The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-01-20
The Report OF the CrOtoo Aqueduct De-
mart mene<

Vhe Report or she Crotoa Aqueduct De-
partmenes
The Croton Aqueduct Depart Is organized under
a Law of the Legislature of tt State of New York
passed 18th Of April, 1Si9. This law abolished the
Board of State Water Commissioner Is we'll Is that
known Is the Croton Aqueduct Board, established by
the city government and the duties Of both were de-
yolved upon the board, consisting Of three mem
bers, namely, Nicholas Dean, President Commissioner
Theodore r. De Forest Commits sioner; Alfred w era
ven, Chief Engineer. The new board have issued
report dated Slst December bus only just received
from the printer They commence the doc ument by
complaining that the State Commissioners whom they
succeeded have never yet communicated to them any
statement Of the business left unfinished in the Office
given any information about pending suits against
the city for damages and the outstanding claims not
In suit The board observe that this Is the
remarkable, as, 4" for some unexplained reason. the
lest meeting Of the State Commissioners held in
their Office within the building occupied by the new
department, and final adjournment made, without
any personal interview aud with written verbal
communication to their successors, has either up
to this hour been had or received" At page 49, the
report says" The general accounts OF the depart
ment mot those Of the State Water Commissi oners
which have not been SEEM were found to have been
kept in very insrtihcisl manner and the vouchers
upon which they were based IN q slovesly and con-
fused condition Order has been introduced in these
important particulars and nev set of books adapted
to the peculiar transactions Of the department opened
upon system OF double entry OF established authsr
it would seem that the old re sme managed matters
very ndiferentiy We trust their SUCCESSORS vii not
follow their example Among other claims for damages
adjusted by the new department they have paid judy
ment given in the Supreme Court In favor of Hartman
L. X. Edgar. for damages sustained on this island,
amounting to S2l.657; and there are many demands
yet unsettled against the city for damage along the
line of the squeduct, principally this island, and
nee Qrade
OF adjacent grounds aud intersectpg streets to the
top line Of the aqueduct where Il crosses valleys and
IaNines 1t Is expected that these demands altogether
will lot fall short OF 100000.
We should mention that the title page of the report
Is faced with good map Of the aqueduct and the Gro
ton river tracing it to its source and through its
branches 1t also gives delineaton Of the island Of
the Crotch runs Following the lins Of the squeduct
and Of the Croton river to its RISE II Is about Is miles
from the Battery, but in straight line, 'as bird
ies 1t is AZ miles The length Of the Croton River,
from its Croton Bay, where it discharges IT.
self little above Sing Sing, Is about 30 miles. This
is the natural outlet of the river, but only much
water flow through Is not received into the
eQueduct Croton Lake whose surface measures 400
acre il about ys miles above the mouth of the river;
aud here Il is that the Croton dam is formed which
dverts the water into the aqueduct which there COM
and keeps the line OF the Hudson river till it
reaches Nonkers; IL then takes southeastecly drec
tion to Fordham thence crossing the Harlem River at
the High Bridge it again keeps the line Of the North
river TIL it discharges itself iuto the receiving
voir at Eighty seventh street; thence it isoonduced
to the distributing reservoir in Fortieth street, from
J
This is the greatest work in the United States the
greatest work of the kind in ancient modern times
yhe advantages of this water TO New Nork are beyond
ali calculation. not only aording plenttful and
pure supply Of element essential life health, and
cleanliness but ready protection against the ravsges
OF fire 1t has powerful influence In increasing the
pol uation which retarded by the william water
which the inhabitants formerly PEELED to
It only by comparing our experiences of the past with
the present that have Just idea Of the value OF
the Crotch Yet IL Is a melancholy fact, that this
blessing of blessings which distinguishes New York Is
eriminaly and wantonly wasted by leaving the street
bydrants open for months together street washers be-
ing into jets for the amusement of children
aud domettcs; the streets saturated With the water,
and turned irto gutter street sweepers too instead
ofcsrtiug the gutter find IL more convenient with
iuii head 81 water from street hydrant to wash 1t
removed nj far greater cost There are many other
Of waste, which demand rigid police and
stringent rules regulating the use Of the water
Nearly the whole volume Of the Croton river has been
delivered in the city during many weeks Of the past
amounting to at least sixty imperial gallons
every twenty four hours for every inhabitant. How
much better to lay pipes across the bed Of the East
river to as has been done in the case of Rsu
DALI Island aud to give surplus water to the sister
city than to waste 1t In this shameful manner!
The new law in relation TO water rents" comes
proved lotn will be charged, whether the water IL
taken In not THIS will have wonderful effect both
In reducing the present water tax, aud In preventing
waste PARTIES who did not pay for &C. used send
negbbors house or to the ydrsnt snd.often left
open after they supplied their wants Now. A. all will
their bsuses and IL will therefore be the interest Of
every to prevent waste IL is true, that BY in
creared almost indefinitely but this lie expense tina.
ought not to be incurred when due economy OF water
can prevent IL.
Of ls4e directs scale Of regular rents' to be APP
portion.d to different cssses Of buildings In the city
Ia reference TO their dimensions values exposure 60
tres ordinary for dwellings stores shops private
stables and other common purposes with the number
ofeeuPn near %n ?, sbs ssnS. 81 IN. asoar
ment by the Common Council, who appointed persons
competent to the tack of making cut the necessary
ssttics; and the consequence great delay aud
host OF errss The whole Of this work according to
the Of the statute ought to have been
finished and submitted to the Common Council on ths
trst dsy OF November last but for the stated
this was impractisable. The returns from all the
wards however, are new In and the result Val soon
follow the present report For this service the sum CT
$40 600 Was specially appropriated
The semi annual Of the Crotch river to
yer,b.r by MIR. Craven. Chief Engineer OF the Board
assisted By Mir Tracy, the Assistant Engineer. Some
,m. , .s .ns n sosssr. that
where the Croton passes through Villages, trees have
been planted over it, and these the Board have ex-
Iressed determination to removs, as the roots, "
allowed TO remain will ihure the structure The re-
port states that st IL ths intention Of the Board 90 con
bridge over Harlem river ia order to ao~ persons to
see that ttupendsus structure without passing oil the
island.
reservoir TO Fourteenth street upwards Of 3 miles In
length. commenced during the past summer has been
~
the city with greatly increased volume. From the
goth Of August 20 3ist December there have beea laid
In various streets 6520 ieet Of 4inch 400 OF 6nch
1850 Of IL inch, and SS3 OF lo-inch pipes. 10 the
period 10 los feet Of have been built and IS
basins and cuvert and Ia basins and culvsrt' altered
and rebuilt.
Prom the 25th Of July tl the end Of December,
50, l59 have been received for granting permits TO
connect With sewers. A Of tii,2i3 has been
pended on works since the organization OF the present
MISUNDERSTANDING balance In baud fer next year
Of sl3O2o The WORK at Third avesue aud Thirty
eighth street and down Thirty sixth street also 81
stuy,essnt square, and for Wards Island unnnishef,
estimated that the laying o. new pipes Will cost the
city annually slOo oo0, for some years 70 come
The number II ber permits granted Il s5s The fol-
loving the account q the receipts from all sources
from the 18th Of July till the 26tn Of December:
Water rents and new permits Sl3lbsi 81
Permits TO connect With severe. ....... oios %
Old iron pipes sold. ............... o. ~
p.,.,,,ns ,,.s hxdynuts. ..... As So
Total. ...,.' s,o' oos ., os
The Important subject OF sewerage for the entire
city. having been placed by the amended charter in