Historic Floods of the Hackensack ValleyPosted on September 14, 2011 at 2:25pm
Teaneck Patch
By Kevin Wright©2011
Superseding a low timber-crib dam installed above Veldran’s Mill in 1912, the Hackensack Water Company built a concrete dam, 22 feet high, in 1921 to vastly increase its storage capacity, impounding the Oradell Reservoir as we know it today. Therefore, historically recounting back-to-back episodes of century-high floods in 1902 and 1903 can tell us what conditions along the Hackensack River during heavy storms were like previous to the influence of the extant dam.
Heavy rains and melting snow caused severe flooding in the Hackensack and Passaic valleys on February 28, 1902. The Hackensack River rose far above its high-water mark, doing incalculable damage to dwellings and businesses along its banks. Roads and bridges suffered many thousands of dollars worth of damage. Several feet of water submerged roads leading to New Milford Depot on New Milford Avenue in Oradell and commuters resorted to rowboats to reach the station. Huge cakes of ice floated downstream and piled nearly thirty feet high against the county bridge spanning the river near New Milford. Fearing the bridge would give way under the enormous strain, G. F. Mack, acting under instructions from the County Board of Chosen Freeholders, assembled a force of men in the afternoon to blow up the ice jam with dynamite. In the lower section of Peetzburgh, houses along Hirshfield Brook suffered greatly as water reached a height of nearly six feet. The old blacksmith shop was nearly submerged as floodwaters reached a height of nearly ten feet in that neighborhood. Merchants Cooper & Demarest lost several hundred dollars worth of lumber, stored along the riverbank, when it was swept downstream. Nearly five feet of floodwater imprisoned two horses in Cooper & Demarest’s barn. In attempting their rescue, two employees, Charles Streiter and Samuel Cosney, narrowly escaped drowning when their boat capsized, but Peter Cosney saved the animals by constructing a large raft, which carried them to safety. Floodwaters also drowned the engine room of the Hackensack Water Company, rising to a point within a few inches of the furnaces. Several feet of water inundated thousands of bushels of grain stored on the lower and first floor of William Veldran & Sons’ gristmill at Oradell. The bridge at River Edge Avenue was slightly damaged, while the approach roads were inundated to a depth of four feet, tearing away macadam and flooding cellars in that vicinity. Several flocks of wild ducks were seen along the Hackensack River and scores of muskrats were driven from their underground haunts along Bergen County streams with many falling victims to enterprising hunters—One young man reportedly shot fifty-two muskrats and sold their skins for 16¢ a piece.
Along the Passaic River, the flood of February 28, 1902, was the worst that Rutherford suffered since 1854 and 1883—that of 1854 reportedly being worse than 1883. In 1902, the Passaic River rose about a foot higher than it did in 1854.
The joint Boards of Health of Rutherford, East Rutherford and Carlstadt met at City Hall on July 29, 1902, to hear the report of Doctors Calhoun and Ogden on their inspection of the Hackensack watershed above the New Milford Pumping Station. Dr. Ogden provided the following oral report, reproduced in an article entitled, “Bad Condition of the Hackensack Water,” published in The Bergen County Democrat on August 1, 1902:
“Commencing at New Milford and going north four or five miles they found a number of [water] closets which were contaminating the water, and which the company had promised to have remedied. About a mile above they found other closets where there was an Italian colony [of workers]. The stables of the Italians were filthy and the contents were emptying into the river. Just above this there was another closet about twenty feet from the bank on the hill, and again further on a stable near the banks some 300 feet long, the ground around it being soft and filthy from the deposits of manure, and this also deposited in the river. They stated that they had gone over only a small portion of the territory and found the same conditions prevailing. They then visited the company’s works at New Milford, saw Superintendent French who seemed to be cognizant of these facts, and who stated that he would look into these matters. The reservoir, it was stated, was cleaned once a year generally, but some of the people did not agree with this view. Dr. Calhoun stated to Mr. French that there was one closet on the company’s property, which was used by ten people. Mr. French at first denied this but afterwards admitted it. The doctor also offered to go over the ground with him at any time and show him the nuisances spoken of. At one place a boathouse had been removed, but the bank had not been cleaned yet. Washing of clothes by Italians on the banks was common and the dirty water let run into the river, and the conditions now were the same as a year ago. The doctor stated that the company was building a new reservoir above New Milford, which would help in the case, but the people could not wait for this and something must be done at once. Dr. Sickenberger sent in a written report of the examination of the water in the old reservoir, which showed numerous deposits but no organic matter, but the water in the new reservoir was dirty, and this should be cleaned out as the water was not fit to be used. In the discussion that followed, Dr. Calhoun maintained that the company should have time to begin the abatement of the nuisance before the Boards should take any action, and if they do not take any action then the Boards should act. The report was received and the committee continued.” Much of historical interest can be gleaned from an article on improvements made to the plant of the Hackensack Water Company, published in The Bergen County Democrat on August 28, 1903:
“With the extensive improvements, which are in courses of construction by the Hackensack Water Company both at New Milford and Hillsdale [Woodcliff Lake], it would seem that soon all question as to the purity of the water will be laid aside. Both in Hackensack and in Englewood from time to time rumors are heard of the impurity of the Hackensack water and analysis is frequently made by chemists and physicians of the county. The results of these tests are sometimes made public and cause much concern among the residents.”
