The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-01
Sewer WORK NECESSARY
How the Thirteenth Street
Sewer Dispute Stands
at Present.

The following memoranda as to divi-
sion of responsibility for injury 10 the
sewer in Thirteenth street, between FRO
vost street and the river" as agreed upon
by the members of the Ravine ROAD
Sewer Commission at it's meeting held
February 10. was submitted at yesterdays
meeting of the Street and Water Board
THE sewer in Thirteenth street is and
has been for many years in very poor
condition. The arch at many points has
settled, and in some cases the inside ring
has dropped into the culvert.
The city has, from time to time, mace
certain patchwork repair of breaks.
These facts have been well known to the
Board of Street and Water Commission
ers and to all having any knowledge OF
the condition of the sewers of jersey
City. These facts were also well known
and commented upon by the bidders who
submitted bids for the extension of the
Ravine Road sewer.
The instructions given the engineer OF
the Commission for the extension of the
Ravina Road sewer to the contractor,
with full knowledge of the condition of
the Thirteenth street sewer were:-
That he should use extreme care In
making his excavations, lowering pipe
and all operations in proximity to the old
sewer; that he should close sheath and
well brace the bank alongside of the old
sewer with rangers at the top and bot
tom, the sheathing following the exca-
walton; that before removing braces to
lower pipe, adequate means should be
taken to prevent the springing of long
rangers necessary in such case; that no
pipe should be rolled over the old sewer,
except upon timbers laid down to dis
tribute the load. and all pipe u be
lowered with derrick and not rolled in. 50
as to prevent conclusion, and it was also
directed that the contractor avoid piling
unnecessary loads of earth on top of the
old sewer
Under these facts and circumstances,
it IS submitted that
.First-All injury to the sewer at points
where the contractor has neglected to
carry out the instructions of the engineer
in regard to the sheathing, or method OF
rolling or lowering the pipe. shoul be re-
paired by the contractor, or at his ex-
pense.
'.Second-sAll breaks or other Injuries oc-
curing at points where the directions OF
the engineer have been carried out as to
sheathing and method of rolling and
lowering pipe. and where the proper care
commensurate with the knowledge of the
weak conditions of the old sewer has
been exercised. are properly to be repaired
by the department having control of the
sewers of the city.
-Third-That the contractor. in making
repairs, is bound only to restore the
sewer to the working conditions as it
formerly existed, and not to rebuild it OF
build a new sewer.
.tFourth-Where examination of the
sewer after a break shows that the arch
has been previously fractured, or the in
ner ring had dropped out. it shall be con-
sidered as a strong presumption in favor
of absence of responsibility on the part
of the contractor.
"Fifth-Where a break occurs at a point
where the contractor has overloaded the
sewer with earth, it shall be considered
as a strong presumption that he is re-
sponsibie for the break