Had a Law Quietly Passed

New York, 1895

Colonel Degrauw Gives the Sewer Commission a Surprise.

The Sewer Commissioners for the village of Jamaica held a meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening. Commissioner Watts was absent. Commissioner Adikes reported that all of the commissioners, except Dr. Wood, had visited several places on the south side of the village and viewed land for the location of disposal works.

Commissioner Degrauw said: "This board cannot purchase land for disposal works. We can only locate it. While in Florida the past winter I drew up a bill amending chapter 202, laws of 1891, to provide for the construction of sewers in any incorporated village. I sent the bill to the legislature and it was passed and signed by the governor, and is now a law. Under the amended law the board of sewerage commissioners may agree with the proper authorities having charge of the construction of sewers in any other town, village or city, to connect with the sewers of any village, town or city. By this amendment Jamaica can connect her sewerage system with the city of Brooklyn. It is possible that the Greater New York bill will be passed. If the bill passes there can be no doubt that there will be a complete system of sewerage for the entire district, and for one I do not propose to sit here, should it pass, and spend the people's money uselessly."

Commissioner Adikes suggested that if the Greater New York bill did not pass, the commissioners look further for a location for the disposal works.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, May 10, 1895, p. 1.