New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-04-27


furnish is thus estimated:
from pump Daily Sup. Aga sup.
well-mile,. Gallons. Gallons.
sS pased cfs.i wee; 1900 so,o
sprpshed Creek east braneh..lSi 1900 $780,
Ho~I n,idde branch ............. 5ooOD iil5oOll
Hook. East branch. ...............42 2SSso i3S3cn
Panonsge Cneb..................I67 loole0 254De9
Ea., mellow Ceek........a3 100000 $4,000
The general plan proposed was to collect the water
in reservoirs formed by raising the water in streams
by lone dams to an elevation of from II TO % feet
above low tide From these lateral conducts were to
connect with line Of main aqueduct which terIni-
mated at pump, well located at Flatbush; thence the
supply was to be forced by steam engines and pumps
through large iron mains, into the distributing re-
servoir on Prospect Ill., and thence distributed
through the city by cast iron pipes in the usual
manner.
While this action was being taken in the City of
BROOKLYN. the citizens of Wiamsburgh (-ince 1854,
consolidated with the City of Brooklyn were not in
attentive to the importance Of obtaining sufficient
supply Of water. The agitation of the question in that
community resulted in the incorporation by the Leg
isature on the 10th Of April, 1852, of the Williams
burgh Water Company, with capital stock of
$4,000 for the purpose of securing for that city
good and sufficient supply Of water. The project
tertained by the Wilamsburgh Company was the
sinking of wells and the pumping of water therefrom
into reservoirs or collecting it from the ponds and
streams on the north side Of the Island but upon i'll
vestigation, the idea Of obtaining asuppy from those
sources was abandoned.
On the sth of June, 1853 was Incorporated the
Long Island Water Company which absorbed and
succeeded the Wilamsburgh Company, with capital
stock of So 600 coo, and empowered To furnish sup
NV of water from the stream the south side of tine
Island to Brooklyn as well Williamsburgh,
should they be able TO succeed in negotiating
with the corporate authorities Of that city
for that purpose. This private Company,
under the Presidency Of Nicholas Dean, esq, for
MANY wears connected with the Croton Aqueduct De-
partment in New-York, lost time in securing, in
advance of the Brooklyn Common Council, the most
urompent streams which were relied upon as sources
of supply for that city.
In September 1852 the Water Committee was au
thorized TO enter into contract for the purchase of
such land as might be necessary for the purposes OF
distributing reservoir, &c. In November following
an application was received from the Williamsburgh
Company proposing to supply the City of Brooklyn
with water which the Common Council, with some
indignation, gave them leave to withdraw Though
there was continual action from time to time the
subject in the Common Council, including the adop-
ton Of remonstrance against increasing the capital
stock of the Wilanrsburgh Company, yet there was
nothing done of any particular Importance till the 18th
April 1853, when, in secret session of the Common
Council resolutions agreed to finally, deternin-
ing that the plan Of Mr.. McAlpne should be adopted.
At the same meeting Special Committee was APP
pointed to negotiate for the purchase of lands, &C.
necessary for the work Public attention was now
thoroughly aroused TO the consideration of the ques
ton. The Common Council visited the streams, as
did many citizens and generally the result of their
examinations was to satisfy them that the supply was
as amply sufficient as the quality of the water was
pure and excellent.
On the 80 June, 1853, an act was passed by the
Legislature providing for the submission Of the ques-
ton to the electors and the Common Council desig-
mated Monday, July H. a. the day upon which the
vote should be taken. The Committee prepared the
outline Of plan for supplying the city with water,
upon which the electors 10 vote. The result
was a. follows:
Who'll number Of votes ca.....................9o
For the Water plsn........................4cs
Against the Water pisn......''..'''.''''.'9'"
Majority against. Io29
This result dampened the ardor of the advocate of
water only temporarily for in February, 1854, the
Water Committee Of the Common Council asked and
obtained consent to employ an engineer to aid them
in their Investigations of the subject ard to prepare
such plans they might agree upon On the 18th
Of March the Committee reported plan, which they
had prepared with estimates and surveys, made by
Gen. Ward Il. Burnett, Civil Engineer, who
also had made the estimates of the Long
Island Water Company. This plan adopted
substantially the same Of supply as
were proposed by Mr.. McAlpine-the location Of the
reservoir being changed from Prospect Hill TO Cy-
press Hill-and contemplated the construction Of
works adequate TO the supply of twenty millions OF
gallons daily with capacity for an increase to forty
millions Two engines TO be erected; capable of
pumping ten millions of gallons daily; eighty miles OF
pipe were to be laid and 800 hydrsnts provided for
the then wants Of the city. The whole expense OF
the works, including engines and pipes, was esti-
mated AZ a. G25 0C0--to which there 10 be added
si5 900 for land title of the Long Island Water CON-
pany and other expenses making the total expense,
a. estimated a. 800 600. The report was ordered 10
be printed and the Committee was authorized to ne
go,inie with the Long Island Company for q transfer
of the title Of the ponds in their possession TO the CITY,
For this purpose the Committee in their plan recon-
mended the appropriation Of &l5o,Oco. 1t was re-
solved -, the Legislature should be petitioned to
amend the Water Act Of 1888 20 as 70 empower the