The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-08-03
ASK FOR WATER.
Newark Officials Tell East
Jersey Company No
More Mud"
BOARD OF WORKS ACTS
President Ballard Says the
Dirty Fluid is Due to
Negligence.
Especial to sTne Jersey City News.o1

Especial to ''Tne Jersey City News."J
NEWARK, Aug. 3, 19O0-The East Jer-
sey Water Company is to be asked to
supply the city with water from better
source than from which it is now obtain
ed. That was decided upon at a meet
ing of the Water Committee of the Board
of Works yesterday afternoon. 1t is
stated today that only two days supply
remains in Oak Ridge reservoir, from
which the city's supply is now being
drawn
President Ballard brought up the sub
ject of the complaints about the bad
water.
Until few hours ago." explained Mr..
Ballard, Il had not been annoyed by the
condition of the water. Now I'm con-
WINGED the water is not as sweet as it
has been. If the East Jersey Water Com
pany is responsible I'd like to have the
public know it. The company is bound
by its contract to give US pure and
wholesome water.
If the city is at fault, I'd like to ask
the engineer of the water department of
the city the cause. 1 feel that it is due
to the condition of the reservoirs and the
negligence of the company
Engineer Sherrerd said that it must be
due to the growth of algae in the water
at the dead ends of pipes. He continued: /:
we have gangs of men flushing out
street hydrants. l would say that the
water department has not received many
complaints.
we have had complaints due to a bad
condition of the service pipes, but these
have been remedied
There is no doubt about the bad condi-
ton of the Oak River Reservoir water.
The condition there is the fault of the
East Jersey Company. particularly so be-
cause OF the way in which they run the
watershed A change of atmospheric
conditions would improve matters. The
least the company could do would be to
draw on Clinton reservoir.
4 had not supposed that the water in
Oak Ridge was so low as has been re-
ported
Il am glad" observed Mr.. Ballard, ''that
thls statement will go to the public A
resident of the street in which I live
makes a bitter complaint about the
water
I'VE try to investigate each CASE Mr.
Sherrerd remarked
David e. Benedict, a resident of Rose
vile, said that the water that flowed
from his bath-tub faucet at noon yester-
day was darker than beer
Commissioner Baumann, chairman OF
the Water Committee, declared that more
street hydrants were being flushed al
present than ever.
Engineer Sherrerd insisted that it was
inexcusable for the East Jersey Water
Company to draw from Oak Ridge when
Clinton reservoir is full. Last year, .
he added, they did change over, but II
was only done after much talking
President Ballard and Commissioner
Baumann, of the Board of Works. an6
Morris r. Sherrerd, engineer of the de.
partment of water, who went to Boston or
Tuesday to consult with expert engineers
in connection with the city's suit againsF
the East Jersey Water Company, returned
home yesterday morning. As to the re
suit of their trip neither of them would
talk.
AT the office of the Board of Health yes
terday it was said that no further com
plants as ito the water had been received
The Sanitary Committee of the board vii
meet tonight. The full board will NEE
next Tuesday night.
The only person connected with the Eas
Jersey Water Company who is near here
is the man the company has at the Belle.
vile end of the pipe line. He refused tt
discuss the alleged poor quality of water
As told, the East Jersey Water Com
pany is supplying Newark exclusively
a. 49,
| in which is just now at an extremely low
level.
1.-THE water there" says man who saw
! it recently resembles pea soup, an(
sulphuretted hydrogen is eau de cologn,
| in comparison with it's odor. The mucky
bottom of the west arm of the Oak Ridg,
! reservoir is simply indeseribaIble.
| A man, whose utterances are regarded
as authoritative, said today
Ninety per cent. of the disputed point:
! in the water contract between the city O
Newark and the East Jersey Water Com
pany which the city has asked the Chan
| Gerry Court to judicially construe, dea
with matters pertaining to engineering
not law
Therefore" he continued, "the city, il
/ making us uSHt dSdiHSt tie Wdler cOlIl
| pany, does not need the services of 81
many associate counsel as City Counse
| Price has been asked to retain.
/ 'sThe city should employ an experienced
consulting engineer. who has spen
enough time in the watershed and in tn,
preparation of pertinent notes to under
/ stand the situation there. He should b.
engaged not only to testify himself, bu
to coach the citys counsel as to wha
questions to ask and what facts to brins
out in the examination of half-dozel
! expert engineers which the city shoul,
employ.
IAN expert knows at a glance if a spill
I way is constructed of rip-rap or rubble. 4
lawyer is not expected to know this, ant
1 it wouldn't surprise any one if he didn
know it..
Il have read the city's bill of com
| plaint. the answers of the company ant
/ its co-defendants and the newspaper re
ports of the hearings given in the city.
! suit thus far. As view it, the legal points
/ involved do not appear to be of the nerv
| racking order.
.'It has been said that a million dollar
| is the stake for which the city and waite
company are fighting. / am inclined t,
| believe that it exceeds that sum by a
least half million.
Il don't believe that the city will eve
/ get Canistear reservoir or Echo Lake
i which, it claims, unless 1t pays for them
| II am convinced he concluded ttha
I the water company is keeping Clinton res