The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-04

built OF stone 1,450 feet long with fourteen PIERS
eight OF eighty feet and six OF fifty feet span, ia leet
From this bridge at the p foot Of i7ath street
the aqueduct proceeded to the receiving reservoir
at the corner OF street and Sixth avenue
covering hirtynve acres, and capable OF containing
one hundred and fifty millions OF gallons, whence
the water was conveyed to the distributing reservoir
on Murray Hin OF capacity or twenty-one millions
OF gallons, and thence distributed by means Of iron
pipes through the city. The work progressed rap
IDLY. On the 4th Of July, 1912, the water was
let into the reservoir, and the event was celebrated
by an imposing procession"
We have introduced the above quotations to give
the reader some idea OF the WORK, which was cei.
tainly stupendeus for the time and to contrast II
with the magnificent additions and improvements
which have since been made and the works that are
contemplated or actually in course OF completion.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE AoUEDUCr AND Dam.
The building OF the aquedrct-a work OF more
OF seven feet and five inches and a depth or eight
feet and i've inches, and nearly forty miles IN lent;
in comparatively brief space Of time. 1t was at
the time without parallel, and the Water Commis-
an .h Tenot to ne SSard oF for
speaking In Mandatory terms OF the BUILDING OF the
Croton dam (which has width OF $50 feet, win ~,
stood both the frost OF the winter ana the unusual
fall and hoods Of rain beyond their expecta-
extent Of the work and the great weight OF the
walls, embellishments and mason work, passing az 1t
tthe aqueduct does over almost every variety OF
material OF foundation it has settled much than
could have been anticipated II has in fact settled
in few places. and in but one (Bathgates meadow,
in Westchestcr county, TO any material extent"
All things considered, the work was fairly done: bnt
since 1912 very many repairs have annually been
question its power Of withstanding the extraord-
nary pressure which, If used to It's full capacity,
through It OF one hundred millions of of gallons
New York measurement Of water every
twenty-four hours. With our present popl.
daily consumed, and If in ten or twenty years the
population should double 1t must be apparent that
the MT aueduft win be wholly
degree future requirements 1t Is thought that for
many purposes salt water may be advantageousy
enlargement OF the present water passage.
SOURCES OF SUPPLY.
That we may obtain rational idea of the sources
of supply and the improvements which are contem-
plated or In progress we shall commence our mental
Journey at the sources of the Crcton and thence pro-
gress to the city, where particularly ut High Bridge,
the most active progress for the efficient service OF
the most northern part Of the island is in pro-
gress OF organization. cH
THE STORAGE RESERVOIR .
- The water which IL distributed to the citizens OF
New YORK with liberal hand is. as we have already
remarked, gathered from the springs and water shed
or Putnam county. This district OF country Is
greatly intersected by small streams, and through
Typographical surveys Ii Is shown that II necessary
all the water, at comparatively small expense, can
be gathered In deep depressiOns OF the soil, and
which may, at some remote period of time, have
been basins for the collection of rains-these vary
OF suriace-and thence by natural or artificial
fifteen of these sary me ponds" 0n apha fs
marked on Typographical chart now in the
has recently been selected as 'storage reservor''
This "dry pond" Is now having magnificent dam
built at its southeasterly end. When finished and
ready 10 receive water the reservoir will have
face OF three hundred and three acres and win be
capable of holding the enormous quantity OF nearly
three thousand million gallons OF water Re-
servoir is at a place called Boyd's Corners and
rs distant from the Croton dam twenty three and
three-quarter miles, Some idea Of the extent of this
ARTIFICIAL lake may be gathered from the comparison
or It with tina. of the new reservoir in the Park. 1t
Is OF three times the area and of three times
soon to Se Collected BODY of Water ro only e'is
contingent necessity is apparent Should at any
season inc drought continue 50 long that the Croton
stand In good stead, and the people OF Manhattan
Island would not be necesstated to return to the
"wels and pumps OF former times" or desert for
aye the city Of their sorrows and their hopes.
THE DAM.
me dam at the mouth OF this reservoir will GER
tainly be splendid specimen OF masonwork. 1t
will he $50 long and So feet above the bed Of the
stream which passes through the gorge and in
which runs part OF the CrOtOn river. Preliminary
to the work above the surface Of the ground It was
found that to make solid and lasting structure
infallibe foundation must be reached. In order
to obtain this It was deemed necessary
to turn aside the bed Of the stream
solid rock was reached Gpon this foundation of
fifty feet IN width was laid and from 1t, gradually
diminishing In the number of cubic feet OF mason
dam In the area Of the reservoir tof which, includ
ing its externas tere are four hundred and twenty
acres OF and purchased at an average price OF about
$3.50 per acre, and now wholly in tine hands OF the
Commissioners as fee simple property there are now
burying grounds and many valuable trees. These
superstrucrures and vegetable growths and the re-
mains Of former Inhabitants OF the region around
VIII be carefully removed before the adding waters
shall have closed forever the space science has
set apart for the storage OF the waters. The valley
In which this reservoir will presently be s shut in by
lofty and picturesquely situated hills.
ITS CAPACITY.
The reservoir itself viii be OF irregular form, its
extreme length 1000 and its width $500 feet. It's
average depth will be Is feet We have heretofore
remarked that the capacity Of the new pond will be
II will, when full hold q few thousand gallons less
than $500, oOO, 0o0-an enormous quantity, enough
city with water sucIent to keep them In good estate
for a year. But our free and easy citizens are
profisc in their expenditure of the aqueous fuid.
and among million OF them they hesitate not to
use and waste the enormous total Of q 9oo 1000
OF gallons. or 2l,9oo gallons. per individual,
"t the ne oroson ane
Internationally extravagant, as the following anec-
dSte ilg LIZ meter was without the know
In private residence in Twenty-eighth street, and
at the expiration OF twenty-four hours consulting
1t and either consumed or lost two thousand eight
hundred gallons OF Cr0tOn. Three hundred and fify
Simply criminal wasteuness II eacS family V on the
island initiated the example OF tue one we have here
cited, volume OF water equal to the capacity OF the
Harlem river would hardly be deemed sufficient for
the general use. The Board Of Croton Commission
eTs are, however. exceedingly DESTROYS that even
the wasefulness OF the people should be anticipated
and hence the stupendous works now In progress
~ Boyds Corners. Another reason for the building
OF st0sage reservoir was the, at times lowness OF
the water In the bed OF the Croton river Measure
ments assured the engineers Of the commission that
during the dry months less than thirty-hve millions
OF gallons passed its bed into the lake or apout
twenty-five millions OF gallons I'm the twenty-four
hours below what was demanded below High Fridge.
The reservoir II is believed will not pass out of the
hands OF the builders before the close OF the summer
OF 1s70in sufficient time, however, to have IL filed
by the autumn rains and the accommodations of the
winter and spring for the demands OF the following
summer, when the population Of the city, being not
less than one hundred and fifty thousand IN excess
demands upon 1t rs will keep IL ut low ebb.
OTHER SITES FOR BASINS
Tn time other sites I'm the Croton valley, all OF
which were surveyed some years ago by the then