New-York tribune., 1909-07-27
OPPOSITION TO SEWER
Erperts Ad1ase Keeping Jersey Re
fuse Out of NeSo York Bay.

Immediately following the return of J. Pierpont
Morgan comes the announcement from the polu-
ton committee, of which he is a MEMBER OF d
new development in their fight TO prevent the
emptying of the Passaic Valley trunk sewer into
New York Harbor The government experts have
handed in a report which gives no encouragement
to the advocates of the gigantic filth cOnveyor,
and the committee has its cause strengthened
with new facts to the pollution that would re-
suit from the dumping of Jersey sewage INTO Ne"
York Bay.
Professor O. H Landreth. of Union College, and
Louis L Tribus Commissioner of Public Works
for the Borough OF Richmond were the experts
employed by the United States Government and
the State Of New York to examine the plans or
the engineers of the Passaic Valley Sewage Com
mission and to report to Hugh Gordon Miller
Assistant Attorney General of the United States
and Maurice B. Dean, Special Attorney General OF
the state. The plans were examined, and dernoi-
ishing criticism of them from the governments
experts now comes.
Professor Landreth comments on the multiplicity
OF pages in the report of the Passac Valley engl-
neers-"sixty- pages of location maps and
proiles; six plates of general maps, general draw
ings and typical designs, and five pages of general
specifications governing the proposed sewer. but
he calls attention to the fact that ION the critical
point. the nature and extent of the preliminary
treatment OF the sewage, they are comparatively
silent" The plans for the great BASIN and
screen chamber, which the engineers relied to
clarity the sewage. are characterized as indefinite
and without any indications to character. con
struction. or operation" Professor Landreth fur
ther says: The plans are much too indefinite and
in too little detail to form the basis for any
teHnplated interstate agreement" Professor Ian
dreth. in summing up to what constitutes ma
terialIy Objectionable results" says:
Two or three salient facts must be recognized:
a The improvement in question is not for the
present alone. but mainly for the future. and
future conditions and requirements be
sidered in its inception and design CD The growth
OF population OF the metropolitan district will
throw constantly increasing burden OF pollution
on the waters of New York Bay and adjacent
waters even after all feasible disposal Of sewage
and garbage and other means Of protection have
been exercised. 81 The public appreciation Of
the unrivaled natural beauty of the metropolitan
waterways and water parks and the proper ap
prasal OF the asset Of cleanliness, while perhaps
tardy must be reckoned with and may be counted
TO establish and enforce new and advanced
standards purity and cleanliness in the and
of public waters"
Edward Hatch. ir.. chairman OF the Merchants
Pollution Committee, which began the fight the
federal and state governments have now taken
up. said yesterday:
There Is positively no reason why the outlet Of
the sewer should be In New York Hsrbor. The
city OF Newark controls vast Of
meadow land between Newark and Elizabeth 4
strip a thousand feet wide and more than
two miles long extends from the lower end OF
Newark to Newark Bay. through the centre Of
which the Peddie sewer thirty feet vide. now
runs. Although this district is shown on the city
map. there is nothing on these thousands OF
but cattails. sewage and sludce- This Wild tract
of land is remote from habitation Of any descrip-
tion and is suitable spot which TO build dis
posal plants
According to the commissions engineers the
present sewer project makes provision for a period
OF only thirty years, and by the end Of that time
other methods OF sewage disposal will be IN vogue
and then Newark turn this property 70 manu-
featuring In the meantime, however. it will
have had the OF the land for sewage disposal
purposes instead OF having it remain idle many
years. The grit and sediment could be used for
filling in purposes