tremendous enterprise of
PUBLIC engineering and construction I'M
dertaken under management which is lib
eral, but should be able and judicious.
The people of Boston and the other towns
concerned, and the Massachusetts, Legs.
lature do not appear to have feared that
1t would be unreasonably expensive 10
undertake and carry through the great
work under public auspices instead of let
ting it out by private contract.