New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-09-15
TIKI MAYOR AND THE CROTON
n ID.

The course of Mayor Wood in his factious DIFF
ference with the CrotOn Board IL another illnstra
ton Of the character of the man. Without
shadow of reason no puts in peril the ctys supply
of water an act whose possible consequences risk
the property and lises Of the peope. 10 the same
reckless spirit in 1857 be organized and led pO-
Ice rebellion which threatened TO end in blood
a. from which he des ted only when the steady
march Of the 9TH Regiment at the gates OF the
City Hall warned him of his personal as We'll as
political PERL.
TIE duty of supplying the city with water is in
the hands of the Crcton Aque1uct Depar ment-
almost the only branch Of the City Government
which has at all tunes preserved tbs confidence OF
the publ c. al resisted the assaults OF place hum
ing politicians. Much Of the work Of this Depart
mel is of such character that it is not wi'e to
depend upon its being done by contract. This was
especially true in relation to the recent sinking
of the mains in the Eighth avenue, where the
ipcGmtetency or the Obstinacy of a contractor
would have endangered the transmission of
water to the lower reservoir. No one recog
niztd this fact more readily than Mayor Wood
himself, who agreed that this important work
should not BIO left to the hazards Of con.
tract. For supplying water to the west side
Cf the town, it was necessary to keep the twD 80
inch pipes n the Eighth avenue full Of water,
while they were sunk from five to eleven feet
through a rock cuttiOg for a length OF quarter of
o mile. The work was done without breaking or
straiIing joint and at a comparatively small ex-
pence In the same manner Ia 1850, the Board
lowered similar mains in the Fifth avenue for
81, G33, when the work had been estimated to
cost from $50, 900 to 500 600.
In consequence of the rapidly increasing demand
for water, the Board has found it necessary to lay
another large pipe accoss the High Bridge. When
the two now there were put dOwn, in 1SiS, the
City had lees than 100000 inhabitants Now il
hos move than 900, 600. Of course the Board did
not We ture TO trust work Of this char 4rter, at
the most important point in the whole line of CON
ductOis to such men az we all know get hold Cf
City contracts. The Department applied to the
Common Council tor authority to put down the
proposed main; it was readily granted, approved
by Mayer Tiemsnp, and the work was und ,rtakeD.
Anticipating trouble from Mayo. Wood they took
INT pTccbuOn 10 contract 1or the Iron ana lOr tne
putting together Of the sections reserviOg only to
the Department the delicate duty of leveling tho
pipe on the bridge and Meeting it with the gate
houses. The pipe, which is in ll2 sections,
is of rolled iron, half au inch thick aud seven
feet and half in diameter, and is to be
Ibid about two feet above the present cast
iron mains The Board uncovered the old
pipes, and made preparations to put down the
new one, when they were notified by Mayor Wood
that he should sign pay rolls unless all the
work was done by contract; and in his haste TO
exercise his power he made the order apply to
oth, works, which be had expressly sanctioned
only short time before.
OF course, the whole business is suspended at the
preci,o point where tue Mayors htcrdict found it.