Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-16
ORANGE MAY SEEK
NEW SEWER PLAN
Officials Feel There Is No
Chance Now to Enter Pas
sale Valley Scheme.

With the chances of Orange be-
coming one of the municipalities to
join in the Passaic valley sewerage
pact decidedly remote and in view
of the fact that Mayor Frank ].
Murray vetoed, for technical reasons,
plan to have the city enter into
an agreement with East Orange and
Montclair for nm independent sys-
tenn, it is likely the Orange authori-
ties will seek an entirely new plan
for sewerage disposal.
John S. Gibson, secretary of the
Passaic Valley Sewerage Commits
sion, gave talk before the Repub-
lican Club. of Orange, last night
and said the question Of additional
municipalities being allowed to share
the big f1ume was not up to the
commission, as fifteen communities
had joined and they were the joint
owners and must be consulted.
Mayor Murray vetoed the ordinance
passed last year by the Common
Council providing for a disposal plant
at Soho for Orange. East orange and
Montclair. The city's chief execu-
tive, members of the Common Coun-
Gil and the advisory sewer committee
were present at the meeting and re-
ceived much information from Mr..
Gibson.
Mr.. Gibson's statement that work
on the Passaic flume will not be COM
pleted within three years gave the
Orange folk some comfort, however,
as that will allow them at least that
length of time in which to decide upon
its own system. Mr.. Gibson, reply
ing to a question said he did not know
what action would be taken to get
an extension of the time for ceas-
ing the use of the Passaic River for
an open sewer, but it was suggested
that the 1914 legislature, now in ses-
sion, would postpone the day of reck-
oning for the communities polluting
the river beyond the end of the
present year, which has been fixed
as the time when the cities and towns
must stop emptying their foul matter
in the waterway.
Tells of Pollution.
Mr. Gibson told the history of the
agitation for cleansing the river, and
spoke of the present stream with its
filth as the worst in the known
world because of the years of
use of its waters. He told of
the history of the movement
for relief calling attention to
the fact that Orange folk were among
the active bodies who urged cessa-
ton of it's defilement years ago. The
damage of property, threats of man
to remove their plants be-
cause of the stencil, and suffering
of those residents whose homes are
near the river were graphically out
lined, and then Mr.. Gibson spoke of
the present commissions creation and
of enactment of Legislation for the
and maintenance of the
big sewer.
How fifteen cities took advantage
of the permissory law for joining in
a flume project. after the courts de-
cided against the compulsory enact
ments which were opposed, was re-
lated and the progress of the COM
missions labors, in conjunction with
the fifteen communities interested
was outlined.
1.-THE commission has not taken the
attitude that other systems of dis
posal were not right, but has gone
about its own affair, offering no con-
test to any other system of sewage
said Mr.. Gibson, evidently
referring to the inslnuations and even
direct charges by the Orange folk
that the commission had in the past
opposed its efforts to get authority to
build an Independent system.
1.-The commission claims the Passaic
system in which the fifteen com
munities are interested is the best.