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

"In this estimate Of the annual expense the item for
ywnning the engine is made for running i2hOrse en-
CINE IL hours per day for BOB days including all the
wear and tear and which will afford supply of ~, 900
hogsheads Of water per day. On this item alone your
Committee think a saving Of $500 per annum could be
made from their estimate. Another Item, Ill winch
reduction might probably be made from the estimate
of your Committee is that for the building of the
Reservoir and ground s. 1900, from which they think
5000 or 1000 may be taken, by using for the pur-
pose Of the Reservoir the ground on Fort Greene now
belonging To the town.
From the examination your Committee have given
this subject they impressed with the necessity OF
carrying into effect the proposition for supplying TINS
place with water have no doubt that the great ad-
yantages to result therefrom will be much more than
commensurate with the expense attending the same
They would therefore suggest the proprety OF FUR
ther reference of this subject To some suitable Commit
tee and that such Committee be authorized to procure
the services of competent engineer 10 survey ana
report upon the steps and measures necessary to the
fail completion of the project of obtaining such supply
with the necessary estimates of the probable expenses
attending the same
This communication, which is the first recorded
doc ument Of any official movement upon the subject
Of introducing water, never definitely acted upon
Fort Greene was then an open common, Clinton
avenue lying beyond which is now studded with
psatial residences, with neatly embellished court
yards and lofty shade trees along the line of the side
walks then composed portions of several farms. A
large part of that section of the city far beyond the
original limits of the viage) is now compacty built,
and streets and avenues stretch out for miles toward
the east west, north and south. Fort Greene which
sill retains some slight resemblance of its former
character-as place of defenseis now, with the sur
rounding grounds connected into an extensive Park
comprising some forty acres, laid out in drives and
winding walks and ernamented with growth of
young trees, promising for the future, most delight
full promenade. IL was at the foot of this HILL upon
which the Fort was located that the Committee pro-
posed to sink wells TO supply the then village with
water
On the 9Th of April Of the same year lS34), an act
was passed by the Legislature, Incorporating the
territory comprising the town of Brooklyn, under a
sity charter. This gave an impulse to the progress
Of the place. and under the influence of the spirit Of
improvement which, at that junoture, pervaded the
land the guardians of the infant city were disposed
70 lay its foundations deep and large. The greatest
undertaking of that day, and one which involved the
heaviest responsibilities, the erection OF City
Hall, upon a scale, and at an expense, that nothing
but the sangune spirit of the day would seem TO eH
cuse The dimensions of this structure ore thus
detailed in the periodicals of the time:
"The Brooklyn City Hail. now erecting is situated at
the intersection Of Fulton Court and Joraemon streets
occupying an entire block, forming scaene triangle
Of 2S feet on Fulton street 80 Court street, and
X22 Joralemon street. The exterior of the building
u to be constructed of marble aud TO have por:cos
the three fronts with columns 30 feet inches high
orudmented with capitals of the Grccian order from
the design Of The Flower Of the Winds, resting on
pedestal base IL feet high which, when finished, viii
be e. feet from the ground to the top of the cornce
The angles TO be surmounted by domes, and rising
from the center of the building viii be tower Of l25
Feet high, which viii be enriched with cornice and
cntablatuIe supported with caryatides standing on
pedestals. The interior will be finished IN the most
chaste and durable style of architecture calculated 20
accommodate the different public Offices, courts &c.
attached TO the City Government"
The work upon this building was commenced, the
foundations laid and the walls partly constructed,
when further progress was arrested and finally abGn
'doned. New plans were procured, and the present
City Hall, standing upon the SITE is the result
The discussion and agitation of the question of pro-
caring supply of water appears to have been sus-
pended during the progress of the above works, but
again revived in 1896 when Francis Ii. Stryker,
then Mayor OF the city, called attention to the matter
in special message to the Common Council. Sub
sequently the subject was discussed in public meet
ings and in the Common Council, until finally, e1ami-
nations and explorations by competent engineers were
authorized and the result Of their inquiries established
the belief that beneath the so of the island and at
the level Of Underwater, there q permanent and
and ineYhsustible supply of pure aud wholesome
water The theory is that the Island being composed
chiefly of loose gravel and sand without any fixed
ssrsts Of clay or other more solid material near the
surface. the water which falls, instead OF running of
by Hyeams, settles down TO about the level Of tide,