Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-05-26
SEWERS IN WOODBURY..


SEWERS IN WOODBURY..
The problems which small and aspiring
communities are called upon 10 solve are
many and vexatious They want all the
advantages possessed by closely built
cities, and at the same time they
that property be not SO heavily
burdened as to drive away, rather than
attract, population They want an abund-
ance of wholesome water, electric lights
sewers and paved streets; they N ust have
wellpaved side walks, regular cutters, police,
some street lighting, and few salaried
officials. Woodbury., in her twenty-seven
years as city, has acquired all except the
sewers and paved streets, and avoided long
periods of excessive taxation. We have
just reached point where our latest &C
quirement, an abundant supply of whole
some water, has ceased to be burden and
now the people are to decide the acquisi-
ton of another desirable city improvement,
a system of sewerage.
At the start we must recognize that this
improvement will never become self-sus-
tanning as has our water supply-the tax
collector and the plumber will take pay
direct from the property owner for the
whole cost-the water rent collector isn't
in this.
On the 7th day of June, one week from
next Tuesday, we will decide by an cleo
tion the question of bonding the city for
a sum sufficient to introduce complete
system of sewers into the city. This sum
will range from $37, 900 to $4O,O 900, which
may be paid in ten years.
In previous issue we published an
extract of the law under which this cleo
ton is to be held, and the works con-
structed, if ordered by the people; and in
last weeks issue we published the explana
ton of the proposed system by the very
capable engineer who drew the plans,
The adoption of the provisions of the
law is of 50 great moment to the people
that it is proper subject for newspaper
discussion indeed, it should be discussed
outside the newspapers, too, to the end
that every voter be fully informed of the
full import of his vote.
The object of a system of sewerage is
to better our sanitary condition; to pro-
mote cleanliness in surroundings, to carry
and deposit at a distant point all substances
detrimental to health, and deposit them
beyond danger of poluting the atmosphere.
The need for sewers is especially evident
in large, closely built up cities and in
towns where the water supply is drawn
from wells. The necessity for it is first
seen in much sickness; when diseases is
epidemic, and the death rate is above the
normal point.
The expense of the system is not con-
fined to the amount for which the city
is bonded to introduce it, any more
than the purchase of lot ends the
expense of acquiring home; that is only
the beginning. To make the system effec-
tive, Council must make laws requiring
every property to attach to the sewer,
and the city must insist that all waste be
carried away through that channel. We
have made some inquiry as to this cost,
and it will not vary much from SIS to
$I00 per house. To connect sanitary
closets already built will cost from $40 to
$50.
Now as to the need Woodbury. has
been remarkably free from epidemics; our
health record is wonderfully good-the
death rate being less than Is to the 1000
which is much below the average of the
State 1t is desirable to have all waste
water and matters carried away and
dumped into the creek when the tide is
running out, and many of our taxpayers
can, without denial, and others with only
slight denial, meet the expense, but there
are maryland these predominant who
would find the expense great burden.
In creating debts, the wise fnancier
always takes account of existing obligass
tions. and Woodbury. has some. There
are $4,000 of school bonds, $62, 900 of
water bonds, and our share of $4,000 of
stone road bonds. The makers of our
Charter would probably have considered a
debt of this amount sufficient encum-
brance, but times have changed.
The question is one of need and ability
to pay, and after viewing the whole field,
if voters find the need genuine, and not
largely imaginary if the bonds and the
incident expense of connections is not to
be burdensome to taxpayers, then let US
vote for sewers, if otherwise, the vote
should be against sewers.