The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-11
THE EXPERT WHINE
Engineering Record" Has
It's Usual Say About the
Water Specifca-
tons.
VETO THAT NEVER CAME
Amusing Onslaught on the
Rockaway Watershed
Howls for More
study
From the "Engineering Record"

The people of Jersey City have just wit
messed the curtain fall of another act of
tho operaboufYe performance which has
continued many years under the guise OF
an attempt to procure an ample supply of
pure water. 1t is astonishing that they
have been willing to put up with it so
long, but unless all signs fail. it is time
for the Of the show to take to
heart the saying of a great American,
thai 1t is impossible to fool all the people
all the time. When a large community
finds its necessity has been turned into
a plaything, it is apt to resort to measures
unpleasant to those against whom its
anger is directed.
The Water Board of Jersey City has re-
Gently rejected all bids received some
weeks ago for a water supply for that
place, and having unanimously agreed up
on an amended form of specification, is
prepared to advertise again for proposals.
The Mayor of the City, who is pm record
as advertising a thorough study of the
water problem, with a report from soIe
leading engineer to serve as a basis for
action, may, as & matter of conscience,
interpcse his veto, but former experience
shows that it will probably be without
effect.
The evise specifications call for a sup
ply to be delivered in the city, by gravity
exclusively, at 30 feet elevation above
tide. SO as to dispense with pumping; the
supply to be drawn from a watershed
capable of furnishing 70,000, 600 gallons of
water per day, at all times, and with
works having 0,00O,O 900 gallons capacity
at the outset, but to be enlarged, later,
ond conduit. No limiting price for the
plant is named. but the Mayor. whose
signature must be had for any contract
for water, has let 1t be known that he
which the city will become liable for
more than Sc. 900, 600.
To conform to the above conditions,
and keep within the price mentionedIre-
gard being had also to the prejudice
which leads the city authorities to reject
the Ramapo River as a source of sup
ply because its gathering grounds are
within the territory OF New York-bid-
ders will be compelled to furnish a sup
ply from the Rockaway River catchment
area. This, Notwithstanding 1T is a de-
monstrable fact that a sufficient supply,
for even a few years, cannot be obtained
from this watershed without the con-
struction of extensive storage reservoirs,
and, even when that great expense has
been incurred, having to rely on the love
for Jersey City Of the managers of the
Morris Canal to exc out deficiencies, to
the extent of eventually abandoning the
use of the canal for purposes of naviga-
ton.
Mr.. c. C.. vermeule. the author Of the
Report on Water Supply, published by
the State Geological Survey of New Jer-
sey, at page 1873 of that report. practical
Iy places the flow of the river Boonton at
51.S40,0o0 gallons in twenty-four hours, or
so cubic feet per second. A fall of $50
feet in the river at Boonton makes it
and Old Boonton. whose elevation is $50
feet above tide, the lowest points N the
Rockaway from which 1t is possible to
draw a supply by gravity to comply with
the last specification. The Morris Canal,
moreover, has the right to take as much
water as it wants from the river at the
former town, ard. to quote again from
the same report, page 1872. at the head of
the Boonton plane, the canal is used tor
water power of the ]. Copper Lord estate,
the whole flow of the river being taken
into the canal during dry seasons" As
two other points also, one a mile and the
other II miles above Boonton, the canal
crosses the Rockaway at grade, and its
waters are mingled bodily with the river
water a fresh division, covered by the
needs of the canal navigation solely, takes
place at each crossing.
Were the flow of the river not thus
complicated with the operation of the
canal. it is quite probable that. as COM
puted by Mr.. Vermuele's tables. adopted
as rart of the specifications, were storage
provided for Z inches of rain over the en-
tire Drainage area Of lis square mil4s
above Bconton, a uniform daily yield
might BIZ relied upon of Is. 0oO,0 00 gallons
(66G. COO gallons per mile, or the equivalent
of II inches of rain per annuml. This
would require. however, the construction
of dams in the bed Of the river itself, as
well as on its branches. bringing in the
problem of river pollution by Dover, II
not by Boonton also. two severed towns
of 5,0u9 inhabitants each. The surplus Wa
ter left over the necessities of canal navi-
cation are satisfied are all that the city
or any water contractor can take from
the Rockaway River, and there can be no
certainty that there will be a remainder
of II. 100000 gallons per day, even under
the supposed conditions.
Mr.. Vermeule gets over this difficulty
with the claim that, on striking a balance
canal into the Rockaway River at the
Dover crossing, plus the leakage from
fourteen miles of the line in the valley
above Boonton, and the volume taken out
against at Boonton as already described.
the river gains some $4,000, geo gallons per
day during the navigation season of eight
months. Mr.. J. J. r. Croes. I'd. Am. c. r.,
who has made a close study of the con-
ditions of the supply and waste of the
canal from Lake Hopatcong. the summit
reservoir. down to the Pompton feeder.
nine miles below Boonton. estimates on
the other hand that there is a daily loss
of 10, co., 900 gallons from the river to the
canal. after every allowance is made for
the escape of water, by leakage from the
canal, into the RockaWay River 0
Boonton.
not only are the actually appropriated
sources of water supply for Boonton and
Dover situated within the described area
of the Rockaway watershed. so that their
rights, like those Of the canal company,
must in every contingency take prece-
dence over Jersey City's: but. assuming
what is very doubtful, an existing resi-
duarv flow of 20, COO, 900 gallons per day in
the river at Boonton, the courts would
probably not permit such a diversion Of
its water as would leave 1t in d stagnant
and unsanitary condition at points below
the intake; the more certainly as the sew
age of the towns in the upper part of
the valley, brought down in intercepting
sewers, must, under any system eventual
" be returned to the stream.
In view of these facts. Jersey City
would do we'll before making any award
600. gallons Of water per day from the
Rockaway watershed, to retain some ex-
perienced. unbiased engineer to investi-
gate the whole subject.