The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-22
PASSAlC RIVER
TURNED INTO
CESSPOOL
East Jersey Co. Cuts Off
Water and Creates NuiS=
anCe at Paterson.

PATTERSON, July 22.-An outrage
was perpetrated on the people of this
city as well as on those of the entire
northern section of the State yesterday
when the sluice gates at the back race
way on Spruce street were opened and
the sole supply of water for the Passaic
River above the falls was entirely
cut Off.
The condition which this action on
the part of some one in the employ of
the S. u. M. or its colleague, the East
Jersey Water Company, precipitated
would have to be seen to be realized in
all its obnoxious and deplorable state
Of unhealthfulness and shame. In de-
scribing the bed of the river and the
sights along its banks it seems impossi-
BILE to indulge in exaggeration.
The people of Paterson nave seen and
smelled the Passaic River in every
phase of its degeneracy into a mere
trickling stream of muddy water, but
until yesterday they had never been af-
forded an opportunity to view the river,
or, rather, the bed of the river. under
such circumstances. Every drop of
IuIilliIk WdlGi IlI0 DCtAt AAVlAA
the stream, and where in the years
gone by a beautiful stream of consider
able depth used to wind its refreshing
way, nothing met the eye Of the spec
tator but a wide-open gap between two
banks, populated with boys and men.
who took opportunity that the occasion
afforded to relieve the stream of nearly
Every kind of life it contained.
During the past few weeks, as is
usual at this time of the summer sea-
son, the river has been at ehb How.
It has shrunk into a stream barely deep
enough in any place, between the val
ley OF the rocks and a point near
Riverside, to drown a baby. This con-
dition is not due to drought, but to
the practise of the East Jersey Water
Company, the S. u. NJ. and other affli-
ated corporations, in stealing the water
by divertlng 1t for the supply of va
rious municipalities.
When the Passaic gets as unusually
low as 1t is, at the present time, the
East Jersey Water Company finds itself
compelled to dam up the water which
would naturally flow into the bed of
the river below the falls 50 that the
water shall rise to a great depth and
volume above the falls to be pumped
into the East Jersey Company's reser-
voirs.
Under the present condition Of the
river no water has been flowing over
the dam above the falls, and h sole
means for supplying the river below is
through the gates Of the s. u. Ms
at Spruce street. These gates
being shut off yesterday morning, the
water there was in the river below the
falls flowed out and left the bed ex-
posed.
Persons in the over-the-river section
and those living in proximity to it's
banks rose to find hat the river had
disappeared entirely. At an early hour
scores of ambitious boys and men be-
gan to swarm over the bed of the river
and profit by the easy means of OBJ
tanning fish. AS the hours Of the MORN
ing passed these persons who had al
ready populated the river were Joined
by hundreds of others, and a most UNI
usual sight was presented. Armed
with nets and sleeves, the men and boys
captured cells, carp, perch and even
bass from the stagnant pools here and
there in the deeper spots of the river
bed.
Crowds of persons collected along the
river bank and on the, West. Main,
Arch and Straight street bridges and
watched the fun interestedly. They
saw cells, many of them a yard long,
shed from the dirty, stagnant pools,
and remained to look on as long as
they could stand the atmosphere. The
stencil from the exposed bed of the
river was horrible and noisome.
1t is fortunate that the supply OF
water was not cut off any longer than
one day or worse conditions might have
prevailed, If such could be possible.
Sickness would surely follow a preva-
ience of the obnoxious odors In that
event. Even now doctors who saw the
rivers condition and allowed the smells
to penetrate into their lungs say that
some form of illness may result.
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