122 Proceedings oe Ninth Annual Meeting 



mosquito annoyance in the Eastside section, Paterson, is noi 

 very encouraging. The reason for this is that the physical con- 

 dition of the Passaic River during the summer is very bad owing 

 to there having been in it for many years past a large amount of 

 sewage. This once beautiful river almost completely surrounds 

 the city of Paterson and at least two-thirds of the residential 

 part of the city. If has been used as a means of disposing of 

 sewage for at least fifty years, and the city of Paterson from 

 the time it numbered but a few thousand souls to the present time, 

 when the population is 135,000 or more, continues to use this 

 river for the same purpose. There is a diminished flow of water 

 due to manufacturing needs, and by reason of this the rivers is 

 now in a very unsanitary condition. 



The entire distance from West Street bridge, which is in the 

 center of the city and just below the great falls tO' the city line 

 at Crooks Avenue shows deplorable conditions, the river being 

 filled with all kinds of substances and in many places being the 

 receptacle for all kinds of rubbish. The appearance is bad, the 

 odor is very trying at times and the conditions for. the propa- 

 gation of the mosquito are very favorable. 



Strange as it may seem, no part of our government seems to 

 be interested in the river. We are promised help by reason of 

 the trunk sewer, but it is very questionable if the completion of 

 this wonderful piece of work will afford any relief. There is 

 hope, however, for quite speedy betterment should permission be 

 granted to empty the sewage in Newark Bay. Those of us who 

 come in contact with this stream in the principal work in which 

 we are engaged are fearful that this once beautiful river will not 

 soon again return to its original purity and become the limpid 

 stream it once was. We know, of course, that there are mil- 

 lions of tons of accumulated sewage which must be disposed of, 

 and we also know, to our great concern, that were it not for the 

 Passaic River and the opportunities it affords to our common 

 enemy, the mosquito and its progeny, we of Passaic County 

 would have a rather pleasant time in directing the affairs of the 

 commission. 



Strange as it may seem to you, it is quite difficult for our com- 

 mission to have our people understand that the mosquito visita- 

 tions are due to causes such as the river. If once they did under- 

 stand this condition they would rise in their might and insist that 

 something drastic be done. We say this because during the last 

 visitation, entirely due to the river, stories were being circulated 

 of people staying awake all night rather than attempt to sleep 

 with the buzzing, busy, biting mosquito in the air. 



