The New York herald., 1867-03-15
cRoroN WATER.

eurs-Facts ~ 10 the Consumption Of Gro.
ton-WiiI the supply be Sufficient for the In
crease OF Population e. Remedial Measures
. Neces-ity-New Works Contemplated by
the Cr0fon Board. &c. tN
'Wilfu waste makes woeful wantn is household
phrase the truth Of which acknowledged by all ma.
tons and has had tho Of all ages Its verify
h none the less applicable TO those things which nature
has provided for with bountifu hand than to thoss
which because OF theis scarcity become intrip al
eslly valuable. From as very prosuseness the,e is
nohingthai l. rcckiessy. even sinfully wasted
- our Csoton water SO great has been the Increase Of
this waste-the consumption OF the supply actually
doubling every few yean-shat public atspton ia being
called 70 the question whether the prese1 means Of SUM-
ply will be commensurate with the prospective increase
q population Is but short time ago that the HERsIp
published in Its svoice Of the People" number Of CON-
nunicaiions bearing ths subject Some Of our cor
respondents eompaned that already the head or force Of
water ~as not susfcient TO keep a supply in the
Sand stones OF many OF our buildings espe-
cialiy those situated the moro elevated portions OF
Of the island and the query was strongly put to the
Croton Board why this deficit in quantity OF the most
Indispensable Of all neeessares was not remeded To
nis query there is ready answer the truth or which
van DC Acknowledged by all who investigate the sub
5ec 2 The water Is recklessy, snfully wasted and
rs force and quantity Of lessened in consequence
Persons who have paid attention to the matter assert
Shat twothirds or the daily supply finds IT'S way into
ne sewers without baving previously served any
useful purpose whatever This may be an overes,imate
but II the subject be submitted critical analysis the
disproport,n of the averment will be found not to be
% very great after all When take into consdera-
ton the known causes Of waste the amount Of water
which Is lost appears to be most startling but If to
these we add the ten thousand unknown avenues
through which the OsQ of In hr,u
about the sum becomes So stupendous as TO
force tie inquiry whether Immediate steps
must not be taken to prevent this reckless use or rather
misuse II thecty Is TO have security in the future for
sumciency Of Gods most benefcent gift mankind In
order to lay before the public Of the which
produce the present waste, and show what means
Il supply the have depend this article has
been prepared
The Croton lake. or fountain reservoir covers four
hundred acres and its available capacity estimated at
nix hundred millions Of gallons The Croton was intro
duced into this city in 1912 In 1s43 when the capacity
Of the fountain reservoir had been fully tested by one
years. USE Mr.. Tower engineer employed in the
struction of the works, made experiments
pendencc to be placed the supply and arrived
conclusion that in of prolonged drought
n the summer season. supectng the water the great
81 evaporation there would be sufficient furnish ono
nhon of Inhabitants with twenty gallons per day for
shs space of thirty consecutive days. This avermcnt
founded on authentic investigation, should be enough to
put at rest provided all useless were avoded any
fears that might be entertained as to failure in the
supply from any other than such afflicted the
children Of Israel iu the time of Elijah when as the
Scripture narrates he heavens shut up for three
years and six months"
The medium flow Of water from the lake Is nrty mil.
hons Of gallons in twentyfour hours; and the minimum
Aoxw offa Of
hons. Tho dam forcing head is thirty eight feet
above what originally the surface OF the natural
bow The surface OF the spring head OF Croton lake
sns hundred and sxtysx and onesixth feet above the
level Of tide in New York harbor and the differ
snce Of level betwsen that and the surface Of the old
ssceiving reservoir hrtyeigh miles dstant forty
seven and one-sxth feet leaving the surface Of the
reservoirs in Central Park hundred nineteen feet
Above the level OF tide. The surface Of the dis
ibutng reservoir In Forysecond street hundred
and fifteen feet above the level Of tide-hs last
being the height TO which the water may generally be
made available throughout the city
In addition TO tho natural capacity In the lake fsix
hundred millions OF gallons there Is always sufficient
water in the reservoirs TO the actual dema Of
lhe city should the man supply be cut on temporarily
Tor repairs 70 the dam for any other
n the reservoir a Eighty street there usually
In Central Park thousand and twenty nine
millions; in the distributing reservoir in Forty-second
Besides the reservoirs already erected the Croton
Board has commenced the construction OF another one,
- b known ss the High sarvce Works. at Carmans.
Siie, which will be used TO supply al that portion Of
the city north OF 13sh street. It's capacty will be-
sxsos figures 10 900 gallons and the average depth
ef wafer In it will be sixteen feet 1t will be built on
The elevated ground on the cliff Immediately south OF
High Bridge Harlem river, and will cover
esres Of land Tho bottom Of this reservoir win be two
hundred and stx-tenhs feet above mean high tide or
ssvenywo and twotenths feet above the floor Of the
aqueduct at the southwestern end Of the bridge. Il will
dtrfu firpoo nt
especially in supplying that part OF the northern dis
Ssict Of the city which lies above the level of pres
swo hundred and and sx.tenths feet above
hish tide Near 70 % The be-, work and and Immediately on
sds which Ge 'ae Ss' BE- Q, s5oa
hundred and seventy feet high. This tower
win sustain . stand pipe and an IRON tank with
capacity Of 600 GALLONS. This quantity 10 estimated
10 be ample for supplying during the necessary stop
page Of the pumping engines all that portion Of the
ncnloned. Tho highest point Manhattan island is
367 feet above high de the top level Of the water
Y the tower win be 32A feet These two sructures-the
from the aquedac by pnmpng engines placed under the
eiia and nearly the same level with the floor Of the
$500 co., Of which amount $500 900 was appropriated
~ The act Or 1s83 K s
cO"n Board k tho Contemplated storage reservoir tho
sits for vhch was seeced aftor thorough examination
bad been made BY the department 10 Of the en-
fre valley OF the Croton river This II intended TO in
Afer much deberation and analytical comparison OF
The advantages offered by he various sites examined the
character Of the water in each, and the pros
70 tive cost or land and construction, the De-
partment I'm ally selected plot In the township
a Kent, In Putnam county, known as Boyd's Corners,
The OF which will be speedily possible trans
formed into lake Tho dam 70 be erected here will be
twenty four miles above Croon dam, and seventy
miles from the City Hall. Iss elevation viii be six hun
ared feet above meaa high tide At the High Bridge,
four hundred and eghynve feet above the top water
level Of the receiving reservoirs In Central Park The
work when constructed will be seventy Ave feet high
from It's foundation, aud the Of land taken for the
reservoir will be about three hundred acres The O.
pacity OF this reservoir will be three billion three hun
6rsd and sixtynne million, two hundred and six thou
sand eight hundred and nfysoysn gallons Thecost of
shs work will DO $500 000 Tho contracts have already
bssn made and Il thought that the reservoir will be
completed at the close Of the year 1893
From what has been said above n will be readily
thai precau,on Is being takcn by the Department
prevent in the future any nck OF supply the city
even f the increase Of population In the metropolis
should exceed by far the ratio contemplated The
present means OF furnishing water in fact Of them
selves amply sufficient for introducing INTO the city
enough for the wants Of twice lis present Inhabitants N
the alarming waste could be ariy stoppe for IL Is