The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-02-19
THE LAKE
PROJECT
Engineer Verneule Gives In
formation IN Regard to
the Proposed Lake.
ADVANTAGES TO MORRISToWN.

sided. q. D. NJ. Cole for the commit
tee on sanitation reported that the
committee had inv estigated the al
legged pollution of the brook running
into the ROSeyear pond and found
that it was contaminated with sew
age. In view of the fact that it is
probable that the Sewage Commission
will soon make report, action on the
pollution had been deferred. The
board of health has adopted a new
code and in pursuance of its provisions
notices will be posted at the Lacka-
wanna station, prohibiting splitting
and instructions will be given to the
police to enforce the rule. The condi-
tions around the station he declared
are pretty bad at times.
S. H. Gillespie for the lighting COM
mittee reported the break down of the
electric service and the public meet
ing which followed and the reductions
in the price of gas and electricity
which had been made. He said that
the companies are paying more atten-
tion to the Association than had been
the case
f. r. Kellogg for the railroad COM
mittee reported the introduction OF
an act in the legislature which practi-
cally repealS the limited franchise act.
Although cities of $4,000 population
and upward are excepted, yet Morris
town is not a ciJy in the strict inter-
pretati0n of the law and would be
classed with the smaller municipali-
ties. The day of unlimited franchises
he declared is past and the Assocla-
tiOn should endeavor to secure the de-
feat of the repeater. On motion the
railroad committee was authorized to
use all legitimate efforts to secure the
defeat Of the bill.
On motion of Mr.. Cole, as recon-
mended by Mr. Cauldwell, a commit
tee. of three was ordered appointed to
be called the finance committee to
look into the matter of the finances OF
town, and county.
The meeting was called particularly
to hear G. @. Vermeule speak on the
proposed Lake PaSsaic. He had a
large map showing the proposed lake
and also the outline in another color
Of the lake proposed by the torrential
flood commission. He declared that
nobody is promoting the lake, but it
simply came through the work of the
geological survey in studying condi-
tions,of flood and water supply. In
the line of his duties as consulting en-
gineer to the commission he had
worked out the details
He then spoke of the features as a
scenic feature or lake for sports, its
use in prevention Of floods, its neceS-
sity for conserving the potable waters
of the State, it's advantages for sus-
tanning the water powers below the
Little Falls and keeping the river in
better condition from the even dis
charge of it's waters, and its adyan-
tageS in changing 10000 acres Of
marshy mosquito breeding lands into
a fine lake.
The engineer declared that it was
like an inland sea and would be nayi-
gable for vessels of considerable
draught which could sail for twenty
miles in crossing its widest part.
The shore line OF hundred miles
= would afford great opportunity for
residences or club purposes. Whatever
the opposition to a body of water it
would be infinitely better than pres
ent conditions, while boating and
sports could be carried on with as lit
tie danger to the water for potable
purposes as is experienced on the
great lakes. Storage would improve
the water over what it is at present
and the wind would cause conSidera-
BILE wave action and consequent aera-
uion.
Mr.. Vermeule declared that a city
as large as Newark is being added
each ten years to the country between
the Watching mountains and the
DrlIcnro nnnCUn0nflnn
is increasing twice as fast as the pOpu-
lation. Water must be stored for
these towns either in great lake like
this, or in smaller reservoirs scattered
among the river valleys of the Passaic
and its tributaries.
The dam at Little Falls he said
could be constructed With fewer dlill-
cultieS than that proposed at MOun-
tain View for the smaller lake as at
the Falls there is underlying trap rock,
while at Mountain View the stone is
a hundred feet under the ground.
There would be only about three feet
drawn from the great lake and that
mainly in November and December,
the low months of water storage,
while it is intended to alternately flow
and let out the waters from the small
Ter lake.
Mr.. Vermeule called attention TO
the bill introduced in the u. S. Sen
aUe permitting pipes to be laid to Sta
ten Island under the Kills, which he
said appeared to be an attempt to gain
a federal charter to take Jersey water
over to Staten Island rendering of no
effect the New Jersey water diversion
law.
The water question is one for the
State, not the many different munich
palities and he urged the continuance
Of the potable water commission with
the view of storing the water and dis
posing of it for the benefit of the
State. 1t would be profitable to sell
water to New York until the CatSkill
supply becomes available, if it is done
under the State control. That alone
would provide revenue to retire any
bond issue and pay the other expenses.
The details OF the scheme were
treated in THE JERsEYMAN some
weeks ago. At the conclusion of Mr..
Vermeule'S address and a number of
questions had been answered, on mo-
tion of Mr.. Kellogg a vote of thanks
was extended him.
DIR. GriSwold presented resolution
declaring in favor of a permanent pot
able water commission and urging the
securing of such commission on the
legislators. The officers Of the AsSo-
citation were directed to promote the
nhinnf