The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12
fairness of this rule in modern

fairness OF this rule in modern con
ditions of work is self evident -
Another Objectionable rule has grown
up by court decision if .
workman works at a defective ma
chine or usessa defective appliance
knowing 1t to be defective, even
though the MASTER also knows it and
puts him to work thereat, or there
with, and the workman is injured, he
cannot recover.
The rule as to contributory negli
gence of the workman himself, which
results in his injury, would not re-
lax.
An employers liability act modelled
on the British statute would, in my
this is so important that it should be
drafted through a commission appoint
ed for that purpose and not be under
taken In the hours Of a hasty legisla
tive session.
Conservation Of the States Resources
New Jersey has not been behind in
this matter. We have great problems
in this line. That part of our state on
the west bank of the Hudson river,
for radius Of twenty-five miles from
the center of Jersey City, is to become
practically solid city within a few
years. The future water supply of
such mass of people, as will here be
found. is problem of great magni
tude. Newark and Jersey City have
gone into the hills and impounded a
supply of pure water which viii be
sufficient for their needs for few
years; just how many depends largely
upon the rapidity of their growth
Paterson. Passaic, Bayonne, Hobo
ken and all the towns between Jersey
City and the Passaic and others with
in the twenty-five mile radius men
toned have no water supply of their
own. They are compelled to rely upon
private corporation.
The cost of establishing great wa
ter plant for the supplying of all cities
and towns in the sectioRa suggested
would be very heavy. The great prob
lem is, How can it be done?
First and foremost, nothing can be
done by the state, If the state is to do
it, until all the water rights Of the
East Jersey Water company and it's
subsidiary and allied companies and
the Morris canal are condemned and
taken over by the state.
The water plant of the city of New
ark, as it stands today, has cost about
$13,000,000 and that of Jersey City
probably $S,00000O AS to the value
Of the plant of the East Jersey Water
company and it's water rights Qnclud-
ing those Of the Society For Useful
Manufactures and Of the like rights
of the Norris canal, there are no fig
ures that care to accept, but $5,000.-
600 would probably more than cover
them all. That would give present
value of $26O0O,O00 in the plants and
water rights in the hills Of northern
New Jersey at this time, without
counting franchise values.
Considering the enormous value Of
these rights in that section of the
state and the tremendous cost to New
York city in securing no better sup
ply than could be obtained in these
hills, this figure is certainly moderate,
If the state could take the whole
matter over it would be ideal, but the
bounding feature Of the constitution is
the difficulty. There is no power in
| the legislature to incur the necessary
state debt The people could vote
$50. 900, 900 Of state bonds for the work,
but it is doubtful If they would do so.
1t is questionable whether they should
II they would After all, It Is not a
state wide enterprise. It is to supply