The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-10-14

| hudson %
the valleys OF w.mill river and Tibbts' brook
thence along the side of the ridge that bounds the
sou'hery side OF Tibbits brook valley to within 81
hlles OF the Harlem river, where the high ground s
oi 'he hudson Tall away SO much to require he
aqueduct 10 occupy The summit Of the country yi ne
between the Hudson and East rivers. This for ma
tion OF country continues TO, and is terminated by
the Harlem nver, at the point where the aqu educt
intersecls II which Is one mile norhwesterly from
McComb's dam. The length of The aqusduct, from
the Croton dam TO Harlem river, is 81 IS miles, for
which distance 1t Is an uninterrupted conduit OF
hydraulic stone and brick masonry. The high ground
mat bounds the nortbery side OF the Harlem river
valley, Is very the level of the aqueduct at that
place; and the width OF the valley at the aqueduct
level IS about 1850 feet, or little over quarter
OF q mile; over which bridge is In progress,
which we have already described. The shore
the south side OF the river Is PERCEPTIONS rock,
rising at an angle OF 30 degrees, 10 height OF 230
feet or about 100 feet above the level OF the bottom
OF the aqueduc Alter crossing this valley, the
aqueduct OF masonry is resumed, and continued
2Ol5 miles, TO the termination OF the high ground
on the north side OF Manhattan valley. This valley
Is 1872 mile wide al the level of the aqueduct; be-
low which il descends l02 feet. The conduit OF
masonry here gives place to iron pipes, which de-
scends into the bottom OF the valley, and rise again
to the proper level on the opposite side from which
point the masonry conduit is again resumed, and
crossing the ASYLUM ridge, and Clendennlng valley,
continued l73 miles, to the living reese rvor
at York hill. This reservoir is bounded by Seth
street on the north, 18th street the south, 7lh
Avenue on the west, and 9th Avenue on the east
II IS 1926 feet long and S feet wide the outside
angle OF the embankment; containing an area OF
30 acres, divided into two divisions, and is little
over miles from the City Hall. From the recelv
ing reservoir double line OF iron pipes three feet in
diameter, are laid down In S0ih street and 9th Ave
nue., to convey the water 2 l76 TO the distributing
reservoir al Murray Hill. The location OF this re-
servolr Is on the 5tn Avenue, between 10th and 42d
streets, and Is three miles from the City Hall; II is
40 feel square the cornlce OF the exterior wall,
and contains area OF 10 acres, divided into two
equal divisions, anu has average elevation OF "A
feet above the level ot,he SITS around It, The length
OF aqueduct from the Croton dam the distributing
reservoir is 40 502 miles, 10 witt
Masonry conduit in Westchester cou ty, 1850
Do do on New York Island, AIS!
Total length, 37o67
Receiving reservoir from end OF aqueduct to south
eastern ef1uent gate house OLA
Distributing reservoir, 0Oso
Iron pipes on bridge over Harlem valley 0275
Do DO across Manhattan valley. O792
DO do between reservoirs AVG
40 562
Add TO the above the length of the Croton reser-
vor, formed by the ere ctlon OF the Croon dam and
other work necessary to obtain the water al suit
able level on the CrotOn river, without this dam
and reservoir the acqueducI would have required an
extension of five miles TO reach the proper leye. on
the river, WEIGH Is now attained by means OF the
DAM The entire length, therefore, from the point
on the Croton which mas the requisite elevation, TO
the distributing reservoir, Is 45, boz miles The large
mains running from The distributing reservoir
through the central part OF the city would add about
tour miles, making the total length Of the main
conduit about fifty miles
TUNNE'.s.-The prevailing rock through which
the aqueduct has been tunnelisd, gneiss; and mar
bic Iii TWO places. 100000 cubic yards OF rock have
been excavated In tunnel work. There In all
10 tunnels, from 100 10 l263 feet long, aggre
gate length OF 6S4l feet OF tunnel work.
STREAMS AND NALI.EYs.-Ihere are In Westches-
ter county twenty-five streams crossing the line OF
aqueduct, that are from IL 10 ~ feet below the
grade line, and from rs SO feet below the top COW
n the aoueducf The M nrOn inent If tho
valleys are Lounsberry's, Indian brook, Sing Sing
kill, Mill river, JEWELS brook, and Saw Mill river
the foundations of which in less than 40
feet below the grade line, or 81 feet below the top
covering OF the aqueduct. Besides those above
mentioned, there are numerous brooks and valleys
OF less depth, requiring cuverts, and artificial ioun
datlons to support the aqueduct. The Level OF mean
tide at Harlem river lis l20 66 feet. On New York
Island there several deep and abrupt va leys.
along the preclpltous rocky hill. that bounds The
southeriy shore OF Harlem river But the most inn
portant valleys on the island are Manhattan valley,
Cendening valley and Bownt's valley
CULvKRTs. The streams that intersect the lines
and the floods, are crossed by means OF cuverts-
Of these there have been constructed III culvers of
an aggregate length OF 1859 feet, varying in span
from i II to 25 feet. There are also five cuverts
to crossroads, of from II TO 20 feet span.
VENTILAToRs.-Ol these there 33 10 give
circulation of air TO the aqueduct, about one to
mile: There are IA feet above the ground, and the
opening Is Is inches in diameter.
WASTE WERs.-There are 6 of these, so placed
as TO let OIL the water from the aqueduct, where II
rises to certain height they have also gates to
draw the water out of the aqueduct when necessa-
ry. These weirs enclosed in stone building,
with an arched brick roof
CRoToN DAM.-This is five miles from the mouth
Of the rver. Great part of the first dam was car
red away in January, 1871 The greatest height
of the weir of the dam is 40 feet above low water
level, and 30 feet above the bed of the river The
width OF masonry at the low water line OF the river
is 81 feet. This dam sets the water of the river
back five miles, and forms a reservoir of about four
hundred acres, and has rendered it necessary to
stiiute for those covered by the flow.
SECTIONS OF THE AQuEpUcr UNDER IT'S VARIOUS
AsPEcrs.-The upper portions of the above drawing,
marked f. L. F. represent sections 81, 92 SO and a.
of the Croton aqueduct, the length and cost of
each of which is as follows-
Feet.
Section 81 is $500 long, and will cost si4a,leS
81 2iO0 S9205
% 1900 40,ss6
81 I" 1900 +" 336,7Il