This Day in History: 1961-08-17

In a letter to Norman J. Griffiths, Chairman of the Governor’s Upper Valley Flood Control Committee, Mayor Morris Ruddick announced that Mahwah would accept the invitation to join the group but remained unalterably opposed to the plan to develop a detention basin behind a raised dam in Oakland. He said that if the river level were to be raised 20 or 25 feet as has been proposed the value of residential property destroyed in Mahwah would be $6,000,000. Contemplated future construction valued at $1,000,000 would be impossible and Route 202 would have to be moved at great expense. He saw no benefit to Bergen County in the scheme and stated that Mahwah would fight the proposal “to the fullest extent of its ability”. (Bristow)