New-York tribune., 1911-09-02
70 STOP Jersey SEWAGE
N. Y. to Press Action Against
New Jerseys Passaic System.
WOULD EMPTY INTO BAY
Referee Will Begin Hearings on
Tuesday on Behalf Of U. 8.
Supreme Court.

Tho frs, definite step in the prepara-
$50, Of evidence IN the suit OF the state OIL
Nav York against the State OF New Jersey
"a ,.s Passaic Valley Sewer Commission.
- ,revent the building OF tunnel sewer
5-sining los square milss of New Jersey
,,ost populous territory into New YORK
no were taken yesterday. The suit mas
- handing IN the United States supreme
Court since 1908, and has been neA4 ui9
rrissal several times for want Oh a0'40-
The taking OF testinoney VIII oe O's va
before Commissioner James d. ManeI' ap
rointed for the purpose by Chlel 'NsHNe
White. at the local Office OF Attorney Ten
.ral Carnody next Tuesday morning
The action appears as mo. ) or1ginal
=, the calendar of the Supreme Court
sboving that 1t is only the NTH OF Its
v,nd ever instituted in the history OF that
,osv Being an action between sovereign
s,s+ss the Supreme Court alone has turis-
6icrion. The case is unique as far as It's
.,,btect matter goes, the four previous
c,ses Of state against state having had 10
do IN the main with boundary disputes
There will not be a point OF law introduced
into the proceedings until the commissioner
has made his report TO the Supreme Court
next March. Up 10 that time the rules
governing the hearing will be entirely
those OF evidence.
An elaborate plea has been prepared by
DIT. William J. O'sullivan. an Assistant Cor
roration Counsel. who has been in charge
of New Yorks interests by order Of the
Attorney General. Theoretically. the city
Of New York has nothing TO DO with the
ba N
parties directly concerned; but as the re-
suits. II successful, viii be largely TO her
advantage she is permitted 10 foot the
bills.
with the money appropriated by the Board
of Aldermen a committee Of twenty-five
physicians. sanitary engineers. chemists
and bacteriologists. the best, II is said. that
could be found in this country. were re-
ta!ned By DR.. O'Sullivan TO take care Of
the technical end of the testimony. This
committee was in session from i0:45 in the
morning until $50 at night last Tuesday
straightening out prelirinaries. Since then
the scene OF the dispute has been gone
over. the subcommittee appointed and
The plan Of campaign drawn UP. ready for
the real beginning Of the work yesterday.
The steam yacht Nirvana, owned by Ed
oard Hatch, IT., broke her main shaft and
was drydocked at the Marine Iron Works
n New London yesterday. Mr.. Hatch had
offered the Nirvana TO DR.. O'Sullivan for
Ire use and accommodation Of the experts
II may take several weeks TO make the
repsirs and in the mean time !. Pierpont
Morgars yacht Corsair will be used for
the purpose IL was said. Mr.. Morgan is
member OF the harbor pollution committee
One OF those familiar with the details OF
che case explained yesterday the stand
,sken bv New York State in the matter.
urhA uudsou even now, he said, was little
bsttsr than an open sewer from Troy down.
There must be a certain percentage OF oxy-
ran IN the water he said, IN order that the
impurities poured into IT might be digested-
II the water was overburdened with impure
matter then the condition formerly existent
I'm the Gowanus Canal and now 70 be seen
IN the Passslc River, in New Jersey, would
arise.
The Passaic River this authority con-
tinued, rs IN such a condition that paint rots
of OF the boats that navigate it and even
of the houses that line its banks. Needless
10 say, the people who live near II get all
kiads OF diseases from gases that rise from
f. The condition In New York Harbor Is
tad enough as it IS Typhoid infection has
been traced 70 driftwood picked UP of the
Battery and yet New Jersey wants 70
pour into the harbor s6ocoOcoo gallons OF
sewage a DAY.
The Passaic Valley Sewer Commission
was organized 10 contract with thirty-nine
New Jersey municipalities to dispose OF
their sewage and dump it into our bay
We hardly think IL IS neighborly.'