The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-19
THE MILBURN WATER LEAKAGE
SUPERINTENDENT TRAVIS FIN
ISHES HIS REPORT.

Two Men Dischars ed -Accused OF Con-
tinued Observation-Disclosures Allowed
10 Run to Waste in Spite OF Continuous
and Specific Orders Given TO Them.
ORANGE N. j., Nov. Is.-The results of an
investigation by Water Superintendent
Isaac n Travis into the causes which led
to the mysterious disappearance Of water
from the city reservoir at Campbell's Pond.
Millburn. have been put into a report TO be
made TO the Orange Common Council
through the water committee tomorrow
night. Supt. Travis charges Chief Engineer
Thomas j. Swan Of the pumping station
and one of his assistants, Nicholas Christo-
bano, with continued disobedience Of his
orders, which resulted in the waste of water.
Christobano in particular was charged with
having declared hat he had shut of certain
gates, whereas they had been left open
Mr.. Travis's report declares that the second
airy reservoir had been drained OF water
without any necessity. Swan and Christo-
bano have been discharged from the employ
of the city. The report Is in part as fol-
ows:
This report begins with the events which
occurred on Monday, October IS. when the
pumps at Campbell's Pond were shut down
for six hours andi il was thought we had
nearly reached the limit of our water supply.
Our water committee decided it was best
to take no chances with our own scanty water
supply but Immediately to enter into an
agreement with the city of East Orange.
The two water mains we're connected.
Our water committee also directed me to
spare no pains to stop the lavish waste OF
water which had been the practice at Camp
bells Pond under the claim Of the chief engi-
neer, Thomas J. Swan. that it was absolutely
20 tho On afy nf tho Oumna IN have
practically a full pond to help the suction.
On the afternoon OF October is the above
theory was proved entirely wrong, for with
the water In the pond at the lowest point at
which it had ever been seen since the con-
struction of the dam the pumps were working
regularly, lifting the water apparently with
out effort and developing a water pressure
OF upward Of ninety pounds. This was done
in the presence of Alderman Edward 5. Perry
and Alderman Romine of the water COM
mittee. Al the same time the water In the
pond was so low there was very little going
to waste under the dam.
then notified Nicholas Christobano hat
from that time on, or until further notice,
he must devote his whole time. II necessary.
to regulating the flow OF water from the
pipe leading into the pond from the upper
reservoir: not to let the water in the pond
rise high enough to back up against the dam
and run away through the leaky places. but
to keep it just the same az il was then.
On the next day. October 10. l reached
the pumping station about 8 P. NJ. and found
the water in the pond backed up against the
rlprap of the dam and the leaks gushing
water a. usual. 1t seemed to me that the
chief engineer was responsible for this con-
dition Of thin gs, so l oensured him severely
for IL but without making a favorable inn
preston. l then went to the gate. shut it
and left orders it must not be opened until
the next morning.
October II | found the water still higher
than it was on the previous day and the
waste through leakage greater. Again |
spoke to Swan about IL and asked him why
he did IL. No replied that the water got
away from him. Again l shut it of.
l continued my visits daily. On two differ
ent occasions l asked Christobano to go and
shut the gate. On one of these times l some
how felt that he had not done what l asked
him TO do. which was TO shut of the gate.
40 after he came back went to see how the
gate had been left. Instead OF being shut
on there was q stream OF water flowing from
IL nearly as large as the brook supplying
the pond.
Mr.. Travis narrates other instances OF a
similar kind. On one occasion he had as a
witness Louis Peiker, q machinist, who had
come to repair the pumps and who over
heard some remarks Christobano made to
Travis, which resulted In the discovery by
Travis that the water had been turned on.
Il was discouraged" continues Travis