The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-09-11
VIEW WATERSHEDS
THAT GIVE NEWARK
ITS VAST SUPPLY
Aldermen and City Officials Also
Inspect Site of Proposed
Wanaque Reservoir.
PARTY NARROWLY ESCAPES
GRADE CROSSING SMASH
Chief Engineer Sherrerd's Auto
in Dire PeriI-All Proud of
City's Great Plant.

Fifteen members of the Common
Council and a number of city officials
made a tour of the watersheds of the
Newark water supply yesterday, re-
turning home about 9 o'clock last
night. Altogether there were about
t~wenty-four in the party, who travelled
In six automobiles. The entire expense
was borne by the aldermen them
selves.
City Engineer Morris r. Sherrerd
and those in his auto had a narrow
escape from death on the return trip
on the tracks of the L~ackawanaa at
Mountain View. Coming along at a
good gait, they were just about to
cross the tracks when the gates were
dropped. Just then a passenger train
shot around the curve Applying the
brakes and shutting off power, MI.
Sherrerd turned the nose of his ma
u chine up the em~bankment on the side
of the road. His quick action was the
means of averting a fatal accident.
Two other machines were following
close up, but were stopped just in time,
The deep mud caused by the heavy
rains made it impossible to visit all
the places desired, but from what was
seen the members of the party did not
hesitate to voice the opinion that New
ark has one of the best water sys-
TENS in the country, and that with the
proposed Wanaque acquisition it will
be the equal of any,
The Pequannock watershed of the
Newark water supply system . en-
braces 621a square miles. and upon this
. watershed have been constructed the
following reservoirs;
NewarIx's Reservoirs.
Oak Ridge Reservoir, with an area
of 1888 acres, capacity, 2,555, 900, 600 gal
Ions; elevation of flow line, 1886 feet
above sea level. Clinton Reservoir, 423
acres; capacity, 3,51S, 600, 900 gallons;
elevation of flow line. 992 feet above
sea level. Canistear reservoir, $50 acres;
capacity, $500, 000. 900 gallons; elevation
of flow linei 1885 feet above sea level.
Echo Lake Reservoir, 300 acres; ca
pacity. $780, 900. 900 gallons; elevation of
flow line. 1893 feet above sea level; this
is -a-naturaf~bog of water from which
the city hasa light to draw water, but
it does not. own the entire lake. Maco-
pin intake, '12,1 acres5 capacity. 49,
600, 600 GALLONS; elevation and flow line,
5S5 feet above sea level.
The watershed as now developed Is
capab,s OF yielding 80, 000.0 900 gallons
per Gay, and the steel onduits from
the watershed have a carrying capac-
fly of approximately so, 600, 600 gallons
per day, while the tunnel and pipe lines
from the Cedar Grove reservoir have a
carrying capacity of about 100000
gallons.
The proposed Wanaque reservoir
would have a water surface of about
4 anA anrA. aol xxtnt11 hold nhnI1t
II, 900, 900, 900 gallons. The dam would he
about one-half mile in length and sixty
feet high, and the watershed tributary
to this reservoir would be about eighty
three square miles. : This reservoir
would hold more than the combined
capacities of the reservoirs in the
Pequannock watershed and would give
a water supply about equal in capacity
tc the Pequannock, depending upon the
amount of water which the Norris
Canal and Banking Company would
have a right to divert from Greenwood
Lake.
The total cost of the Wanaque
project, as nearly as 1t is possible to
estimate, would be $4,000, 900, with ST.
600, 900 fofT the water rights, $4,000 for
the p,fpe line and 81, 100000 for the dam.
is thought the farmland will cost
from $50 to $50 an acre and woodland
$50 to $40 an acre.
The tour was not without its share of
humor, the members giving way at
times to practical jokes. While al the
Clinton reservoir, the Pathfinder, as
Mr.. Sherrerd's machine was called,
broke down, and while being repaired
everyone went about the grounds.
Custodian James Wiseman, of the City
Hall. suddenly attracted the attention
of everyone by pointing at the sky, and
calling out: Boys, there's a sign of
cold weather-a flock of geese going
South, Then Alderman Elmer Day
came up the road, declaring that he
had seen a fox. A rush was made to
the spot. There, sitting In the middle
of the road, was a mud bedraggled col
lie dog!
Dinner was served at Decker's, in
Cbarlotteburg. Alderman Sinnott and
Baum kept the party in good humor
by their witty remarks, their shafts
being directed, for the most part, at
their fellow members.
Those who made the trip were Alder
men Elmer A. Day. William Penning-
ton. Shepard M. Mills, Elmer E.
Mount, John r. Sinnott, G.. J. Harring-
ton. Charles w. Baum, W. Frank Hop
ping. L. C. vossmeyer, George w. Tay-
Tor. j. w. Huegel. A. G. Kroehl. Jr.,
Joseph Schmidt, jr.. Charles l.. lngra-
ham and William X. Seeker; Morris X.
sherrerd. William p. O'Rourke, James
Uiseuan. william l.. Blanchard.
charles Littlefeld, of Irvington. Will
-, IT Everett and Fred Schaeffer.