The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-21
DETAILS OF THE TRIP.
Valuable Data Secured During Two
Days Tour of 275 Miles.

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Days Tour of 275 Miles.
In a two days trip of 275 miles
through the northern counties of he
State and up the Ramapo watersheds
into New York State the members of
the State Potable Water Commission
appointed in the spring by Governor
Stokes, to supercede the Passaic River
Flood District Commission in preserv-
ing the potable waters of the StRte and
prevent their diversion into other
States, gathered data Friday and
Saturday.
Besides the inspection of the land
laid out by the Flood Commission n
the geological department, the COM
mission inspected the P~equannock Val
ley region in which the Newark water
supply is located, the plant of the East
Jersey Water Company at Little Falls
on the Passaic River, and ended the
tour with an inspection of the pump
ing station, filtration plant and reser-
voirs of the Hackensack Water Com
pany at New Milford on the Hacken-
sack, with a view of ascertaining the
amount of potable water used by these
concerns.
In the party were the commissioners
former Governor Foster M. voorhees,.
| former State Senator J. Harry Bachel-
Ter, Harry HUMPHREYS, former Assem-
biyman George j. Wright and Richard
M. Morrell-together with consulting
engineer Morris r. Sherrerd and e
eral newspaper reporters.
The party met at the Newark City
Hall and went up the Passaic river to
Little Falls, where a brief stop was
made, and then continued to Mountain
View, the proposed site of h dam
| across the Pompton River, that would
| ill the valley that lies between the
/ AUDITING hills of the Hook Mountain
range. above which are the villages OF
IPompton, Pompton Plains, Pequannock
WAYNE and other towns The change or
the location of the Delaware and Lack
awanna Railroad for several miles, the
Greenwood Lake branch of the Erie
Railroad, and also the New York, Sus-
| onehanna and Western Railroad beds
would have to be moved several miles
to spots laid out by the engineers OF the
former commission, and the MOTIFS
| canal rebuilt for a distance of four
miles, together with h relocation OF
a number of State and County roads,
| beside the wiping out of all connecting
| roads, changing the topography OF the
country.
The cost Of the proposed flooding Of the
Pompton basin would be 50, $4,000, OF which
50. 154, $50 Of that amount would be spent
for the land flooded and the buildings de-
stroyed.
The other plan submitted by the State
geological survey includes the flooding of
the great meadows and would embrace a
- - L - -. - mA4A ON
missions site, together with a section to
the north, and while greater in area would
not a the depth. the capacity being
about the same. In this scheme the geo.
logical survey engineers placed a low valua-
tiDn on property to be condemned.
1t is the conviction OF the commission
that il the geological site was chosen there
would have to be a readjustment OF the
property values that would increase the
cost Of the site materially.
While the commission is not obligated to
chose either of the sites, the conclusion
was reached that the two in question were
the only feasible spots for the conservation
of the water, but The commissioners travel
cd into New York State and along the
Ramapo River into exclusive Tuxedo Park.
where the impounded river forms a private
lake several miles in length. To see IL any
of the water that should flow to this state
was being diverted.
The first day was devoted to Tho Neu,s ri,
water works and the Pompton valley the
party covering $50 miles in the automohiIss
without a hitch, and late in the afternoon
visited Greenwood Lake. where they viewed
the outlet Of the water that feeds .he
canal, and, it is snrmised, forms n reserve
supply for the East Jersey Water Company
the night was spent at Pompton Plains
and yesterday the party, after visiting
Iuxedo and inspecting the streams that
enter this State from New York nrocneded
to the Saddle River region and visited the
plant OF the H~ackensack Water Company,
winch supplies Hoboken, Hackensack and
other smaller municipalities.
The plant was found TO be in good con-
dition, and the members of the commits
sion were well pleased. but will have in
stalled in the near future gauges that will
register every gallon of water taken by
any company or corporation In this State.
On November 30, the commission will
make their report to the Governor on the
site Tor the preservation Of the water, and
1t Is understood that while there is a pos
siblllty Of a new site being selected that
either the Flood COMMISSIONS site or the
geological survey site will be chosen.
The commission Is through with the
northern part of the State and will make
several trips te the water supplies OF the
southern part of the State.