Perth Amboy evening news., 1907-01-08

reference to state control OF the sane.
The report of this commission will Dc
presented in the immediate future.
Potable Water Supply.
Our potable water supply presents
the most important problem before the
people of the state. There Is in the
state an ample supply Of water for
the present aud for an indefinite period
III the future il this supply he properly
conserved and kept pure. The right of
the state to do this is unquestioncd I'm.
der the recent Interpretation of oui
courts, In n potable waters we have
a vast natural asset belonging to the
people, the conservation and purify OF
which Is Indispensable to their health
and well being The use of this
water is SO necessary TO life that 8
direct and active control over the d.
version thereof for domestic and mu
nicipal purposes should be exercised by
the state.
The creation of a state water supply
commission TO control and regulate the
diversion of potable waters without in,
terfering with present municipal OF
vested rights or the vesting of some
such power in a state board already
in existence would seem TO be neccs-
sary to save this valuable asset.
Prompt action in this respect would
anticipate further requirement of wa
ter rights by private interests.
The rapid growth of our population
in the metropolitan district is drawing
heavily upon II present available sup
ply. The dry weather flow of the Pas
sale river. normally S5,0Q0,0o0 gallons
daily. has been reduced to scarcely 3d..
100000 gallons by the demands upon
1t, and this in spite of the large stor'
age reservoirs already constructed,
The daily drafts upon the ~Eackcnsack
river now exceed the estimated mini
mum flow in Il time of extreme
drought. One-half the population OF
the state depend upon these two rivers
and their tributaries. by reason OF
their geographical location the de
mands upon them must greatly in
crease in the future. and il these de
mands are to be me- storage reservoirs
must be constructed to conserve the
surplus waters.
The amount of water which I'll to
waste out of the Passaic valley in n
week in time of food would supply the
whole upper part of the state for a
year. The conservation of the water
in times of food would provide an
available surplus for the dry season.
The erection of a storage reservoir
in the Passaic valley would serve many
economic purposes. The location Of a
dam for this purpose, whether at
Mountain View or Little Falls. Is an
engineering problem to he solved by
sage. A reservoir under the control
of the state would guarantee il potable
water supply for an indefinite period.
1t is estimated that this project could
be carried out in detail, including the
construction of the dam, the purchase
and condemnation of the flood lands,
necessary changes in sewers, pipe lines.
railroads and highways. with a margin
of 900 feet around the edge of the lake
for public uses. for an expenditure of
ST. 100000. 1t is true that the constitu-
ton of the state forbids the incurring
Of Indebtedness in excess of 100000
except by a vote OF the people. How
ever. 1t would not be unwise to sub
NIT a proposition of this kind to the
people for their approval. Bonds could
then be tioated at q low rate of Inter
est and the proposition financed IN
this manner,
But another method of financing the
project is possible. 1t should he re-
membercd that the Passaic flood com,
mission is now laboring with the prob
lem Of food control. The creation of
this commission was due TO the de-
struction of property to an amount cs.
timated at more than S7.000.O00, SO
that if the section threatened by foods
should pay for the whole enterprise
it would be Il wise economy on their
part. The expenditure of this uni,
however, would not be demanded ON
the part of the interested community.
Bonds secured by mortgage on the res
ervoir and its appurtenances could he
ioated at a low rate Of interest end
money thus provided for the enterprise.
| earnestly urge practical considcra'
ton of this subject and call your at
tention to important reports which will
later be submitted.
Assembly Districts.
The ACCESSIBILITY Of changing the
method of electing assembly men by
counties to election by districts was
considered in my last message. The
reasons therein advanced for the
change are ms good today as then.
Representative government demands
that the unit of representation shall he
clearly defined, so that the representa-.
tive may have a distinct constituency
to which he shall be responsible for his
acts. Under our present system the
members of the house of assembly IN
those counties that have more than one
member are responsible TO no distinct
and separate constituency. but rather
to a party organization or to "A self ap.