Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-07-22
KEYPORT SOON
HAVE SEWERS
System Completed After Over
coming Many Difficulties.
Special to the EVENING NEWS.

WV " ~
Keyport, July 22.-That the sewer
system Of this borough will be ready
for use the latter part of this week
Is a conceded fact, expressed by
those in authority. AS soon as COM
pletely finished the announcement
will be heralded throughout the COM
munity and a rush for applications
for connections is anticipated.
The borough fee for each sewer
tap is $12 and the borough makes
the connection and extends the pipe
to the curb line of the property,
disregarding the distance of the curb
from the sewer. In making an appli-
cation a party must first apply to
Borough Clerk A. M. Walling, OF
Broad street, for the necessary pa
pers and instructions and to pay to
him the fee. Then the application
or contract Is examined by Superin-
tendent Of Public Works A. D. Bedle
of Broadway, and with his stamp of
approval the connection will be
made.
The completion Of the W sys-
tenn this week under the supervision
of Superintendent A. D. Bedle and
Engineer Van Zee, after the aban-
Comment Of the Job by the Harrison
Construction Company, Of Newark,
completes the greatest undertaking
in improvements the borough in all
it's history has worked out, entailing
a cost of $4,000 and requiring to
install the system in time from De-
cember 10, when work was begun,
to the present week. 1t can be said
at this time that men Of experience
and who understand this sort of con-
struction, have expressed their opfn-
ion that the borough has a good Job.
This is in offset to many citizens
who insist on knocking, whether ac-
quainted with the facts in evidence
or not. $4,000.
The sewer idea originated as the
outcome of the activities of the State
board of Health, during the year of
1909, when the borough was in
formed that polluting the waters OF
the bay must cease and a eve sys-
tenn for the community vas essen
tial. A public meeting of the citi-
zens was held at the borough hall
and a citizens committee composed
of DR.. O. G. Bogardus, R. R. Brown
and Cornelius Ackerson was ap-
pointed to investigate and start the
necessary negotiations to prepare
the way for this great improvement.
Accordingly, all details were attend
ed and at the special election held
on September IA, 1910, it was voted
to spend $4,000 for the construc-
ton Of a sewer system for the
borough, a system to be constructed
along the lines of the systems rec
commended by the State Board Of
Health.
The plans and specifications as
proposed and presented by Civil En-
city, were accepted by Mayor e. E.
Conklin and council and the contract
as advertised, was awarded to- the
Harrison Construction Company, OF
Newark, November 80, 1910. The
work on the sewer system was start
ed December 10, 1910, and, accord
ing to the contract, was to be COM
pleted in eight months or the fol-
lowing August, 1911. But unfore-
seen difficulties arose and the work
progressed slowly and at times was
about held up owing to large quan-
titles of water to contend with in
the trenches and trouble securing
the necessary right of ways. AS the
job reached near its completion other
troubles sprang forth, due to
lleaky gas pipes. The system at
places became filed with illuminate
ing gas and several bad explosions
resulted, but no one was injured and
the only damage sustained was to
the bursting of the sewer pipes and
manhole covers.
Then, to cap the climax. the Har-
rlson Construction Company became
involved in financial difficulties and
owing to lack of funds, was finally
compelled to abandon the project
The appropriation voted for Of $685.
900 not being sufficient to cover the
construction another $4,000 wal
raised on the improvement certificate
plan, of the whole raised namely
$4,000, there is still sufficient
sewer money in the borough treas
urer's hands to meet all the neces
sary obligations arising In the fin
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