Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-10-27
From the Richmond Enquirer.
THE CROTON AQUEDUCT.


The City of New York, always distinguished
for the briiancy of her spectacles and the length
OF her professions, has never exhibited moro
striking scene, than the celebration Of the open.
ing OF her celebrated water works.
The Croion Aqueduct has cost 10 or IL mill
lions Of dollars. The ''Morning POST says that
The work was actually commenced in May,
1887, and was SO far completed by the 4.h Of. Ju-
Y, 1872, as on that day to permit tho passage Of
tne water from its source, Croton Lake, to tho
distributing reservoir. The Harlem bridge, how
ever VIII yet require two years to complete il,
ana some work must be done at both the reser-
voirs' The capacity of the Croton Lake 10 sufi-
cient to furnish for the wants Of the city 100000
gallons day, in addition to the q, 900 900 gal
Ions which constitute the natural flow Of the river
at low water, for GO days.
The Aqaeduct commences at the great Croton
lam, In the river OF that name, six miles from
the mouth. it continues down the course of tho
Croton 10 the Hudson, which it follows down TO
ohkers' seventeen miles from the city. From
'n's p'ace 1t strikes across the county Of West
chester 10 the point at which il crosses the Har-
zen ZEN river, about one mile above M'Comb's dam,
IL mere crosses the Harlem and the valley of that
stream on bridge I,450 feet long, and ia feet
aoove Inc water at high tide. The water will DO
conveyed over this bridge in iron pipes; the A.
queouct hitherto consisting of conduit of stone
ana cement. For the next live miles, to the recei.
wing reservoir on eighty sixth street, the conduit
so u.s. ny turns of structure of solid masonry
ana oi conductors of iron pipes. The first reser-
Vo'r is 1926 feet long, and $50 feet wide; lie
area is 80 acres, and its distance from tho CITY
iiail, a little exceeds five miles. The water is
men u LED, IN immense iron pipes, two miles to the
distributing reservoir, on Murray's hill, between
lorlelh and forty-second streets. This 10 tho
most s'uPendous mass of masonry we hare ever
SEEM or which probably exists in this country.
!. Is divided into two equal parts; is 400 feet
square at the top. (,he walls rscede great deal
rom the base and its area is acres Its height
Is A feet. The length Of the Aqueduct to this
point As miles. But if 10 this be added the en-
IRE length OF the Croton reservoir, and'the works
m connection with it, the extreme length of the
Aqneduct may be stated at fort, five and half
mites. There are on the line sixteen tunnels va
ying in length from go TO ,2G3 feet, making an
aggregate length of 6,S4l feet. The greater part
II the excavation for the tunnels has been through
ock. The interior of the Aqueduct is at .thS
:reattst, 7 feet inches wide, and S92 feet high.
ne line crosses IA streams and land noods
which are passed upon the same number of stone
uise e, OF spans varying. from ls inches to 90
The Jets d. eau in the City are of the most
beautiful descnpton-and will attract the curios-
~ OF every stranger. In truth, the whole work
monument of the public spirit of New York,
mo one oil those great enterprises which the Elm
,ire State has contributed 10 the honor of the
Age.