“By the improved filtering plant which the company is having constructed at New Milford, through which every drop of water will pass before being distributed through the mains to the different cities and towns, should satisfy the consumers that the company is doing all in their power to supply water as free from impurities as it is possible to do.”
“On the north side of the present pumping station a reservoir 260 x 450 feet is being constructed, and, when completed, will hold eighteen feet of water. Nine feet of water will at all times remain in the reservoir, so that the sediment, which will accumulate will not be disturbed. From the reservoir the water will be pumped to the filtering house, which will be erected to the west of the reservoir. The filtering house will be a brick structure, four stories in height, the upper part being used for offices.”
“Seventy-five men are at present employed on the work, but in the fall the force will be doubled. It will take a year and a half before the work is completed.”
“Supt. Golden, who is in charge of the work, said: “The plant will be one of the finest in the country and will be up-to-date in every detail. When the water passes through the mechanical filter it will be absolutely free from impurities. The plant will be similar to that of the East Jersey Water Co. at Parsippany.”
“Two chemists will be constantly at the works, whose duty it will be to make analysis before and after the water passes through the filter.”
“At Hillsdale [actually Woodcliff Lake] a storage reservoir, covering an area of over a mile, is being also constructed. The consulting engineers are Hering & Fuller, of New York; the resident engineers, Wise & Watson, of Rutherford, and the contractor Miles Tierney.” A new eighteen-million-gallon pump began operating at the Water Works on November 10, 1902. Nevertheless, Doctor St John pronounced the water unfit to drink unless boiled in December 1902.
On October 16, 1903, a correspondent for The Bergen Democrat concluded, “Not within the memory of the present generation has there been so great a loss and so much inconvenience from floods as during the past ten days.” A storm of historic proportions deluged all of the country within 200 miles of New York, severing rail connections with the city for the first time since the Blizzard of 1888 and cutting off mail deliveries for two days. The flow of water was stronger the nearer the rivers came to the ocean as the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers spread out to an extent not thought possible—almost every town in Bergen County suffered. Towns along the New Jersey & New York Railroad were particularly injured, lying so close to the Hackensack River. It was thought the loss of bridges in Bergen County would require the Board of Chosen Freeholders to immediately provide $150,000 for emergency repairs and replacements. The City of Paterson sustained losses estimated at $1,000,000. The water there rose three feet higher than it had ever been known to do and a portion of the city remained under water for several days. Wallington, opposite Passaic, was almost wiped off the map for several days. Lodi, with its mills, also suffered severely. At New Milford, flood tides on Friday, October 9, 1903, and again on Saturday, reached a depth of eight feet in places, doing considerable damage. The plant of the Hackensack Water Company was closed for several days, while work on the reservoir (then under construction) was abandoned. Copper & Demarest’s lumber sheds were wrecked and nearly $1,000 worth of lumber floated away. The dam at the button factory on the Meister farm gave way, flooding the building and undermining its foundations. At River Edge, the flood struck the house of the Canoe Club and the piano was found floating around the building. Roads and property in the vicinity of the river were inundated to the depth of several feet on Friday and Saturday. The bridge east of the River Edge depot successfully withstood the flood, though it had been considerably damaged when a big scow, owned by Cooper & Demarest, of New Milford, broke from its moorings, came downstream and struck its west end. Freeholder A. Z. Bogert and Mr. Bloomer, whose yards bordered the river, were heavy losers as the flood carried lumber, cordwood and coal downstream. Bloomer Brothers lost their stock of cordwood and their shed. The old Bloomer homestead on River Edge Avenue was flooded up to the first floor. Bordering the river on the west side of the bridge, A. Z. Bogert lost a quantity of lime, plaster, building material and fertilizer. Although the railroad tracks were submerged in places and landslides caused hundreds of tons of earth to be deposited on the tracks, service to Spring Valley, New York, was restored on Monday, October 12th. At New Bridge, water overflowed the riverbanks and spread across the country to rising ground. It flooded many houses—one to two or more feet deep on the first floor—causing considerable loss of provisions kept in cellars as well as to furniture. Business at Kaufman’s New Bridge Hotel was entirely suspended as the barroom and all floors even with it were submerged. The owners saved their piano by standing it on soapboxes; they stored their stock of spirits on high shelves. Midland Township clerk Herbert Howland nearly drowned when he tried to save the Howland Avenue Bridge.
