The New York herald., 1870-11-19
r HE CR0TON.
New York City Secured Against a
Water Famine.
Description Of tho Great Reserve Crot:n Dam in
Putnam County-A Reservoir Of Four
Hundred and Fifty Acres Area.


liant display may paint 1t in brighter colors than
would the man or after years. accustomed to gorgeous
scenes; but TO my recollection the Croton water
celebration at New York In 1S42 surpassed anything
OF the sort have since beheld. And yet ! did not
realize the Importance Of the great work just COM
pleted, and believe large portion Of the enthusi-
astic people who participated in that celebration
were, 10 some extent, like myself-thsy failed 10
form 1.-THE OF the estimate OF the benefits the metro
polls would derive from the Croton Water Works.
And believe there were very many who had no
idea OF the magnitude Of the great work. They
knew they had water conveniences never dreamed
OF before; they knew there was huge granite water
receiver on Murray Hill, and that an immense num-
per OF iron pipes connected the city with sparkling
stream, known as the Cr0ton river; and this was
ABOUT all the majority did know, even cared, 80
long as their water supply was bountlul and their
water tax light.
Well, twenty-elght years have passed away, and
the growth OF the metropolis, even beyond the most
sanguine anticipations of the boldest prophet OF
future greatness, has increased the water demand
III proportion. The projectors OF the original enter
prise and the Croton Board began to see the fact
clearly that at an earlier day than had been antic
pated by them the volume or water at the fountain
head must be increased the interests of the city
suffer- And this would be especially the case In
time OF drought. In case Of extreme drought not
only would manufacturers, but individuals, suffer
from the limited supply And the fact came home
to almost every family residing in elevated portions
of The city for after the down town machinery had
been set in motion for the day 1t was dicut for such
families to procure water In their upper rooms and
impossible without pumping or carrying 1t by pals
fu up the various flights Or stairs. Hence the pro-
jection OF the great reserve Croton dam In Putnam
county.
I iha hte i,,,vc
structure and its surroundings permit me briefly to
show how accurate were the estimates Of the pro-
jectors Of the dam with regard to the
necessities OF New York in the water
line. In the summer or 1860 the effect or
the drought in the city was severely felt than
at any previous time. The past summer promised
even more severe drought and the Croton
Board became alarmed for the interests
OF the metropolis. Feeling that an obliga-
ton by no means to be avoided was devolvng
upon them, and without the slightest disposition to
shirk their duties they began immediate and earnest
action. +. II. Tracy, Engneer.in- n-Chier OF the de-
partment, was Immediately sent to Putnam county
in order to ascertain how the water deficiency in
New York could be best supplied and at the short
est notice The result was that the water rights OF
the following lakes were secured:--
Lakes Cleneida Giead Mahopac Barrett, China
and Kirk.
Lake Gead is located one mile from the village OF
Carmel and IL a lovely body OF spring water or about
two miles IL length by one-quarter the distance in
width. II has been drawn OF about ten feet below
the usual water mark and the water thrown into
the Cr0ton river. Gleneida has been drawn down
from i've to SIX feet Mahopac about four feet, Bar
retLand China lakes drawn heavily upon and KIRK
lake nearly destroyed, some thirteen feet OF water
having been drawn on
or course, New York has received from these
n wa ntpr. hnt tha Ia
| Of Putnam county cannot realize the. necessity on
the part OF the Croton Board. and they inclined
| to grumble at what they consider an infringement
| upon their rights. Their lovely spring lakes are
rendered less attractive, although, further than
! any particular damage has been done, other than
| the fact that some Of the washerwomen have to go
Few steps further for pals OF water But he this
as 1t may all further trouble may be avoided after
the great Croton dam shall have been completed,
permit me to describe:-
In the town OF Kent, the most wild in Putnam
county, about four miles from Carmel on the road
to Farmers Mills, there is deep valley, nanked by
ragged mountains, some eight or nine hundred feet
IN height at the southern extremity declining
toward the north perhaps two three hundred
feet for the distance OF about three miles, and then
arising oace more In solid grandeur. Flanking this
valley these two rocky ridges meet at the southern
extremity within distance OF nine hundred feet,
and here the great dam is located.
The structure IS certainly magnificent one
reaching as 1t does from the mountain on he west
to that on the east 1t is $40 feet IN length 90 feet
III height above the surface OF the earth and 80
laid 1t was commenced thirty feet below the surface
| and upon solid rock, to which the first layer OF
| stones were riyeted and cemented, and then came
the other layers, step by step, until the foundation
had been completed and the towering wall began to
The wall at the earth's base is sixty feet in width
and at tue top eleven feet The granite blocks are
handsomely cut: VIII average twenty-five inches,
and are laid IN regular courses, like the bricks OF
well built mansion. The wall Is heavily capped and
the centre, where the stones do not meet Is file l
with concrete masonry as rm as the granite itself.
The dark centre line can be seen while standing at
either end OF the work.
From this dam the water is not to constantly,
but to be kept In reserve for a supply In time OF
scarcity as was the case the past In such
an emergency The gates are 20 be opened and any
amount OF water can be furnished. These gates are
located on the inside OF the aam and when raised
win permit the water TO rus. out through two OPEN
ings OF four feet six inches The west branch OF the
Crot0n river, and q hundred tributaries, supply the
reservoir; but at no time VIII the Croton be de-
q the dam NV viii the usual sapp e ,s E fessF
volr is once full. This overall instead OF being
locNted IN or near the centre OF the dam where 1t
might injure the masonry Is located at the extreme
western end OF the work and over q bed OF solid
rock some one hundred feet having been blasted
into the mountain side for this purpose. On the
inside OF the structure to prevent too heavy pres
sure against the gates, another structure or guard
win give protection by being placed just In front OF
the opening. The stone for building the work was
procured on the mountains nanking the dam, the
iarthest distance any one Of them was hauled be-
ing four miles. The ridges are still white with
broken lragments
To describe the valley which is to form the reser
voir Is difficult task Its area IS 346 acres. Let
the people of New York city pause and consider for
moment as they are passing Through the Central
Park and see the reservoirs there that In Putnam
county, fifty miles distant they have reserve rsser
weir nearly as large as the whole Of that splendid
park itself.
1t Is but few days since visited the Croton Dam
for the purpose OF writing this account for the
HERALD. felt that the country at large would be
interested In the details, and IN other paper
would It's circulation be so wide or approximate to
it, found quite village, composed OF the resi-
dences Of workers. Everything seemed orderly.
One little dog barked, but, probably smelling out
and licking our hand The children ceased their
play and gazed at US, while the women drew back
and peered silently through their single window
Smiths shops were buslly engaged; men were at
work everywhere but our first business was to find