Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-10-31
ALLIANCE SCORES
kEARNY OFFICIALS
criticises Council and Health
Board in Regard to River
Pollution.
To the Editor of the Evening star:

To the Editor of the Evening Star:
Sir-In the press accounts of the
meeting Of our Town Council last week
we note. in reference to resolutions
from organizations against the polln-
ton of the Passaic river, that. Mayor
Brock stated that the president of the
water company has informed him that
personal investigation of the water
shed above the intake revealed no
evidence of pollution and ANALYSIS of
the water showed 1t completely free
from contamination, and that this
designations and analysis of the
Kearny Civic Alliance.
We r also surprised that the dis
position to oppose anything the alli-
ance favors, however meritorious,
should take the shape of contradict
ing our statements, because it is q
fundamental principle of all alliance
action, however unimportant, to never
publicly start anything until we get
the goods, and then not tosmake the
first move until we are prepared to
make the last one We particularly
regret the that is unable
to handle a broad question of public
welfare apart from machine politics.
but, recognizing the same tactics
which have been applied to previous
efforts, we have decided to take the
bull by the horns and let the citizens
know the machine as it is.
Publication Certain.
This effort to complete the purif-
cation of the Passaic river is going
to succeed, with the help of our local
machine or in spite of it. We have
no interest for or against the water
company, but u present effort is to
their interest, and, to that extent.
their interest is with us in the effort.
We placed a few of our goods
pertaining to this matter before the
Town Board of Health. There were
the analyses of the river water at
Pine Brook. Did they not show pol
luton? There were the analyses of
the river water Just above the dis
charge of the Morristown sewage.
just below the discharge and of the
%effiuent itself. There were similar
analyses of the Chatham-Dover dis
charge, which show 615, 900 bacteria to
the cubic centimeter, including 10, 900
of the dreaded bacllIi coli. WIN Mayor
Brock claim these analyses don't
show contamination? These analyses
are not only authentic; they arc Of
fetal. With the others, they were left
with the board to copy and return
to us.
Now for some more goods,
First, as to water interests
in and knowledge of pollution. we
quote, 81 am sorry that I was there
fore unable to meet . 4 " and ]
viii be very glad to join with you in
any efforts to prevent the pollution
OF the upper P~assaic. I have also
plenty of data in reference to the
subject, and 1t was that which took
me to Trenton on Tuesday. The only
personal interest we have In the mat
ter, inasmuch al our system Of puri-
fication removes all traces OF sewage
from the raw water, is that the more
polluted the raw water. the greater
the eost to us, and that it Is inevitable
that more sewage disposal plans will
be built, and If not properly run
will further increase the pollution 1t
is our desire now. in the beginning,
to force the operators of these plants
TO produce better ef11uents, which they
can do by the expenditure af the nec-
essary money and care"
Analy ses show Bacteria.
Second, analysis, made by the
water company, OF the river water at
the intake daily for a period of two
years. ending August 81 last, show a
bacterial count per cubic centimeter
averaging 1900 for one year and 3,100
for the other year. Monthly averages
for that period vary, being below
1000 for eight months, between 1000
and 5000 for seven months, 5000 to
5000 for three months, 5000 to &c, 1000
for three months. and over 10000 for
three months, the high month aver
aging H., 600.
The daily analysis for the last year
preceding August 81 last. show 134
days less than 1000, So days 1000 to
5000. A days 5000 to 5000, 10 days
5000 to $1,000, s days 10000 to $1,000,
/ day $1,000 to 10000, 6 days 10000 to
1000, 4 days 10000 TO 10000, and 3
days over 40, 1000, the high day show
ing So 900.
We have given herein enough evil
dence as to pollution to hang a man
N a murder case, and we have more,
IL needed. When the Alliance starts
anything, it always has the good. and
he who contradicts statements of
fact is more than foolish. We are
absolutely not political. The signers
of this are, as to their personal po-
lltical beliefs, a Democrat, a Roose-
welt Progressive and a regular Taft
| Republican. but ali arc citizens of the
town Of Kearny and actively, united
Iy. Joined in n movement Of good citi-
zenship to break up a political ma