The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-09
NOT 4 CENT TO ITS NAME
River Pollution Com
mission Has No Money
and Can't Borrow Any
--Will Ask for an
Appropriation.

Especial to 1.-The Jersey City News."1
NEWARK, Jan. 9, 1S99.-The Passaic
River Pollution Commission has no
money with which to carry on
the work which was begun, to
the end that the Passaic might
be cleansed. The change made by the
Legislature last year in the manner in
which the Commission should raise money
has resulted in placing that body in such
a position that it has not a cent to its
collective name.
In the early part of tho next Legislative
session efforts will be made to remedy
this. 1t is thought probable that the
Commission will be put on its feet again
by a State appropriation. When the first
| Commission was appointed in 1896 the
| State appropriated $40, 900 to its use.
William T. Hunt, of the Commission,
today explained the situation as follows
ut is true that the Pollution Commits
sion has no funds. The Commission was
| appointed last August by a law enacted
in 1898, and it was organized soon after
ward.
Tt law provided that he commission
might spend the sum of $25, 900, the money
to be raised by assessments upon the mu-
| inequalities interested, according to their
population, the commission having been
| authorized to borrow in anticipation OF
the assessments. Applications for loans
under the act were made to financial in
| situations and to the State School Fun
1.-THE Attorney-General and other promi-
nent lawyers passed on the application
and decided that it would not be wise for
the State Board of Education to lend the
money. They did not, however, pass upon
the legality of the method devised for
raising the money.
1.-THE commission communicated this
state of affairs to Governor Voorhees,, and
with his approval pursued the investiga-
ton of the river pollution question as far
as they could without engineering and
clerical aid.
They have done this, have held meet
lngs weekly or oftener, and have ex-
ahmed into a large number of details
connected with the work. They have, in
snort, endeayored to meet the needs of
the case as far as possible without as
slstanee which would have to be paid for.
Such expenses as have been Incurred,
winch have been very small, have been
borne by the commissioners themselves.
"A report will be made early in the next
Legislative session, and it will emdbody the
results. of the work and suggest changes
III the laws which, it is believed, will very
materially adVance the settlement of this
very grave question:
Mr.. Hunt could not say definitely what
these suggestions would be, but it is
thought that the report will favor a re-
turn to the old system of a State appro-
priation, which was abandoned on the
ground that the question of ameliorating
the condition of the river was more of a
local than a State affair.
The chief expenses aof the Commissions
ers have been in transportation. hotel
bills, stationery n other minor details.
I'M nXnI9i11inpr & Tho IS prnSnr+ crrSfAr, M
Hunt said that tAe men who were asked
for loans generally SAID yes, we think
the securities are all right, but weu
The plan was a necessarily slow one,
as the assessments would not be made
made. He denied that The sNGs om onlp ON
had any scrip on the market, nor had it
ever attempted to issue any he said.
that point where money IS necessary to
effect it's completion.