Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1912-03-28
1.-THE WATER QUESTION:

AttL UutLN VuLV1AVtssX
Board Of Trade Debates Question of
WhOlesOmeness OF Present Supply.
Dredging the Greek.
The wisdom of spending large sums
of money installing a filter plant at
the Woodbury. pumping station, near
Sewell, was the principal subject OF
debate at the monthly session of the
Board of Trade. last evening. Instead
of installing the filter, costing any
where from $4,000 to $4,000, several
of the members thought that artesian
water should be obtained and the pres
ent plant near Sewell abandoned.
The reason for considering the ar
tesian plant at this time is because OF
the present unsatisfactory condition
of Woodbury. drinking water, to rem
edy which, Council has had in mind
the installation of filter plant at
the pumping station. To that end,
bids have been advertised for by that
body for a filter plant according to
certain specifications, same to be OPP
ened next Thursday evening. Several
members of the Board, and many citi-
thought that artesian water could be
obtained more cheaply than hitter
could be installed for, including re-
pairs to the supply main from the
reservoir; also, that the artesian wat
er would be purer water and abso-
lutely free from danger of contamina-
ton.
Mr.. Shivers, of the Municipal At
fairs Committee, introduced the sub
ject of Water. Our water being gath
cred from the surface drainage, he
said, is always liable to be polluted,
and especially so since many inhab-
tied areas are located in the territory
drained. Since Council is about to
spend large sums of money to improve
our water system. Mr.. Shivers thought
it would be well to consider seriously
whether or not the installation of an
artesian system would not be the wis
er course. The Board of Trade should
present this question to Council, he
said, for I believe the present supply
must sooner or later be abandoned.
Mr.. D. F. Hendrickson entered
into the discussion of the water stu
alton. and moved that committee of
six, including the members of the
Municipal Affairs Committee, be Sc
lected to confer with Council. Carried.
The members of the Committee Sc
lecssd by the Board were Messrs.
D. F. Hendrickson, VIM. NJ, Garter
and C. H. Shivers. Mr. Hendrickson
said that Camden. Gloucester, West
vile, Sewell and other South Jersey
towns were using artesian water and
that it had proven a satisfactory
source of supply. Since large
amount of money is to be expended in
order to improve the present supply,
the question should be gone into care
fully. If the present source of supply
may be easily contaminated, we should
get busy.
Mr.. c. Walter shivers said
that when in Council few years ago,
the question of artesian water had
come up. and that at that time an aries
ian supply had been tapped at the foot
of MatIeck's hill at a depth of 40 feet.
Water is still running from that source,
and some people are now using it, the
water being very pure At that time esti
mates fe1aan artesian plant were obtained.
milliSn capacity per day. the cost for
installing which in toto would cost about
s56.o00
Mr. Warner Cooper qneried as to the
good quality of artesian water for steam
ing purposes. Is there lime in it and will
it be hard?
Mr. c w Shiyers said that the Ice
Plant uses artesian water. but that the
health of the community must be con-
sidered above everything else. and sure
supply of pure water should be always
at hand. I understand that it is not posi-
bile TO filter water absolutely pure.
Mr. W T. Cooper stated that some ar
tesian water was conducive to stomach
trouble and that before installing ar
tesian supply, its heathfulness should he
Investigated
Mr.. II. c. Dixon asked if the artesian
water wollld be free from disease. be-
cause some artesian water comes from the
surface Mr. c. W. Shivers said that
the same strata of sand from which all
cities south of Trenton obtain their artes-
ian wafer is the one from which Wood
hury's supply would be gotten. and that
there was no question as to its absolute
purity.
Mr.. Bivermore presented report from
the Waterways Committee. The item in
Guiding an appropriation for Woodbury.
Creek was not. inserted in the Rivers and
Harbors Appropriation bill. said Mr.. Liv-.
ermore. largely perhaps because our rep
resentative in Congress was not member
of the majority party. But we are en-
deavoring to have the bill amended in the
Senate so that the money viii be approp-
rated at this session of Congress. II it
should go through, the depth of the creek
will be dredged TO six feet at low tide,
with a width of 60 feet from the river to
the White bridge. and 40 feet from the
White bridge to the Broad street bridge,
at Woodbury.. The estimated cost. accord
ing to the engineers and the amount asked
for the improvement, is $4,000 without
making any of the proposed cut-outs. The
cost of maintenance then would be $1,000
per year. However, if the proposed cut
outs are made. the cost would be S3S00o
with a maintenance cost Of $1,000 per year.
Senator Briggs is confident that the item
annronriatinp money for the Improvement