The Jersey City news., 1899-12-18
PASSAIC
POLLUTION
Paterson's Attempt to Keep
the River Free Of
Sewage.
SUIT AGAINST SUMMIT
Proceedings Before Vice Chan
cellor Emery This
Morning.

In the Court of Chancery this morning
Vice Chancellor Pftney heard argument
in the case which aims to protect the Pas
sale from pollution. Thecaseis the appilca-
tion of the city Of Paterson for an injune-
ton to refrain Summit from discharging
it's sewage into the River on the ground
that such discharge violates the law OF
1887, entitled ''An act to prevent the will
full pollution of the waters of the Passaic
and the tributaries thereof above the
great falls of the Passaic River at Pater-
son." Mr.. Michael Dunn, who appeared
for the city of Paterson, asked for time
to prepare additional affidavits. Mr. r. Y.
Lindabury, who appeared for Summit, OPP
posed objections, but the Vice-Chancellor
gave Mr. Dunn the desired time. Mr..
Lindabury attacks the validity of the law.
The petition of the city of Paterson for
the injunction sets forth that the city Of
Paterson is wholly dependent upon the
Passaic River for it's water supply for
drinking and domestic purposes. It
shows that in 1898 Summit, then having
a population of 4,000, constructed seven
acres of sewage disposal beds, to which
were connected the sewers used by all
the houses factories, stores, water
closets, privies and other buildings acces-
sible thereto, After the filth, offal and
drainage passes through certain fiftra-
ton beds, into which said sewers dis
charge. any water or sewage escaping or
discharged therefrom flows or drains di-
rectly into the Passaic River
The disposal beds on the easterly side
of New Providence avenue, it is also al
legged, discharge their effluent into a
brook, which is tributary of the Pas
sale River. The petition alleges that
the natural ground upon which such nj
tration beds are constructed is stiff,
clayey SOIL impervious and inert, and
performs no part in the publication of
the sewage and is not at all adapted
for the purpose of filtration; that in
the natural surface of these beds trench
es are dug, in which drain pipes are
laid with loose joints, and are connected
with other drain pipes with the outlet
for the discharge of the sewage, after
treatment, into the Passaic River The
drain pipes in the beds are surrounded
with sand, and sand is placed over the
CLAW. making a surface layer over the
whole area of the beds from one and
one-half inches to two feet deep; and
in the entertainments are placed vitrified
nine carriers for the distribution
of the sewage, and the applica-
tion Of sewage on the beds is
controlled by wooden plugs with rubber
rings in manholes at suitable places, but
these plugs do not in eases fit, and there is
frequently leakage, so that the beds ad-
iacent are constantly kept wet and do not
dry OUT, It is alleged that the beds are
improperly constructed and that the
effluent instead of being free from offen-
siye matter when it is discharged into the
Passaic River, sis a yellowish brown coll
or. and the odor arising therefrom is as
| strong as the applied sewage. Analysis of
the effluent. it is alleged, as compared
with analysis of the crude sewage, as It is
emptied on the beds for treatment, shows
that the chlorine in the effiuent is only a
| little lower than in the sewage and indf-
Gates that the effluent is still of full nor
NAL strength, and not diluted WIN
ground water
| The affidavit of DR.. John L. Leal, a
member of the Paterson Board of Health.
| the things set forth in the petition for an
| injunction are alleged and the further
| statement Is made that the said pollution
| tends to deteriorate the said water and
render the same unfit for potable and
| other domestic purposes for persons using
the same below the point at where the
sewage empties." DR.. Lea1 also says
"The character of the effluent from the
| said sewage and filtration system of the
| city of Summit seriously affects the water
of the Passaic River at the place where
| the City Of Paterson has its intake for its
water supply, ard if allowed to continue
will render the water unfit for drinking
purposes
Herbert B. Baldwin, chemist to the
/ Newark Board of Health, who made an
/ analysis of the water for the City of Pat
erson says in his affidavit The water
! of the Passaic River at the point where
! the effluent from the filtration beds of
| the City of Summit was being discharged
| was being contaminated and polluted. "
/ AsampIe of the effuent emptying into
| the Passaic River, of which an analysis
was made, showed that "the water con-
/ tains much organic matter and is in very
! bad condition"
Mr.. Baldwin also says:-'That he is
/ acquainted with the Passaic River and
| the locations thereon and knows where
! the intake of the Passaic Water Company
is located above the great falls at Pat
erson. from which the inhabitants of the
| City of Paterson are supplied with water,
/ and that, in his Judgment If the said
| effluent is allowed to continue to be dis
charged into the waters Of the river in
| the same condition that it was at the
i time he made the analysis of the sam
pies, the waters of the river, by reason
of this pollution. will be rendered UNIT
for drinking purposes or for domestic
/ purposes
J. H. Hickman, head of the New Jersey
archaeological Laboratory at Princeton
also made analyses and found the effluen
badly polluted.
Allen Hazen, a sanitary engineer O.
some note, who has been actively engaged
in solving sewage disposal problems fol
over eleven years. declares that the sew
4 age disposal beds at Summit are poorly
constructed. and further swears that II
his opinion the sewage disposal plant a
Summit is inadequate to purify, in tn
best manner, the sewage of the presen
population; that as the population Of sum
NIT increases the plant as now construct
ed and maintained would be inadequate
4. to maintain even the degree OF pnrifica
lttioh which Is now secured, and IN tina
/ event ii will be likely TO render the watel
TO ACCOMMODATES those who art
i f,arfial to the use OF atomlzers IN ap.
4 nlying LIQUIDS into the nasal passages fol
ca tarrhal troubles, the proprfetors pre-