New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-09
Csoros Asrrouer DsP.srNEsrl

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In obedience to the 9th section Of the act OF lsis,
amended in 1880, the Croton Aqueduct Department
presents the report of the principal occurrences and
transactions Of the past year. with such remarks as the
occasion to require and also the statistics OF tho
department.
About two miles below the DAM the aqueduct, sup
ported BY embankments, runs over piece Of low
grourd In the early Spring leak was discovered By
the superintendent of that division, which issued from
n assure in the bottom of the squeduct, about three
hundred feet in length, into which the blade OF ks
could be inserted. Whether this was caused by any
natural setting of the ground or by the severity oil the
frost in February, from the water DESCENDING ron
the adjacent high grounds into creek, along the line
of the work and percoating to the foundaton-wan, &c
6om all these causes together, the damage was re-
haired by the prompt OF the engineer OF tho
aepa,tment the meinent it reported, and sach pre-
cautionay remedies applied as he deemed 10 DC sut'
able To prevent recurrence OF the dEtister' .
The engineer reports that the annual Inspection
the interior of the aqueduct made by him IN octoo,
showed that the plan adopted IN these repairs haa oeen
efcacous, that further settlement from that cause
need be apprehended, that other repairs OF the Id
terror were required, except OF that minute description
which have heretofore been found necessary that they
are decreasing from year to year. and that the aqne
duct il acquiring greater sohdty. Up To this penof
the whole exterior as Wen as interior Oh the aqaeueVs
remains in good condition.
Pursuant TO the ordinance of the Common Council
and supported by the decision Of the late Judge bar
culo the engineer has been enabled 10 make gooi zog
tess with the fencing of both sides OF the aqueduct,
and after spirited opposition and some
DELAY ON the part of those inhabitants who dshked the
proceeding the Board indulge the hope that none VIII
again dispute the nights OF the Corporation, AoooI
en- niles of fencing have been completed this year.
The pecessity which has from the inst existed, for
fencing the aqueduct becomes more apparent as trees
grow and budingare erected, and as the land Is sold,
rcsod and eubdlYlded.
The Board is careful to preserve, unmpared, all
the original rights of way possessed by the farmers and
inhabitants the line aud Is disposed to grant such
other rights of way, with proper limitations, az may
not be unreasonable and are, in their opnlon con-
sisent with the due protection of the aqueduct the
embaukngnts and all parts of the works. The eng
peer beside his occasional and frequent visits To parts
of the line nspects the whole exterior OF the aqueduct
twice a year. from the dam to the Receiving Reser-
yor The assistant engineer i, for large portions ID
his time on various parts of the aqueduct In the prose
cution of his duties. The superint endents having
charge of the dam, the aqueduct and the High Bridge
are Obliged TO inspect their respective divisions every
day. In this way any leak which appears, and every
imperfection in the entertainments, cuverts ana side
walls is discovered at its commencement, and checked
before il gains any Roadway. The duty and the prac-
tice of yigiant inspection throughout the whole Line
should on no account ever be intermltted.
The Eighth avenue line OF mains, taking their supply
from the Receiving Reservoir at Eghty-hrst street,
and running down tn Forty-second street, has been
laid by days work, in about hundred and eighty
days. under law procured from the Legislature Of the
State The set forth in the application for the
law, which presented by the President to men,
bers from the city, briefly "a follows; The ne
cessty which pressed the Board to procure the com
petion OF the Eighth avenue line before they should
be compelled to disturb the mains in the Fifth avenue,
lying between the Distributing and the Receiving
Reservoirs. These two lines are the main arteries
which supply the city. AS the lowering of these,
TO conform to the new grade, must b. made through
solid rock it would not be entirely safe TO commence
it until the line in the Eighth avenue should be in
operation, as a source OF supply IN case OF any
accident. As further precauton, IL was deemed
to be of great importance that the lowering should
be done before the regarding was commenced and a.
the contract for the grading was about To be let
was of equal importance that this department should
be enabled TO commence the relayng Of the pipes IN
the Fifth avenue at the earliest day. IL was stated
that if the trench for the pipe in the Eighth avenue
az to be put into the bands of the lowest bidder, IN
der our present contract system it would in all proba
bIty not be finished in two years or more, whereas
the Board could perform the entire work OF digging
the trench and laying the pipes within two hundred
days The executed result bears out the representa-
tions made. The whole distance OF more than two
miles lone half oft rock cutting, which at one place
twenty-one feet in depth has been fully completed
under the intelligent and efficient direction OF Mr..
Kirkwood, the engineer employed for the occasion,
within the time proposed.
The appropriation asked for by the Board for this
specific work 100000 and il paid out of the toa
appropriation Of $4,000 for Croton Water Works
Extension.
There has been expended upon II the sum Of 100 "a
Less old tools sold to Samuel oseood and ,-
stotsd IN IA. nine ward and available in
the daily work Of the department,
valued Observation-Disclosures. 900 % 6b
sI5soU
Under the resolution passed by the Common Coun-
Gil in May 1852 this small saving could only be effect
I'd by thoroughly organized and vigorous system IN
prosecuting the work. That resolution requires all the
departments to pay every day-aborer 81 25 per day.
that price paid to every of them in this case,
though labor was then abundant at 81 cents TO 81
day. The difference would make quite q large sum 10
the cost Of the work.
This new line has branch running through Forty
second street into the Distributing Reservoir, which
viii probably enable the Department TO keep up the
supply in that reservoir better than has been practica
bic for several years past, any waste excepted, Ike
that which occurred during the extremely cold spell in
February last of nine feet in three days from setting
the water 10 day and night in many parts of the
city to prevent its freezing m the pipes and faueets
The connections of this line at FOrtysecOnd street
were suspended for several weeks in consequence Of
delay in relation 10 the delivery of the breeches
pipes. During this period the engineer replaced the
decaying wooden laths through which the water
into three of the gate-houses in the Receiving Rerer
voir, with entire sets OF copper wire screens OF
beautiful and durable construction. These screens
will obstruct the passage into the pipes of any fish,
and entirely prevent that Inconvenience. To render
practicable the execution of this improy emmett il
necessary TO empty both divisions OF the reservoir in
succession. The Distributing Reservoir has also been
emptied and thoroughly cleansed. These operations
were so conducted as TO occasion a dminuton OF the
supply in the city for only few days. The ipconyens
fence 10 consumers, and the expense to the city, are
already repaid in part by the most happy results oitbe
arrangements made in relation TO the Eighth avenue
line, and the new gates and screens.
The mains in the avenues and the pipes in the Streets
form network throughout the city, and equslze the
supply to the greatest extent practicable in such
ueCOn and consistent with such dissIpilaF elevations