The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-09
COULT w
POLLUTION QUERIES.
Counsel for Commission Gives Pointers
to the New England Society
of the Oranges.

The discussion at the New England So
ciety of the Oranges Saturday evening re-
garding the present status of the Passaic
Valley at times grew exciting.
Frederick w. Kelsey twice asked Joseph
Coult. counsel for the Passaic Valley Dis
trict Sewerage Commission, why the bill
passed by the Legislature did. not provide
for assessments of cost for the sewer on
the volume and not on tax ratables.
Il did not come here to be catechised By
MIR. Kelsey. ! am only here as a guest of
the society," said Mr.. Coult rather warmly.
We are all in the same fix Mr.. Coul'
said in opening a discussion on the subject
of the evening, You are tarred with the
same stick. I live near the Passaic River
A dry time is coming, and then the condi-
ions will be intolerable, and the people
living in the vicinity of the river Will De
compelled to flee to the mountains. The
conditions are intolerable now, and must
be met. If you can conceive OF a way thal
Is better TO treat your foul matter, II you
have anything in view, say It manfuIly.
You gentlemen In Orange and in East Or
ange are joined in the sewerage problem,
The Passaic River is just as much yours
as ours. You have got to quit its poiii-
tion and so has Newark. Then the Fnssaic
Valley will be q garden spot of the Lord.
John d. Everitt, president of the Orange
National Bank, asked Mr.. Coult concerning
the proposed use of the Hudson River as
to the attitude of New York on the scheme
planned.
They are going to put into the Hudson
River more sewage from the Bronx than
the entire flow of the proposed Passaic
Valley trunk sewer" was the reply. :
c. c. Vermeule said that the appofl1on-
ment of cost of the sewer was an lnlus-
tice to Orange and other municipalities;
I'VE all ought to cooperate" he said, anu
cooperate fairly. According to the plan OF
assessing on tax rataoles ana a propaDlS
total cost of $12, 900 900. the portion OF Or
ange. East Orange. Bloomfield and Mont
clair would be about 81, 100000. If the as,
sessment were made ON the volume %
sewage the cost to the municipalities wonid
be 1925 900"
Mr.. Coult said that everything possible
was done to get a just bill through tn.
Legislature, but the city OF Paterson nae
opposed, and the best that could be dom
was to get a bill through that would pro
vide for an assessment for building on taA
ratables and the maintenance on the Vo'
ume of sewage.
DR.. ]. M. W. Kitchen said that the PEG
pie in Newark proposed a plan that wa
not wholly satisfactory, and was twenty
five years behind the times. lie SAID ina
only when the tide was low and the sew
age was exposed to the sun was tue rive
offensive. 49,.
down by the river will not think we ar
treating them unfairly when we ask tneu
why the sewer law is ~inequitaple. ~ nt
not been made clear 10 MN why Wv
! sessment for the cost and maintenance
should not be on the same basis.
The question Of having separate sewer
one for storm water n the other 10
sewage, which had been brought up carrie
in the evening by Mr.. Herring. was com
mented upon by Mr.. Kelsey. He said ina
in Orange hundreds Of thousands OF ool
lars had been spent in building a storn
water system as well as one FOR taklnl
care of the sewage matter, and he though
that the city of Paterson, which was pan
ming to use for a short time the trun'
sewer for its storm water as well as 10
general purposes. should not be given sue
liberal treatment. a.
The discussion continued until late IN IN
evening. Among those who took part wer
EDWARD X. Sumerwell. who represenIe
j6he New England Society before the sen
ate committee four years ago, Wne
Passaic Valley drainage was brought DC
fore Il; Andrew Mason. Ezra Williams an
others. !.
Roberts's rules of order was adopted o
the society instead of Cushing's manua
The board of officers recommended that II
lectures be given during the winter SO q
to economize, but it was not acted upon;
John Lenord Merrill and Walter a. Clar
were elected members Of the society, an
RESERVATIONS were received from Eog''
Williams. the Rev. DR.. Stanley White an
I Repiamfn ShpDard.