The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-24


has appeared to be the only method
applicable. ITO the existing conditions ,ln-
der the limitation OF the Constitution.
watersheds Of the he State be recognized as
drainage districts, and be treated for
legislation as such; that where pollution
Of the river exists Of mature " II to det
mental to public health the Governor
shall sh,. 3 have power to take proceedings IN
aer fra tns ne act upon report to the ,Legisla
pointed to consider the subject; and that
he shall then appoint three Commission
ers &c se n the work Of bppa Ryar am
missioners, having defined the territory
requiring sewage disposal, would then pro
eeed ed with the c@oIlstruction @ Of the neces- ices
tanned by the issue of bonds, the pay
nent or which, with interest would be
provided prov led by assessment upon the com
me plan IS. in blief, to authorize pracS
1caily new arm of government in this
state in the form of a drainage district,
to the specific object sought. While it
would be Independent and possess large
powers power within it's own field, its opera
lions where 1t touched the taxpayer,
would be through the regular channels
OF government The liabilities for the
bonds would be. separated from county
OF the entire district would be pledged
to the payment of the debt. The distri-
nution OF the debt over a long term of
GaXable property, would make the burden
tall lightly upon the communities interest
ea, While it would obtain for them, with
cut the disputes which separate corlsid-
GRAFTON would Inevitably arouse. an i'm
proyement which all would sooner or
later, be compelled to undertake separate
ly at greater expense.
These are the obvious merits of the
plan. The objections which the Commits
son sloners sa5 pave seen are that the powers
liable and Discreet men. are s1 yery v great
and that. the local interests would not
DeceEIa De dlreesiy ars represented. It would be
to exercise much independence of local
influence In seeking to accomplish good
Tor all. The proposed Commission would
by, whom the members would be rernov,
able at pleasure. 1t is. moreover, to be
remembered is1a that the sessions of the Leg
supervision of the actions Of the proposed
commission by that body, and thai the
general laws of the State place IN the
bod,as bboHEas power y to question actions by such
propose TINS method of dealing with the
legal and financial branches Of the sub
pses pressed @itR With sGe f ddsnce & being i'm
mas suggested many of the details which
are embodied in the proposed act, and
the the Somnialssioners and counsel will be at
azure 70 whom this matter may be re
fe ferred for explanation Of the proposed
law; hlsro,, 1t n may ma be said in leaving this
ers wiz asuredly have no objections to
oeHer to any plan that may be suggested
..ot;a LOT increasing the number of checks upon
dcIion under the proposed act
me members of the Legislature are re-
1srrea 1ts G 10 the Message of His Excellency.
Hbo VIE governor, for views bearing upon this
THE UPPER PASSAJC vATIEy
me course of the Passaic River above
paserson ma nas been indicated in preceding
the RockaWay River near Pine BroaE
9oout tWenty-miles (by the riyer) above
ra5iiefson; ,,f5,is and by the Pompton River,
Ramnpo Raren ona1eI ans TIE flow Of the Pequannoc
Bridges, five and oneEhaif miIes Ms
an9ee aafes Peterson. The combined
ana ther Tributaries "a these connris streams ms
greater part of the northern section eff the
state, and include the sources of water
Tt9 1Tutplhy Tor large numbers of our people.
raG aSceslly OF considering the entire
oIIxSthEage territory, rather than confirms
aNtenuon to the Southern branch which
IS alone known as the Passaic Riyel9. mas
bee1 forced upon the Commissioners, both
1913 ~ ols p.ssSlcal conditions and the require
menus OF Constitutional legislation. The
peliuulon OF the rivers which unite fo
make the Lower Passaie, is at present in
gGilsldera0ie g, above their places of union
mere appears, however, ito be no a6e-
qtare provision for protecting the Streams
from future pollution which the natilrai
SroWth or towns is likely to produce and
It has been considered desirable. there
lore, 10 place AID the rivers of the water
sned OF the Passaic and its tributaries nm
DER the same control as that proposed fcr
the Passaic River alone, in respect to this
matter of preventing pollution The conn
cies OF Norris, Passaic and Union are
chlefly affected; and the Commissioners IN
tlf1 -af ar,0a oot,, L
unless there was regulation of sewage dis
posal OF the numerous towns. by some gen
eral Authority, conditions injurious to the
pupiic neafth and constituting a. nuisance
Whlcn would cost great sums to aJbaIte
would soon be established in the llnner
districts, as below
The marvellous growth of towns within
TWO hours distance of New York. has
caused ga, demand for water supply which
mas been met; and the necessity for drains
70 carry Off the consequent refuse and to
meet the moderl demand for convenient
sanitary methods, has been under consid-
eraton IN several of the larger places in
the district. In Summit, sewerage sys-
TEN has been in practical opera tion for
several years, with the effluent discharg-
ing into the Passaic, Through ilterng
DedS. 1t US certain that other towns will
soon provide themselves with sewerage
facilities, and it is extremely desirable
that thts should be done with some regu-
lation of the quality of the effluent enter
ing the streams.
The Commissioners believe that there
should be absolute prohibition of the use
OF amy OF the streams or tributaries of
the upper PaSsadc watershed for any
crude sewage, containing human excreta
The extent to which the filtered effluent
may be permitted to enter the stream
should be subject to regulation by the
Commissioners in charge of the purifica-
tion of the river, with power to prevent
nuisance This power should be summary
and capable of easy application. The sub
Ject, 1T is to be remembered, Is one which
has to deal with the public health as well
as property interests, and therefore should
not be embarrassed by considerations
which are quite proper i'm matters affect
ing the pocketbook alone. This is. recog-
nlzed universally where water supplies
are affected, and the proposed regulation
would be a safeguard which appears to be
lacking, in amy efficient form at present
although the water supplies of cities of
Newark Paterson PasSaic and Jersey
City would be affected by contamination
of the streams. Rivers used for water sup
ply should, of course, be kept free from
sewage pollution. AS to the conditions I'M
der which filtered or chemically treated
sewage, or the discharge of privy vaults,
should be permitted ito enter q stream
not used for water supply, no rule for
general application could be made 1t
would require special examination in each
case, and it is highly desirable that such
Investigation should be accompanied by
specific recommendations to meet the re-
quirements of health
1t Is not anticipated that the population
of the. suburban district described above
will for many years become so thickly
settled as to require a united system Of
sewerage, or. forms of disposal other than
those wf&ch have been found well adapted
to the use of limited population of spec-
toll