The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-04-03
CA - TO IRA.
Bears the n The Kind You Have Always Bought
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Mosquito determination.

Mosquito determination.
The Senate has passed bill providing
$40, 900 for the determination of mosqui-
toes in this State. The money il to be ex-
pended on Prof. John B. Smiths plan
of draining all salt meadows and putting
all pools and drains in connection with
living water SO far as possible. The idea
to follow up this expenditure with q
like expenditure each year for at least four
years more, or total of $3.50, 900. The ad-
vocates Of this measure say that New
Jersey contains 1914 square miles Gland
surface), or 4,609. 216 acres. On the as
sumption that the salt marsh mosquito
may become pest twenty miles inland,
it is found that more than one third of the
State. or 2.0O0. 600 acres, is affected by the
salt marsh mosquito nuisance. 1t is
worthy of note that these 1000, 900 acres
are inhabited by more than eighty per
cent of the entire population of the State.
With the salt marsh mosquito nuisance
eliminated the value of these 1900, 900
acres would surely increase to the amount
of % per acre. average. Thus, there
would be an addition to the value of lands
in the State of $4,000, 00O With a tax
rate of one per cent this would add to the
taxes payable within the State 300, 900
every year thereafter.
Dividing the whole cost of doing the
work by the 2.00O. 900 acres named, would
amount to II cents per acre. Dividing the
total cost by the population of the State
the cost would be IS cents per individual
1t has been argued that 1t should be the
duty of each municipality to drain its
salt marshes at its own expense. Newark
drained its salt marshes for 81, 900, or only
2 cents per inhsbitsnt. The cost to Jersey
City for its share would be about IL
cents per inhabitsnt. The cost to Eliza
beth. 10 cents per inhsbitant. Linden and
Woodbridge, only ten miles from Newark,
go per inhabitant.
Looking to the upper portion of Barne-
gat bay. it Is seen that the section extend
ing from Point Pleasant to Toms River
will cost, according to DR.. Smiths esti-
mate. $21. 500. Assessing this upon the
people of Bay Head, Chadwicks, Laval
lette and Silverton, would amount to $40
per inhabitant, or 1000 times as much per
inhabitant as to the city of Newark
Of there were less mosquitoes there would
be more inhabitants.) These municipali-
ties would refuse to raise $21, 800 to do !
this work, or even half so much. Clearly. |
therefore, if left to the owners or to the |
municipalities this work would never be |
done.
Mr. Smith has proven that single square
foot of standing water can breed 5000 |
mosquitoes in single brood. Thus, we
find that for every square foot of standing |
water we may have pest of mosquitoes
on every single acre. 1t is the small pools |
of brackish water in the salt marshes that
breed the mosquitoes most abundantly |
A pool ten feet square contains 100 square |
feet. 1t would only require 10000 such |
pools along our 200 miles of sea shore to
supply sufficient mosquitoes to become q |
'.pest" throughout 2. O0O. 900 acres, or more
than one third Of the entire area of the |
State. This would average one such pool
every fifty feet along the marshes Of the
shore. 1t is. therefore, because SO great
.'pest" may arise from SO small source !
that we find so great good may come to
the State through so small an expenditure
Is $3.50, 900. !