New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-07
RIVERS NOT FOR SEWAGE.

rhc Chancellor of New-Jersey, AleHahuei l.
\rcGiII has decided that it is contrary 10 III"
for municipalities to empty their sewage ih'o
tho rivors or streams of the State. This is inc
Dict authoritative decision Of the kind IN New
ro-sor ood its effects will be far reaching a.
r,ost Of the towns and cities do the very thine
that Chancellor McGill says they must ho' uo'
rho caso before the Chancellor was an appli-
cation for an injunction TO restrain the CIT! VI
Paterson from using the Passalc hlVer "s III
o,,,Io+ for lie sewage This river was at one
,ir,o famed for its beauty and the purity OF us
water fed as ii was by scores OF mouhlaln lN"'
lots and smaller streams. But II was the MN
djest place for Paterson 10 dump sewage anu
all the refuse and chemicals from the lhliis anu
factories Newark and Jersey CITY were ge'-
ting their water supply from the faSsac "'
Beleville. seven or eight miles below the polh'
o+ ,,bicb tho Paterson sewage entered the river
rhoeo two cities tried to stop the pollution, but
for some reason or other failed possibly lIoln
lack OF sincerity on the part OF the oHhc'ais
charged with the work. or possibly LOT wait Va
knowing how TO set about i-at any rate thelr
efforts came 10 naught. Despairing OF reilel III
that direction Newark purchased n new water
supply from the East Jersey Water company
Tho water comes from the Pequannock \aileY'
in the northern end of the State, near Where
Passaic Sussex and Morris counties touch edcH
other. Jersey City, after many aDcrtVe al
tennis. has just followed this example to the
extent Of contracting with private company
for n supply which is to be taken from the
Rockaway River near Dover.
Meantime complaints about the condition OF
tho river kept growing louder and louder. one
summer. three or four years ago. during pro-
tracted drouth, It was simply an open sewer
Paterson had grown TO be q city Of 100000. us
contribution TO the river was reinforced by me
sewage Of passaic, a few miles TURNER doWh
the river. with population of 2O'oJo. FISH
could no longer live in the river. and the disih-
clination 10 use it even for boating purposes
was becoming more marked.
Governor Griggs was familiar with all the
facts. ard one Of the first things that he did
after his Inauguration in 1896 was the appoint
mont of n Commission to investigate the whole
,,atter That Commission reported In favor Of
croot trunk sewer at an estimated cost of
se 5Oo 600 the cost 10 be distributed proper
,ionatcly among the municipalities affected As
alreadv told in The Tribune that plan was met
with great opposition, chiefly from the towns
on which the expense should fall The project
WAS allowed 10 lie in allegiance while legislative
committees and commissions went over the
ground again Last week the Commission ap-
pointed year ago recommended the passage Of
an act declaring that all pollution must cease
within five years, and providing for the ap-
Monument Of a State board 10 have supervision
of the sewerage plans of the municipalities.
Mayor IInchliffe of Paterson with the whole
power Of that municipality behind him, OPP
posed this plan. declaring that It's realization
would bankrupt the city. While the Paterson
officials were busy dcvsins ways and means
10 stavc off interference this decision from the
Chancery Court fell like n bombShell among
them In that decision Chancellor McGill says.
that the city of Paterson has any right to
"pollute the waters Of the Passac River by the
discharge of It's sewage into them Is clearly
IAN untcnabie position
The Chancellor, therefore, enjons the city OF
Paterson from doing anything that will IN
crease the quantity Of its sewage pending
final hearing. and he warns the city that il
must take steps within a reasonable time TO find
some other means Of dispOsing of its sewage.
The case may, OF course. be taken TO the Court
of Errors and Appeals. but it Is not regarded
as likely that the Chancellor will he Overrued.