Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-10-29

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tlon is so great as not to impede the navigation
of the stream thus taking care of posterity
and the wants of our metropolis when she shal
have extended TO the Harlem river. Some j.
dea of this vast undertaking may be formed
from the fact that the excavation for one pier
has been carried "a feet below the surface OF
| the water, and then, n rock foundation not hav-
| ing been reached, 240 poles from 80 to 40 feet
long, were driven in for the purpose. Several
piers have been already carried, by the aid of
Golfer dams, from four to fifteen feet above high
water mark.
! Nearer the city there are more than 1900
feet of tunnels cut through the rock for two
| lines of iron pipes 36 inches in diameter
Section 96 embraces the receiving reservoir at
Iorkville--an immense structure covering n
surface of 80 acres, resembling an inland lake
and containing l5S millions of gallons. The
walls and embankments are of the most massive
and durable constructions, and the whole is
enclosed by beautiful iron railing. The next
two miles form the connecting link with the
distributing reservoir or Murray's Hill. This
is beautiful spot and an admirable piece Of
workmanship, ofsolid granite, in form square,
but much smaller than the other reservoir. A.
round its elevated summit, ll5 feet above
mean tide and 81 above the surface, is a no
bic and broad walk affordng a most extcn-
sve view of the city, the Hudson and the sur
rounding country.
The work South of the distributing reser-
voir consists in laying pipes to supply the
lower part of the city with the water. More
than 100 miles, the distance from New York
to Philadelphia, OF these subterranean streams
have been finished, and 30 more are yet to be
added. Splendid public fountains will be built
nishing supply of water TO the poor, and high
ly ornamental to the city. Those at Union
Square and the Park are now in operation: the
basin of the latter forms circle 100 feet in
diameter, with n turf bank, and the Jets rise
to height of 81 feet. The former has ba-
sin GO feet in diameter, and three feet deep,
with various jets 60 feet high, the most im-
posing of which presents the form of a wheat
shcai, resembling the one in the court of the
Palais Royal at Paris. Both fountains are
strikingly beautiful, and few in the world are
of equal dimensions
The whole length of the aqucduct is 81
miles; its foundation is stone and bed of con-
crete made from broken granite and hydraulic
stone the sides are of hammered stone, and
the floor an inverted arch of brick eight inches
thick the upper arch the same.-On the S,h
of June last the superlntendents went through
the aqucduct on foot, and the whole being
found complete, on the 22d the water was ad-
united to the depth OF Is inches. "The Croton
Nald,' small boa, prepared for the purpose,
and holdiag four persons, was then placed in
the aqueduct, and navigated its entire length
by some of the same party. This novel voyage
was made sometimes at n depth Of - feet be.
low and then again 80 feet above the natural
surface ofthe earth, at the rate of mile in 40
minutes, the velocity of the current. When
four feet deep this will probably reach two
miles per hour.
On the 9th the water was admitted into
the immense receiving reservoir in the pre-
sence Of a large assemblage, including the
Mayor, Governor, military, hremen, &c. &c.
A salute of :}S guns was fired and the "Croton
Maid" soon making her appearance, was hail
ed with great enthusiasm, as the evidence that
a navigabe stream was now flowing into our
city. The boat was then formally presented to
the Fire Department, and she now lies snugly
moorcd in the distributing reservoir. To this
basis the stream was admitted on the 4th day
of July, amidst general and imposing demon
STATIONS of public joy, the temperance socle-
ties taking prominent part
Since then the water has continued to flow
about two feet deep through the aqueduct, de-
lvering into the receiving reservoir twelve
millions of imperial gallons per day, and, as yet
only five or six millions in the pipes nor has
any defect been found in any section Of the
work. The Harlem bridge is alone unfinished
and il will require vigorous prosecution of
that work to finish it in two and half years,
In the meantime the temporary pipes used
there answer every purpose for the passage Of
the wafer. Over Sl2,OOO,OO0 is the estma-
ed cost of the entire work wher done, From
ten to twelve dollars is tie rae charged per
annum TO families for the use of The water its
own force carries ,ne stream into the highest
stories OF 40 most elevated buildings. The