The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-16

PASSAIC HUMBUG.
Legislative Committee
Wants Still Another
Committee Appointed.
REPORT FILED YESTERDAY
East Jersey Water Company's Grip
on the State Bosses
Plainly Unbroken.
REPORT FILED YESTERDAY
Especial to THE Jersey City News."l

Especial to 1.-THE Jersey City News."]
TRENTON. March Is, 1Ss7.-Ex-Senator
Williams, Senate w. NJ. johnson and ex-
Assemblyman Wildman, the legislative
committee appointed last year to consider
the Passaio River sewerage problem.
made their report yesterday.
The report refers to the appointment in
1896 of William T. Hunt, DIR. II. c. H.
Herold and DR.. e. j. Marsh as commits
sioners to investigate the same question.
Their recommendations" the report
says, were, in short. thai an intercept
ing main sewer from the city of Paterson
to Il terminus in Newark Bay, and other
in~tereepting branches, should be built
along the shore OF the Passaic River, col
iecting the contents OF all The sewers of
the various communities within the drain
age area thereof. The cost of the work
was estimated by their engineers to be
Sc. 500. 900. and the yearly cost OF operation
S125, 600 In 1900 and, $3U3.090 in 1880"
The legislative committee held sessions
in the various municipalities interested.
They found the people OF Bayonne APP
pafently a unit in opposing the PROPOSE
ton TO empty the sewage into Newark
Bay. On this point the committee says
IN view Of the fact that the waters of
the bay are already unfavorably affected
by the sewage carried down by the waters
| of the Passaic. this committee is con-
strained TO believe that the objections
| urged against the discharge of the sewage
in NeWar Bay are we'll founded, and that
ii would be hazardous and unWlSe in the
extreme to deposit in that sheet OF water
the contents of the intefeeping-seWer. 1t
would only serve to transfer the nuisance
now existing, and create a new cause OF
offence in he waters of the bay. Amy
measure, contemplating such a course
would doubtless encounter bitter and
determined opposition Of the people In
terested in the communities or property
on either side of the bay. IL We are
an in~tercepting sewer would be jncom-
plete unless provision were made to ex-
tend the same to the deep waters of
New York Bay, which would involve a
largely Increased cost
Our experience with other municipali-
ties indicated in most cases but a languid
interest in the subject; while in some In
stances there was developed a positive
opposition TO any plan involving 50 large
an outlay as is contemplated by the plan
of the Sewerage commissioners. 1t was
present committee to make any expert
| examination of the serious problems in
yolved in this matter. That work has
been done most inteiligently II thor
oughiy by the above-naMed commissions
ers. aided by competent engineering Elk
pertS employed by them. Their report has
now been before the public for a year,
and, while we found many who were dis
l PC2to ~ IL IA llS u G&-A1 1AOk
a fess who thought that other plans less
elaborate and costly could be successfully
adopted, yet, in view Of the high standing
and intelligence of the gentlemen compos-
ing that committee and the time given
by them in considering the matter, we
are compelled to believe that the result
arrived at by them as to the practical
J method of disposlng of the sewage of
this district is probably the most feasible
i of any that could be devised. speaking of
it simply as a method of freeing the Pas
sale River from its present unfortunate
condition. 4
but before their plan is adopted the
most careful consideration should be
| given not only to the practical method of
disposing of the sewage, but also TO the
financial problems involved. The cost of
this sewer is so greaI-not less h S.
5GD, e01, according to the estimate OF the
commissioners tand if carried to deep wa
ter millions more OF expense would have
to be added)-that before entering upon
an enterprise involving such a vast outlay
of money the whole problem should be
carefully considered and no action taken
which has not behind it a strong public
sentiment to supper it and give it force.
Tho law proposed by the Commission
ers does not seem to us to meet the re-
| quirements of the case. 1t proposes in
| effect that the Governor shall appoint
a board of three commissioners, Who shall
have power TO make, construct, MAIN
tain and operate a system of sewers for
the purpose of taking up the sewage now
| deposited in the Passaic River. and to
| convey the same to some place of deposit
| or disposal to be selected by them, there
proper. Into such main or intercepting
sewer, all other sewers in the drainage
area must empty, the Board OF Com
missioners having power to prohibit and
| prevent the further discharge of sewage
into the Passaic River or It's tributaries.
Under this act the board is to have
the right to purchase or acquire by con-
demnation all lands. rights OF way and in
1 fnr6cfc trhiab IL NJ " daan1 nonnSRar y an6
in order to provide for the payment of
the costs and expenses incurred in the
construction of such sewers the board is
also to have the power to issue and sell
bonds running for thirty years, The
| Commissioners are to provide for the
| payments of the interest and principal
of such bonds by assessment upon the
township, borough and cities in the drain
age area according ia the benefits the
inhabitants of such communities shall in
their judgment receive. The nnual ex-
penses of maintaining the sewer and a
sum for a sinking fund shall in like man
ner be assessed upon and paid by the
several communities.
1T will be noted that it is proposed
to give to the three Commissioners to
be appointed under the act not only the
absolute power to decide upon the scheme
of disposing Of the sewage Of the Passaic
Valley, but also the power to build such
sewer as they may decide upon, without
any limit whatever as to the cost there
of, and with no review as to their dis
cfetlOn ara Inc consequent power 10 I'M
pose unlimited debt upon communities
already burdened with the weight of
municipal obligations. Such power. it
seems to us, ought not to be granted to
any three men, however honest; able and
intelligent they may be. We do not think
any Legislature would or should pass
such a law.
Having given this matter our most
earnest and thoughtful attention, n re-
aiiZing the great Importance Of the sub
ject and the ~perplexing problems involved,
we submit the following as the result of
our Investigations
"First-A scheme for the disposal of the
sewage of the cities and towns bordering
on the Passaic River as great as this
must necessarily be, and involving such
vast outlay of money, should have for its
sentiment In the localities Interested and
to be affected thereby.
"Second-Such a sentiment, we think,
does not exist. In the city of Bayonne,
for reasons already explained. there is a
lively interest in opposition to the plan
which proposes to bring the sewage to
Newark Bay. We are of the opinion that
elsewhere there is but little public inter-
est. The newspapers have been earnest
in their advocacy of measures to have this
great evil removed. and while there ex-
lists a genral feeling that something
ought to be done. yet we failed to find a
sentiment strong and pronounced enough
to support and promote the proposed
plan. In some Of the cities which we
Visited we are satisfied that there is a
positive feeling of hostility to any scheme
which would involve any large increase
Of municipal indebtedness and expense
s"Third-In the Bergen county towns
bordering on the river, while realizing the
injuries caused by the pollution Of It's wa