The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-31
THE cRoToN AXE.

the CrotOn Has Done for New York-A
Visit to the Fountain Hcad-Thc Scenery
Around the Lake-Why New Workers Should
Rejoice.
Remembering the water famine which for many
weeks has visited the people Of Philadelphia-a
famine the grievance Whereof more to be depre-
Gated than that Of food-the citizens Of Manhattan
should ofer p@ans in praise Of their oil but mex
haustibe CrOon. in that for upwards OF quarter Of
century 1t has poured unceasing volumes Of pure
delight at their very doors.
Indeed so accustomed have the residents Of Man.
haitian become TO their water supply and so extrava
CANT In Its USE that few Of them ever pause to In
Quire whence II cometh whittier II goeth.n Vast
"a are our resources, New Workers need
not be so reckessly wasteful Of them,
for the Croton is not inexhaustibe to
the degree which the adjective ordinarily
implies. There counties can be made to contribute
their springs to the feeding Of the Cr0ton lake and
reservoir; and say $780, 0Oo 900 further expended
on the lines OF the Croton works 1t is possible that
New York, with TO- 900, 600 souls-f SO many by in
geniOus packing in tenement houses could be domi-
ciled within its corporate limits-mignt as readily
be supplied as 100000.
A PHOTOGRAPHIC MAP OF wRsTCHESTER, PUTNAM
AND DUCHESS
shows that artificial lakes eau at comparatively
small sums be constructed in an almost continuous
line for upward OF forty miles north OF the Croton
lake-itself an artificial reservoir-each capable OF
containing many billions Of gallons Of water. Give
the engineers money enough, and there is no ques-
ton as 10 the unlimited supply OF the aqueous uid
which they can command. For example, the
Croton Aqueduct Department some two years
ago determined that it was absolutely necessary to
add to the resources of the present reservoirs other
bodies Of water, and in quantities sufficient to place
a q n
ingly Putnam and Westchester counties were care.
fully surveyed and a
HYpRoGRAPHIC MAP
prepared on which 1t was clearly demonstrated that
more water, from springs and other sources, could
be obtained than, with the present aqueduct ca
pacous as 1t is, could be conveyed to High Bridge
and thence to the great water collections in the
Park and the distributing reservoir at Fiftieth
street. Consequent on such discoveries, 1t was re-
solved by the Board TO purchase the grounds at
Boyd's Corners, in Putnam county, as those best
adapted for vast
STORAGE RESERVOIR
The area OF this reservoir, into which the water Of
Putnam county Will jim oil probability be admitted
later than June Of next year. is 800 acres and Its
capacity according to estimates prepared with much
care will be $780, 208 857 gaous Or in plain words,
upwards Of three and quarter billions, suicient IN
six months The plain area Of this new lake il 2.0S7
square miles. Its extreme length ia 1900 feet or
nearly one mile and one-third, and lts elevation
above mean tide Is 600 feet. The dam which con-
fines the southern end of this pond Is magnificent
specimen Of masonry Is 700 feet IN breadth ana six
the waters OF Putnam there is a direct channel to
Croton lake Of upward OF twenty-three miles, or
course
which, ten years ago. was considered all-suflcient
for generation or two, Is much larger body OF
water. We cannot give the holding capacity OF this
beautiful reservoir, which, ike gem OF price sur
rounded by emeraids lies nestled In the verdure-clad
hills OF Westcheser We can only say OF 1t that its
average depth iN fifteen feet or whereabouts its width
an eighth or q mile ana its length four miles. the
notice, however, insist that the surveyors Of the
CrOtOn Department are mistaken in their calcutta
saa ina " py sSe the da
An uninquirng visitor, standing on the shores or
sailing over the bosom OF this, when in repose,
scenery that encompasses 1t, would never imagine
Croton lake was an artificial body OF water that
in the country between the Hudson river and the
Bronx (Which latter, but few feet In width and
a British army to crossl stream. noisy in its
course flowed in deep valley that now is the water
stOrehouse for the metropolis Of America.
DEPTH OF CROrON LAKE.
In the centre OF the lake-that Is in the channel
there are spots the pummet cannot sound under
sixty feet; and again, there are other places even
at reasonable distance from the shore, where 1t Is
dangerous to navigate ship Of ton in measure
ment.
This lake is surrounded bya
MAGNIFICENT COUNTRY,
very billy 1t Is true, having narrow causeways and
steep nclinatiOns which only sure-fOOted quadru-
ped can ascend descend with safety, but 1t Is as
healthy as 1t Is hily 1t ID country in which pure
cold springs abound, which springs rapidly aggre-
gate their waters into noisy creeks In which specified
trout rejoice and grow fat; and 1t curious fact,
the rod for there are no PROFESSIONAL Of
the inny tribes near the lake-wtll verify, that
while IN the streams TROUT are possible Of the largest
eels. sun and catfish are there IN abundance, but
trout fight shyy Of 1t. Perhaps they care little for
e g hsS q b pss tine
pool that takes the waters through forty miles of
brlckwork to the confines Of New York island
But let US discourse further upon our
WATER SUPPLY.
We have remarked that, adding to the means OF
| can be poured into our city. We have shown that
there s In the three counties that lie Immediately
north Of New York water sufficient, which. II col
lected to sulflce for population OF 10000, 600
Of people; but to get this water the Harlem
river High Bridge would have to be greatly en-
larged, 80 that ten pipes OF the capacity Of those
| now in the long chamber which rests on Its many
arches might be added and another aqueduct OF
| TO feed them, built parallel to the present one.
| These with the ponds that could be constructed,
almost as numerous as the letters Of the alphabet,
would be sufficient TO make New York City entirely
| Indifferent to protracted droughts.
WATER FAMINEs.
1t Is right and proper that our citizens should use
the Croton as blessing rather than as drug 1t IS
| precious element. Without 1t what would New
York beP Certainly not the magnificent city 1t now
Is. 1t Is its Croon quite as much as Its admirable
situation the that has made this the third
city In population In Christendom, and In the course
Of years the first city In all the world Strike out OF
existence the water supplies which The Croton and
the RidgewoOd works, with unstinted measure, pour
| into New York and Brooklyn, and these proud towns
| would rapidly depopuate, and hall century after
| wards ruins would cunlber grass-grown ave-
nues that once were lined with magnificent super
structures, dedicated to business, TO social, 10 re
gi0us and to educational purposes.
Until the Croton water, pure and sweet, found Its
| way into the
| ISLAND OF NEW YORK
| the city rather langushed. IL grew very slowly.
| Public pumps and private wells even years before
| the people voted the introduction OF the Croton.
| were found inadequate TO the demand, and
| In twenty-seven years what has not this blessing
| "ke the dews OF heaven falling silently upon The