New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-27
PRESENT CONDITION or THE BROOK
LYN MATER WORKS.


Only year has elapsed sirce Mayor Hall and the
Authorities of the City OF Brooklyn broke ground for
their water.works. On the Sd of May, 1885, articles
Of agreement were signed by the President and D-
rectors of the Nassau Water Company, on the one
hand and the firm Of Henry s. Weles g. Co., on the
other. whereby the latter did engage ITO furnish all
"the materials tools and labor, and construct, fully
"apd completely. the water.works for the City Of
"Brooklyn." Extraordinary progress has already
been made. and the plans are so rapidly approaching
completion that our neghbors may count, with reason
able probability, on daily supply Of loeoo,ooo GAL
Ions during the coming year. But we must not entirely
ignore the late action of the town Of Jamaica. 1t
appear. that the burghers Of that pucky little place
are up in arms against the Brooklyn people, whose
Grand Jury have just indicted the running OF loco
motives in South Brooklyn as nuisance. Only last
Saturday they declared that If proceedings were rot
Immediately stopped with regard to their cherished
Long Island Railroad, they would exercise their SOW.
ereignty over the various ponds from which the sup
ply is to be drawn and thu, prevent Brooklyn from
taking Jamaica water if Jamaica must be locked OF
its steam. Of course we cannot decide this kuotty
question. pretty quarrel is It as 1t stands and one
likely to furnish considerable interest to the legal pro-
feson Certain it is that these works are now In too
forw ard state to be renquished will be perceived
from the following particulars:
THE RIDGEwooD RESERVOIR.
The great Distributing Reservoir named the Ridge
wood which will contain l7O 900 900 gallons, now be.
gins to afford some idea Of its vast proportions. Those
ofour leaders who possess personal acquaintance with
the Croton Reservoir on Murray Hill, have merely to
figure to themselves basin nearly eight ties its siSe
In the construction of this of all other portions Of
the works, nature has rarely been modified; thus ex
pensve structures in masonry obviaed, essening
both labor and cost. The Ridgewood Reservoir is on
the summit of hill which overlooks broad expanse
Of country, and the natural lines of the basin have
been faithfully preserved. Over 100000 cubic yards
of gravel sand and stone have been removed, an i'm.
mepse amount of pudding has been done and the
shelving wall inside the basin is going up rapidly.
large force is now on the work and the operations a
ford considerable instruction to visitors from all parts
Of the country. The reservoir is near the Cypress
Hills Cemetery, in the midst of some OF the most
charming scenery of Long Island.
We need not remind our readers that the supply OF
water is to lie obtained from the different mill ponds
exter ding along the eastern side OF the island At the
present rate of Brookyns progress is supposed that
needed The one farthest from the Reservoir is thir
teen miles, the nearest one five miles, The plan is to
bring the water from the ponds in an open canal part
of the way, in a covered conduit the remainder This
conduit is about i've miles in length, and terminates
at distance of about 1000 yards from the Dstribut-
ing Reservoir and 40 feet below it. The water will
here be raised into the Reservoir by means OF TWO
powerful engines. Each engine will pump lOoo0,0oo
nit, o-oya .ya
cylinder pressure of % pounds to the square inch.
One Of these engines will be completed early mex
Spring
THE CONDUIT.
According to present plans the conduit to be only
five miles in length. This department is necessarily
one Of the most interesting, it certainly is one of the
most porant of the works, and, Of course, visitors
are many and frequent. The conduit is divided into
eight sections, each being let to subcontractors
The following will give idea Of its present state
Section S-This section is nearest to the pump or
epgir ehouse, and is worked by Messrs. Farwel and
Potter of Utica n Y, well known contractors of high
standing. 1t the longest and most difficult portion
of the conduit and will cost nearly 5000 OOO in some
parts cuttings to be made to the depth of 80 feet
and for considerable distance water i, encountered
eight feet above the required grade. This water is
pumped out by two steam pumps. A row OF piles VIII
be driven in by steam power on either side throughout
the section, ard solid foundation be obtained by
mesns Of tbree.inch pankiDg covered with concrete
Owing to the continuous inflow of water from the sides
and bottom the work this section has dragged
slowly until within the pact fortnight but the con-
tractors seem now to have mastered all difficulty, and
the work goes ahead rapidly.
Section This is in charge of Messrs. Beard and
Collins of Brooklyn, who fully understand the work
they have in hand. Mr.. Collins has had much expe-
,ence in building water and is pushing his Sec
ton forward without ary hndrance from water.
Section is worked by Mr.. James Bennett, and
shows considerable progress.
Section i'm charge Of Mr.. Parks, under the drec-
ticn of Mr.. Nohrop. These last two sections arc in
very forward state the conduit being finished for some
distance and earthed over.
Section 4-Messrs. Kemps, Of East Brooklyn, have
Just got this into working order.
Section 3-In charge Of Messrs. Satteriee and
Spalding. No. appears to be most favorable gee
tom in fact, we should judge it the best on the lne
1t is unnecessary to cay that the work ppon it is pro-
crossing rapidly.
Section 2-Messrs Barnes and Keeny have lately
taken charge Of this contract The section is short
one az d. as large force Is upon it, and the contract
ore are pushing ahead, it will be completed in short
iEe.>
Section This is the smallest Of all the sections,
and has just been commenced. Messrs. Dawson and
SomeIs are in charge Of it.
BAIsTLEY's POND.
This is the largest of the Supply Reservoirs, and
covers 81 acres of ground. IL is named from the
family who have owned the pond and mill-powsr for
several generations On it's shore 10 still standing an
4 -r;t, a.; ,toa ! N Old--A