Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-06-26
WATER PROBLEM
PUT Up TO STATE
Works Board Asks Definite
Plan to Care for City's
Supply.

The State Water Supply Commits
sion was given a lacking up by the
Board of Works yesterday afternoon.
A resolution was passed asking the
State commission to give the city of
Newark a definite plan by which the
present water supply can be in
creased. At the present time the
water supply for Newark is nearing
it's limit. To take care of the city
in the future something must be
done at once, according to the state
ments of the commissioners.
The Board of Works wants to de-
veop the Wanaque watershed or
have the State commission supply
Newark The board favors the for
mer method According to the state
ments of the board, Newark does not
want to enter into a combine with
adjoining municipalities to purchase
the East Jersey Water Company
plant at Little Falls.
It was demonstrated at the meeting
that but for the Legislature and the
commission empowered by the same
stepping In, Newark could by this
time have had the supply. 1t was
told how Chief Engineer Morris r.
Sherrerd, the board and City Counsel
James r. Nugent, as long ago as five
wears were ready to develop the
Wanaque watershed, in which work
they were stopped by the commits
sion.
President Kraemer, of the board,
was the one who brought up the sub
jeet yesterday.
AT the expense of Newark and
seven other municipalities a survey
of the watershed was made by the
commission, and six months ago the
appraisal of the East Jersey Water
Company's property rights was made,
and still we have no record as to
what that body contemplates doing
Commissioner Gillen stated that the
price of $8,000,000 fixed by the COM
missioners, as he understood, was far
| in excess of the actual value of the
plant of the East Jersey, which, how
ever. wants 100000. Commissioners
| Gillen thought it was not so much
the price as what the city would get
/ for it. to which Mr. Sherrerd agreed.
Mr.. Kraemer then stated that the
| East Jerseys property carried a
| 81. SOC. 900 mortgage, and in view oil
that he saw no reason why any such
/
should be paid.
"Too much of the value of the East
Jersey" City Counsel James r
| Nugent said, SIS in their water mains
| divided over the various municipal
ties. We have been ready to &C
ahead, but We're stopped, and l dc
not see why the city should obligatf
itself and enter into any contract
The State took the matter in hand
and it should bear the expense. This
CITY. with it's usual foresight, wal
ready for action five years ago. do
not see why we should aid other mu
inequalities in getting a water supply
Commissioners Denman, Biertuemp
fel and Ryan conceded with the views
of the city counsel.
In view of the fact that the cit
is now using forty-six of its 50,O000OO
gallon maximum water supply capac
ity and as the increase is about 1000,
600 gallons a year the board felt tina
the problem would have to be settle
speedily. Under the new law the city
unless it joined in the taking owe
of the East Jersey plant will haV
to purchase from the commissio
10 900, 900 gallons at not more than S4
Tie resolution calling for a definit
answer from the State commissio
reads as follows:
BE it resolved That this boar
now advise the State Water Suppl
Commission that it is imperative fc
the city of Newark to know conclu
sively that 1t is either to obtain waite
through said commission, or that
I should be given the consent of tn
commission for the development {
the Wanaque watershed, which
2 stands ready to do at once, or thf
4 the State Water Supply Commissio
4 should within the next sixty day
i advise the city as to its ability
I guarantee an additional water supp
for the city within the next tw
4 !