The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-25
FTER ten years of effort a
solution has been found for what


is generally agreed to be the most
momentous problem confront
ing the city Of New York-that Of perma-
nently disposing of the enormous quanti-
ties OF waste that flow through the sewers
aud are emptied into the Hudson. Harlem
and East rivers.
Not merely are the residents Of Greater
New York vitality interested in this an
nouncement but those as well who live
in the great metropolitan area extending
roughly through "a radius Of twenty miles
from the City Hall. This area runs as
far north as Yonkers. as far east as the
boundaries of the city, and westward
as far as the ridge of the Orange Noun
iains. beginning at Paterson and con-
tinuing southwark to the Raritan. II
comprises about 700 square miles Within
its borders live between six and seven
millions of human beings. constituting
the largest and densest population in the
world.
Barring few and unimportant excep-
TONS all the waste from that vast popu-
ation residing in that large territory
is discharged without system. regulation
or control into the water courses sur
rounding Manhattan Island" To find
a remedy e, the situation thus created
was the p.rpose of the Metropolitan
Sewerage Commission OF New York
In the prosecution of the commissions
work thousands of examinations have
been made of water near the city. midway
in the streams surrounding II. OF the
shores Of New Jersey. Long Island. Staten
Island and far down through the bays
and the Narrows. The bed of the rivers
and OF the two bays has been investi-
gated; tidal currents OF all kinds. at all
hours. during all seasons. have been
measured, tested. worked out with mathe-
NAUTICAL precision. Carefully constructed
floats placed here or there in the water
have been followed day and night to as
certain just where they would be carried
Floating laboratories have been employed
season after season. Quantities Of highly
colored dyes have been placed at the out
let OF sewer after sewer to ascertain
where such discoloration would be carried.
how long it would take to go from one
part Of the river to another and what
finally became OF it.. These are a few
very few. of the activities pursued by
the commission. which has now completed
It's work.
1t is expected that the plans It has
agreed upon will be carried out with az
little delay az possible. although some
wears must elapse before they can be
wholly finished. When that time comes
the waste OF Manhattan Island instead OF
flowing into the rivers will be collected by
system OF large sewers. for the most part
running along the waterfront. Through
this main drainage system the waste will
he carried to centrally located points
for treatment and final disposal, excepting
the waste from that section of the city
now draining into the lower East River.
the stretch Of water from Hall Gate to
the Battery. For this part OF the city
the commission proposes different
method OF trea tment which ia as bold as
IT. seems radical.
II contemplates huge trunk line sewer
siphoning under the East River and
running for thirteen miles in a direction
generally southwark straight through
Brooklyn. crossing Coney Island and con-
tnuing into the ocean to a point about
half way between Coney Island and
Sandy Hook, At that point the commits
zion proposes that an artificial island
shall be constructed in the open sea; an
which could handle 200 600 600 gallons Of
waste every twenty-four hours After
treatment in settling tanks u great guam
tity Of sewage will he pumped into the sea.
Solid matter remaining in the tai ks will
he carried far out TO sea in steamers Of
special construction and there dumped,
as is done in the case Of many large Euro
pean cities
in order that the readers of The SUNDAY
Sun may have a clear understanding Of
the great feat of modern applied science,
George A Soper. consulting engineer and
president of the commission. has furnished
statement which gives a clear description
OF the situation as it was in past, az it ID
now and as it will he in the future IL the
plans are carried out which have just been
completed.
" It was some ten or eleven years ago"
says DR.. Soper. shat the then Health
Commissioner of the State OF New York
became aware OF a threa tening pollution
Of the harbor to result from a proposed
trunk line sewer in New Jersey. which
would carry the waste Of million human
sssings residing in that State and discharge
it at points in the upper bay As a result
the Governor OF New York. in 1903, ap-
pointed the New York Bay Pollution Com
mission. which investigated the threatened
action by New jersey. sounded warnings
against the project and called attention