The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-12
WANTED TO HELP PURIFY
East Jersey Officials Say They
Offered to Aid in Clean
ing the Passaic River.
LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT
Mayor Hinchliffe Denies That
East Jersey Tried to Die
tate to Commissioners.

N9NAH
Especial to .The Jersey City News."l
PATERSON, Jan. u, 1S99.-The question
of compelling the East Jersey Water
Company to furnish pure water to the
city was debated Tuesday night by Mayor
Hlnchliffe, Health Inspector Leal and
Commissioners Patton Pollitt and liick-
man, at a meeting of the Board Of Health.
Mayor HinchlIffe declared thai ne ard
the Special Committee lad found The wa
ter company officials willing TO aid m
stopping sources of pollution. He saidf
that he had received a letter from Car
let A. Hobart, president of the Passaic
Water Company, in which M. Hobart
said that the act of 1897 conferred power
upon Boards of Health by which it was
possible to remove and prevent pollution
in the waters of the Passaic River above
| the Great Falls. The letter goes on 10
| say
The interests of the city and the Pas
| caic Water Company are Identical IN a
desire to keep the water pure and whole
| some. To his end it is necessary to have
an inspector who shall be the authorized
inspector for your Honorable Boly; also
an attorney, who shall be empowered to
| represent you in such prosecution thai
| Iidy De necessary, UcSdocS II - ~ DAo'
| of Health Of the city who must act under
the statutes. The Passaic Water Gem
pany, on its part, is willing to pay the
cost of such Inspector and attorney, as
well as the costs incurred by Such prese-
| cution."
There was a brief discussion OF tne pro-
position among the members present.
Michael Dunn was named as the attorney
proposed to be appointed. Mr.. Hickman
/ wanted the matter to lie oyer for a week
as he was not prepared to vote on it.
DR.. Leal said they were all interested in
getting better water for the city, and
this was the only way of accomplishing
that object. The water companies had
no power to abate sources of pollution.
That power was vested in the local boards
of health; yet these boards had no author
ity to spend money for that purpose, or
| did not have the money. Now this spe-
! cial committee had succeeded in making
an arrangement whereby these two inter
ests were to combine. the one to delegate
the power and the other to pay the bill
The Mayor further reported that at the
| suggestion of the Board of Health the
water company had abated the Italian
camp. He wanted to give the water COM
pany credit for the willingness with which
it complied with the request of the board,
but both President Patton and Mr.. Hick-
man told the Mayor hat the water com
pany owned the ground on which the 1tal-
ian camp was located. The Mayor was
| disposed to disbelieve this, as he under
stood that the land was owned by a pri-
waite proprietor, but the two member said
they were positive of the truth of their
assertion and could prove it,.
Mr.. Hickman added that he put no stock
in this new faith which had sprung up.
The East Jersey Water Company would
not think of uoing this if it was not COM
PEELED to. He did not believe in the Board
of Health asking any favors from the wa
ter company. The Board of Health was
a power and could enforce its rights. The
| city of Paterson paid for a good water
supply and the water compan was bound
to furnish it.
Paterson did not need a trunk sewer,
mfr. Hickman continued. TIL river was a
natural sewer. The speaker said the plan
proposed by the water company was a
| scheme, and there were others on foot.
The law required that the water be re-
turned to the river below the falls, but he
could not see how this could be done if it
were carried off to a reservoir. Any sane
man who said this could be done was
something new in creation.
Mayor Hinchliffe, speaking of the trunk
| sewer, said h it was untrue that the
East Jersey Water Company was dictat-.
ing to the Pasgaic River Pollution Com
mission. The members of that commits
sion were appointed by the Governor, and
the Mayor said that ever since he had
been one OF the commission he had found
them an earnest body of men anxious to
do the best possible for the community.
They had asked suggestions and advice
from the citizens of the various munich
paIiaes interested, and had done every
thing within their power to arrive at the
truth and reach the best conclusion.
1t was then decided to lay the report
over for a week. After the meeting Mr..
| Hickman spoke his mind freely about the
position assumed by the Health Inspector,
.Dr. Leal denies that it is his dirty 10
regularly inspect the watersheds. Well,
| will do all in my, power not only to
compel him to inspect the sheds, but also
to inspect the water from private tducess.
III will spring a surprise next Tuesday
night. and If l am not supported by rhis
Board then | will go before the public
and let them act.
II WISH u say -tohlihoCu W. .14ISh.
man. that DR.. Leal is in the employ of
the East Jersey Water Company For
| six months or more an Italian camp was
situated on the banks of the Passaic. ]
found there on the rivers edge four to
six feet of filth.
sDr Leal said he thought It WIS cay.
and when | told him the company should
be brought to- task, he saii u mel
am in the employ of the company and Il
cannot do anything. If l musl give up
| one position 1t will be that of the I'M
Dr. LeaI left the city this morning 50
mo statement could sbe secured from him
IN regard to the assertions made oy Mr..
M. Hickman intends to try u prevent
| Health Inspector Leal from Casting 4 vote
at any meeting of the Board. He says
the law does not allow the Inspector 70
vote.
wANSrR GLIB 70 ENTERTAIN.