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

OUR WATER SUPPLY.
The Story Of the CrotOn Aqueduct-Its Origin
Ifs FOuntains-The Great Storage Reser.
voir-The Lake, the Dam, the Aqueduct-
High Bridge-Contemplated improvements
The Great Tube-The Park Reservoirs
Their Capacities-Quantity Of Water Pipes.
Ine nrst necessity OF vast population resident
within a limited area is water. without this "ele-
ment' sufncient quantity to make life tolerabe no
city, however otherwise admirably situated, long
retain Its existence and as for Importance as CON-
mercia centre it may vainly strive for, but never
attain Give 1t water, and though bread be distant
VIII thrve-will grow into afiuence and influence,
become an arbter among the nations, an entire
pet for the Industrial interests OF the most distant
States.
POPULATIONS
1t demands Of the mind no ratiocinatory process
to know why--other things being equal-some dis
trics OF country thicky and others thinly popu
lated. Given region wholly uninhabted and we
tntuitivey arrive at the why 1t is SO. With
out reading page upon its resources we say it is
arid-wthout water; ana until that want is supplied
by some means will continue desert. Flood the
vast expanse of Sahara the valley OF the Nile was
flooded when Osiris and Isis were worshpped In
Egypt and, In the words OF the Psamist, it would
blossom as the rose, 'bringng forth fruit abun-
dantly.n Usr
DEAD CITIES
In the more remote districts Of Central America,
and thence as the traveller journeys northward,
curious as to the vestiges OF civilization which
once held this magnificent Continent within
It's folds, but which has mysteriousiy passed away
he behods the ruins Of vast cities, of works
of architecture which in greatness rival even those
OF the present time; but nowhere does he find those
means for conveying and storing and distributing
water, without which it were impossible to exist IN
the consocial relation. The explorations made in
the
TERRITORY OF ARIZONA
within few months have made known to us the
existence OF ruins Of noble extent Of such precision
IN design and execution that those who beheld
them ready to admit that the intelligence OF the
builders could not have been Of mean order. With
this knowledge Of the remains Of these temples,
palaces and towns comes also the fact that they
all to be found In the hot, sterile, thirsty DESERT and
perhaps this fact explains why those who struggled
to uprear these monuments Of O far distant epoch
in Continents history have passed away, leav-
ing other sign Of the being of nations, which,
In the mysteries Of time, like shadows, came, and
Ike the changing clouds, passed with the breath OF
the winds away.
What has happened to the cities in the waterless
deserts Of Arizona, New Mexico and the countries
further to the south has also happened cities in
Northern Africa in the regions of the Red and in
the heart Of mysterious Asia, and from doubtless
similar reason.
LIVING CITIES.
II, on the other hand we inquire into the causes
which among other grand centres Of civilization and
which may be accepted as types of all, have made
London Paris and our own grand city destined to be
the richest, most populous and beautiful OF the CEN
tres of civilization. shall find the leading one to
be cheapness and comparative abundance OF water,
Paris Is well supplied with the necessary element
also, through its new river" is London. New York
s perhaps in this respect the superior Of these popu
ouS towns.
NEW YORK AND ITS WATER SUPPLY
Indeed, In Its command Of water, 1t may be said
TO and In the front rank OF the cities OF Christen-
dom, and OF the more ancient, imperial Rome only
one can be named as SURPRISING 1t. And given the
arteries in which to gather and conduct 1t from the
which has its water surface OF upward Of three hun
dred square miles-and the supply can be made
nlimitabie.
-, 10 tne quantity OF water now used and which can
revert presently. Before presenting In detail facts
and figures which 90 to prove that beautiful and
admirably situated city Is blessed before all Others
n perhaps would be well to recall in brief language
the condition in which the inhabitants were placed
anterior to the Introduction OF the Croton to their
shipping, Offices and kitchens on the 4ti Of July,
49, little over quarter of a century ago.
urme a @ pe So 2, people IN tine
island city Tor rather its people placed in the
years which preceded the important era that marked
The introduction OF the CrOtOn. In those gOOd old
times' men and women were necessitated to ira
verse sometimes even miles OF streets for water from
FAvORITE WELLS.
In those DAYS the well in Trinity place. In the
OF the church yard that on the corner OF Liberty
and the one in John street-from the water OF which
only connosseurs In tea would permit the stmulat-
ing beverage to be made-were among the favorite
resorts, where young men met fair maldens.
and with an artessness that ignorant OF
.Grecian bends" talked and looked sweetly
are cOmey matr0ns, upon whom fortune has smiled
and who move In fashionable circles, who remem-
Der the pleasant hours they have passed at favorte
pumps conversing with the beaux-now grave
enough looking Rentlemen-when their pretty heads
the ridiculous inventions of Paris miliners and
tuamakers.
POPULATION.
Previous to the introduction Of the Croton water
She city, compared with its present rapid OF
population, grew slowly. Its people numbered in
with safety be placed at 1000, OOo There are those
who estimate the number Of human beings who per-
are we indebted for this wonderful increase
IN the number OF our peopes We may
was the successful Introduction and the admirable
administration OF the water Of Putnam county, care
fully gathered in the Croton river and lake and
thence conveyed by one OF the IN ost gigantic under
takngs Of modern engineering-the aqueduct OF
nearly forty miles in length from the dam TO the
ceiving reservoirs in the Park-which are in them
selves material accomplishments Of which giants
might be proud.
TIE PEOPLES RESOLUTION.
To return. The question Of supplying the city
with water had been agitated for several years
terror to the year 1885. II felt even in 1920
unless water were introduced in sufficient quantities
10 supply every demand OF the people the future OF
the city would be bighted; but in his most am
bilious dream no prophet OF the Knickerbockers
saw that time near at hand when
millions upon millions OF gallons OF pure, fresh
water would be consumed daily his native
island One or two bold engineers proposed turning
the waters OF the Bronx river into the city tits con-
tents are more than wasted by us every twenty-four
hours, hui the idea not accepted, and authority
given 20 the Manhattan Banking Association 10
erect works In Chambers street and supply the city.
The attempt was a miserable failure. In 1888, the
city growing apace, and IL being somewhat In the
condition in which the ancient mariner was placed,
.l.o..