Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-07-15

} Attention has been called to the fact
that private ice company had plant
on Echo Lake about three years ago
from which 1t cut ice In large quanti-
ties. This was the Mountain Ice Com
pany, whose property was since ac-
quired by the city.
In a memorandum submitted to the
commission that Investigated in the
summer of 1907 the feasibility of estab-
fishing a municipal ice plant in the
watershed City Engineer Morris r.
Sherrerd referred to this private plant
on Echo Lake and said:
City Engineers statement.
"As the Board of Street anC Water
Commissioners now has under consid-
GRAFTON the acquisition of the ice plant
on this lake, as we'll as the rights OF
the other two remaining riparian own
ers. 1T might be considered advisable for
the city TO acquire this Ice property for
the purpose of continuing to gather ice
from the lake under more rigid sanitary
conditions than can now be enforced
| nnd more directly under the supervision
of the Board of Health than is now pos
sibIe. If the ice commission can see Its
was clear to acquire the properties
owned by the Mountain Ice Company.
| the Board of Street and Water Com
missioners would appreciate its SO do
Ing"
| The Mountain Ice Company had stor-
age facilities for 10000 tons of ice,
which would be adequate for a munic-
| ipal plant.
There being no physical difficulties
in the way of setting up a municipal
plant in the Pequannock, opportunities
for shipment to the city at compara-
lively small expense being available,
and with leading physicians of the city
on record that there is no danger from
contamination If the work is properly
handled, there seems to be no obstacle
In the way of establishing the plant.
In this way, 1t is the general belief.
people would get absolutely pure ics
in warm weather at much cheaper
price than they now can buy It,
Here are some of the opinions ex-
pressed by physicians of the city in
answer to a question as to their views
on the establishment of a municipal ice
plant in the watershed;
| DIR. Pliny w. Barber, of 1859 Mt. Pros
pect avenue: TT is one of the grandest
things that could be done. think the
project should be carried through If
possible. Talk of contamination to
the water is nonsense. That can easily
| be avoided. If the ice-cutting is well
supervised by competent men there Is
no danger whatsoever. The plan hrs
my unqualified approval"
DR.. Daniel Elliott, of 81 Washington
street: 1T is a good thing A great
many men will not be required to carry
on the work of cutting ice. The city
institutions, like the almshouse and the
hospitals, could be supplied from this
source, and thus save considerable ex-
pense to the taxpayers in that way.
Let the plan be carefully considered.
see no objections just now to adopt
ing it,
DIR. MnndeviiIe'S Endorsement.
DR. Frederick A. Mandevile, of 9Sz
Broad street: ut is a splendid idea. 1t
Is a wonder to me that something of
that kind was not done before. The
quality of the ice harvested would be
very fine. The chances are that 1t
would cheaper the price of ice in the
warm weather. There is no danger
from contamination If the work is
properly done. If the operations are
carried on carelessly there is danger.
Ice Is cut from many of the reservoirs
in New York State from which New
York city gets Its supply of water The
finest ice that New York city gets
comes from it's water-supply district.
There is no contamination Of New
York water from that source Some OF
the ice we get now is so utterly con-
taminated that it is not fit for uso,
From an ice plant in the watershed we
would get pure ice. We contaminate
our otherwise pure water today by put
ting impure Ice into It,"
DR.. Herman c. Bleyie, of 13 Walnut
street: "As general thing | am op-
posed to municipal ownership. Expert
, ence seems to demonstrate that the cost
of a municipal product is higher than
: the cost of a private product don't
think. though. that there is much dan
J ger of contamination from municipal
ice plant in the watershed 1t all de-
PEN on how the work is handled.
Contamination can be avoided BY at
tention. There would have to be efn-