The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-11
Carrying Out Of Plans to
Go to Governor Means
Spending Millions.
COMMITTEE MEETS TODAY
Reserve Reservoir, Which May
Be Established at Little Falls,
Being Considered by Mcfii-
bers of State Body-.Give
Attention to Thefts.

There was a meeting of a committee
of the State Potable Water Commits
sion today in the City Hall for the
purpose of preparing the report as to
the choice Of a site for a reserve reser-
votr n as to the conservation of the
potable waters of the State.
Richard Morrell, of 7assaic; Henry
r. HUMPHREYS. of Camden; former
State Senator ]. Henry Bachelor, of
Newark. and City Engineer Morris r.,
Sherrerd, the consulting engineer of
the commission; compose the commit
tee, and the preliminary work or he
report to be presented will be got in
shape and the report completed by the
entire. commission Former Governor
Foster M. Voorhees, and George
Wright, of Paterson, are the other two
members of the commission and will
pass Judgment on the report, which
will be presented to the Governor.
The potable water commission was cree
ated by the Legislature by the passage
Of the. potable water act last year ana
practically supcrsedes the Passaic Valley
Flood Commission; besides having the
power to decide between two sites for the
proposed reserve reservoir, 1t has entire
supervision on the potable waters of the
State, and may grant water rights, sub
poena witnesses and in all matters have
control of the potable waters.
The vitality important part Of the report
will be the choice OF a site for the pro-
posed reservoir. Two sites have been I'M
der consideration, one known as the Yer
meule plan, or the State Geological Sur
vey. which provides for a dam at Little
Falls, which will inundate seventeen miles
of territory and wipe out several villages,
and the other the scheme of the flood COM
mission, which provides for a dam at
Mountain View. flooding an area of fifty
miles and wiping out Pompton Lakes,
Pompton Plains and several other places.
Both would have the effect Of regulating
the hood waters and allow food control,
and would also furnish a reserve supply
of potable water that has become neces-
sary.
When the site selected is finally chosen
and presented to the Governor in the re-
port of the commission at the first of. the
year steciar Legislation will be necessary
70 carry the project through, and will
necessitate the expenditure of many mil
lionRs Of dollars, a great sum fortthe o N
~9essJnation 81. land alone, and the change
= Of the canal bed for several miles, and
aIs1f the, shifting of the main roadbeds of
several railroads which run through the
territory that would be flooded. 1t is
understood that the commission favor the
site with n Dam at 1AIIle HIS, anu LnG
consensus of opinion is that this will be
the site approved by the commission.
The commissioners, with the consulting
engineer, have made automobile trips all
over the Sta.c, with q view Of ascertain
ing the condition of the potable water
streams and the systems employed by the
various water companies using the water,
and the report will deal extensively with
the State rights to waters and the alleged
4L-0k- -~olA ATr ariA.
On the trip of the commission over the
site Of the proposed reservoir in Septem-
Der it was discovered thai the East Jer-
sey Water Company was diverting mill
lions of gallons Of water per day from
Greenwood lake, the gate at the outlet
being found open. and the gate house
locked. The company, it is understood,
also tapped the canal.
The rights of other water companies and
conditions as they are found will be dealt
with IN the report, and ms a result, 1t Is
understood, water companies will nave to
account for every gallon drawn from
streams In this State and pay for it.
The potable water bill Is OF great interest
in this city, and may have direct bearing
on the local water supply. The bill was
fought by representatives, Of the Board of
Works. 1t provides that amy municipality
that in future diverts more water than is
now legally diverted, must pay for it to the
Secretary of State.
The city has acquired its own water sup
ply In the Pequanuock Valley region at d
cost of approximately $s,OO0,OOO, and the
maximum amount that the watershed can,
furnish is fifty million gallons, and the
amount used daily now by this city is
thirty five million gallons. The commission
some time ago asked the opinion Of Robert
II. McCarter, Attrney- General Of the state,
on this question and he rendered an opin-
ion to the effect that the city would not
have to pay for water taken from the
watershed in excess of what is now legally
diverted. The Board of Works also took
up the matter. and City Counsel James X.
Nugent rendered an opinion along the same
lines as that of the Acknowledgement