The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-08-09

FOR MADISON
Council and Health Board Favor
Revere, Mass, System.

1t will Cost $4,000, Require I6
Miles of Pipe for a Population of
10000 Special Election will Au-
thorize Issue of Bonds.
So far as municipal ownership of
lighting and water plants is concerned,
Madison probably stands foremost in
the State. Electric lights are furnished
cheaper than elsewhere in the State,
and pure water for all purposes is
furnished at a low figure, while at the
same time the water and light plants
combined pay profit to the borough of
numbers the plant as it now stands to-
day cost $140, 900, while offers have been
made to purchase same with its valu
able franchises for an amount approxi-
mating $500, 900.
The question which is agitating the
good citizsnss of our neighboring com.
munity just now is that of sewerage.
Madison, like Morristown, now uses the
old fashioned cess pool and vault sys-
tenn, which is not at all conducive to
either cleanliness or health. At an
election held July % it was decided to
sewer the town. The committee ap-
pointed sometime since, comprising
Councilmen B. Warren Burnett and
and William I. Brown, with Assessor
| n nd nr T NJ
from the Board of Health, with Mayor
Albright as member ex-oficio, have
been carefully investigating the sewer
age problem, for such it is.
They visited in the course of their in
vestigations Far Rockaway, where a
chemical system was used which was
not well thought of. The sewer system
at Liberty, N. Y, was also investigated
and that in use at Willow Grove in the
suburbs of Philadelphia. The commit
tee finally visited Revere, Mass, in the
vicinity of Boston, where system is
in use which meets with their unanimous
approval 1t is what is known as the
precipitate and filtration system, and
was installed at Revere by the Inter-
national Sewage Disposal Company of
| Boston.
| This company works under the
Mitchell system and patents, which. in
brief, are radically, and in every matter
of detail different from all systems now
in operation, in that the nuisance Is
eliminated before it becomes one, or,
in other words the sludge or solid
matter is in large part removed before
the sewage goes upon the filter bed
This is ACCOMPLISHED by sedimentation,
liberation, evaporation and ventilation
all under cover and giving absolute i'm
munity from vapors and smells and
thoroughly purifying the product
There are no chemicals used in the sys-
tenn end the most desirable results are
obtained.
A representative of the Chronicle yes
teraay interviewed Councilman Brown
and Mr. Cook, of the Board of Health,
both members of the borough commit
tee on sewerage. In common with the
other members both have given much
time to the matter and have personally
investigated several systems.
Mr.. Cook was emphatic in his ap-
proval of the system in use at Revere.
In hurriedly outlining it he said the
crude sewage flowed from the pipes
about the borough into large receiv-
ing tank, from which it was pumped
into tank elevated probably twelve
feet above the level from which, by a
process of siphoning, it was carried
through a series of tanks, four in num-
ber, finally emptying into a filter bed
which is constructed five feet in depth;
the bottom is composed of six inch horse
shoe tiles, upon which is laid course
of two-inch cracked stone, and above
this is placed coarse gravel laid in
courses, each finer than the other until
the last course, which is fine building
sand one filtration bed was placed
above the other. both being of the same
construction.
The fluid matter, after it passed into
the last tank, was comparatively clear,
and when it left the filtration bed it had
the appearance of clear spring water,
aud it is claimed is practically pure.
The solid matter, which sewer experts
say amount to per cent, is emptied
from the tanks through patent openings
in cement bottoms and spread upon
sludge BEDS where, after having been
dried, it is mixed with plaster or some
other absorbent and disposed of for fer
tilizing purposes.
The cost of disposal plant, including
pumping station, etc., would be about
! $12 600 to s 000 1t is estimated that
at least sixteen miles of pipe will have
to be laid in Madison, which will take
care of the sewage for a community
twice its size. and which will cost any
where from $500 to $4,000 a mile,
making an estimated cost for the whole
plant of at least $4,000 This amount
it is proposed to RAISE by general tax
and four per cent. bonds will be float
ed to pay for the improvement.
Mr.. Brown when interviewed hearth
ly conceded with the views of his col
league. The difficulty at the present
time is the location of the grounds for
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