The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-11
BALTIMORE.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER IL. 1858.

II i well known 10 most of our readers that
almost Immediately subsequent TO the purchase Of
,he water rights and privileges of the old water
Company by the city, the question of al increased
supply of water, adequate to the wants of rapidly
expanding population, sprang up and formed for
several wears the chief subject Of discussion in both
branches of the Council 1t was admitted that
more water for the use of our citizens impera-
lively needed; but the difficulty that arose was
TO determine from what source ii should be OBJ
tanned. Some proposed to take it from the Gun
powder river-some from the Patapsco-some from
Gwynns Falls whilst others claimed that the old
stream Of Jones Falls, if the water was properly
economical would yield ample supply for
many wears vet to come, and that if more was
wanted at any future day, the additional quantity
required could he drawn into Jones Falls either
from the Western Run, from the Gunpowder
river Surveys Of the various streams were ordered
10 be made, and, in due time, the reports of the
engineers were laid before the Council, but for a
long pcriodit was impossible to obtain any definite
action upon any one of the plans submitted. For
n while, the proposition to take the Gunpowder
river was in most favor. After that, there was
perceptible leaning towards the Patapsco; suisse
quently, a reaction set in, and Jones Falls once
more grew into favor. At length, however, after
many twistings and turnings, and more than one
remarkable exhibition of ground and lofty tum-
bling the two branches of the Council concluded
to adopt 'BRYsoNs Pan," which proposed to
adopt Jones Falls as the source of supply, but to
tap the stream at point some four miles from the
city. Then came up the Stony project, with its
Jurv of condemnation, and its subsequent suits at
law; and, finally, after q good deal more money
had been expended than was at all necessary the
BRYsoY project was also abandoned, and the origi-
nal project of SLADE was adopted. His propo-
si'iOn TO throw dam across Jones'
Falls at n narrow gorge few hundred yards East
of the Relay House, and after clearing and exca-
waiting the low meadow land lying between the
parallel ranges of hills trending Norhward from
that point, to form there a storage lake of ex-
traordinary capacity, from whence the water could
be brought through tunnels and viaducts, by nat
ural flow, to the receiving reservoirs; and from
the latter, through iron pipes, to the network of
tubing, by which it is capable of being distributed
TO all parts of the city. Here, then, the water
question touched terra .frma at last. A board of
wafer COMMISSIONERS, COilpoSeu Vi dDc anu eHti-
getic men, superseded the old water board. The
surveyors were set actively to work; all the re-
manning water rights were bought out the addi-
tonal land required YVES promptly condemned;
and when the engineers had completed their pre-
liminary labors, certain sections Of the work were
given out by contract. Upon these sections, COM
prsing the tunnels and the viaducts, the work
has for the most part, been vigorously prosecuted
by the contractors. Some of the tunnels have
been cut through, and others are still in progress
A considerable portion of the brick required for
arching, has been hauled out and deposited along
the line. Temporary buildings have been erected
upon the hill, some two miles from the city, where
the new receiving reservoir is to be excavatcd. A
considerable force of laborers has been busily
engaged, for some time past, in preparing the way
for the construction of the immense piece of
mason-work that is to form the dam across the
gorge to which we have already REFEREED and
from the few physical obstacles that have as vet,
been encountered at any point and from the ener-
getic manner in which the contractors have pushed
forward their work, under the supervision of the
engineers, we may safely calculate-if equal ac-
tivty prevails in the future-that within two
years from the present time, the works will be in
a sufficiently forward condition to transmit to the
city all the water that Jones Falls can furnish.
We now propose to speak of the Lake itself When
that is completed, it will wind northward and
westward, up the valley of Roland'S Run, for a
distance of mile and a half, occupying, for the
most part, the entire space between the bold hills
whose curvaturcs it follows, and having its embank-
ments formed, nearly throughout It's whole length
by the escarpmcnts and earhworks of the two rail
ways-the Northern Central and the Western Ma
ryland-whch make their junction at the Relay
House. In the low meadows that are 10 compose
the bed of the Lake, and where a large amount
of labour will be required nothing as yet has been
done; and it is with respect to the formation of
the Lake itself, that we propose to offer to the
Board Of Water Commissioners few suggestions
The first is, that the labOur of the engineers on
this part Of the work should be so far expedited by
clearing away the close thickets of willows that
cover so large a portion of the meadows, as to en-
able them to prepare the way for the grubbing and
the excavating that the bed of the Lake will re-
quire before it can be adapted to its future
use. Weknow very well that this work. if COM
menced at an early day, could be completed
and it therefore does not appear to be urgent But
what matters it how soon the work is DONE so
hat it is well and economically done, and at a
period of the year when the effect of moving the
Soil would be least likely to prove preudicial to
the health of the neighborhood? On the score
of economy alone, we are firmly convinced that
the city would be gamer, if the contracts for the
Lake could be made now, at this time while
labor is cheap and large number of men are out
of employment, instead of waiting until next year,
when, in all probability, trade will have revived,
and the industrial classes will be fully employed.
If the winter is an open one considerable progress
might be made during the present season and the
coming spring, and the necessity for moving an
immense amount of vegetable deposit through the
hot summer months would thus be obviated If |
on the other hand, the labor on the Lake is de-
ferred until next winter, the expenses of clearing
the land and shaping the embankments, can
scarcely fail of being greatly increased.
DIR. CONES LECTURE.
VI Al