New-York tribune., 1871-06-14
CHIEF ENGINEERS REPORT, APRIL, 1871.
DEPARTMENT OF PUPLIc WORKS,
NEw-YoRK, April "a, 1871.

NEW-GORk, Aprl ~, 1871.
To Hon. WILLIAM NJ TWEED Commissioner Of P"'F'e
Works.
SIR: On assuming the duties OF my Office on the first OF
NAV last made an examination OF the Croton Aqueduct
works and became satisfied that the Aqueduct proper
was i'm ssfe condition to pass sufficient quantity OF
water for an ADEQUATE supply OF the city during the
suing yesT woI SS Sy tSGhd eyer ' Water at oW elevations
and upon examination, discovered that many of the
and in the streets were partially closed which had the
effect OF diminishing their capacity to deliver water IN
he cty and that athOug the reservoirs were full and
oyerwing the did not receive water at sueh
elevations and quantities as the hight OF water IN the
We Immediately had the valves fully opened, and al
lowed the uninterrupted flow OF water through the mains
and pipes fill their capacity which had the elect OF
materially increasing the head or hight at Whch water
was delivered to the consumers ..,-.,. -,
water delivered in the city in 1862 it was evident mat
during the extreme droug OF that year large part OF
the city came very being entirely without water
From the time OF the earliest examination OF the Croton
River for supplying with water unti sne CON-
the dry was repeatedly examined ana gauged
different and competent & ana ins ater tes m
extreme dry times was only twentyseVen million gal
Ions daily. a.
duet covers about uar hundred and has storage
capacity OF about i've hundred million gallons above
level that viii allow the Aquedct to deliver thlrty-hye
million gallons per day The new Receiving Reservoir
in the Central Park has capacity OF one thousand
million gallons the old Receiving Reservoir IN the
Central Park about one hundred and fifty million
gallons and the Distributing Reservoir at Fortysecond
ber 1859 OF this available supply was practically eT
hausted and the only remaining source was the snai
amount which was running In Croton River and when
probably did not exceed twenty million gallons
per day. The supply to the city for some time preVus
To October was very much restricted by the partial CLOS
ing the stopvaves OF the mains and pipes wheIe ney
leave the reservoirs and also throughout tne cay, III
order to prevent the entire draining Of the reservoirs
and at the time prevent the higher parts vi ''
city from being left entirely without water /, ,,,,
On the third Of October there was heavy ram t
filed the CrOton Lake and enabled the Aqueuu,o ,ht ha
that time 10 carry any desired quantity 'n'' n'e' "
needed A.. ,ho soason
With knowledge OF these facts, and that he eson
OF 1870 up To the LIST of May bad been dflt %
durnR the same months and also that the @
had more storage reservoir -, ta,mediae at
than they had In 1862 IL was eVlush sunply
tenton should be given 10 procuring an az a ~ Isgo ff'
OF water for the city during tDe ~ have their risa
The Croton River and Its trlDulslo' n.,as thou,h
,,rtnota i ster and Putnam Iouhtcs, thoueh
some OF the small tributaries rlse III r,a Whale area
d -, a., the state Connecticut lho WiloIe aisa
OF land which drains into tne ,io.ou a., ahont three
MIR, a. which the Aqucduct is suppneu Is apous
fi.a III torty sauare miles Al or nea, ,ie souIeos
~ @ ~ ,be tributaries there are natrhl lakes raIy
G " hhl m 80 @ from fifty to five hundred acres. lnese
iafes are generally OF great a1P.n anu d are smnnied
rHabIy pure, clear, ana llmpd anu & az esPp ar
s,1 s,rings In the lakes or from sprgs
eltHor 49,, bht short distance through EFuets Deiore
entering them. axamina,ion had been made OF the
o. AI.' or supply it determined that tue only
s for obtaining full and adequate Supply vi .a.cI
@ % cy would be by securing the risht 10 uraw uown
Ioihcr Ioi OF these lakes, and In accordance win your
,rnctions such rights were sechred anu .hc ouuots
re emf down. and full and ample supply OF pure anu
eso,ne water was furnished TO the ety during tue
entre cason, notwithstanding tie iset wa" 'nc
a. ysT0 was much severe than thht vi !oot by
which was kept by this Department. ~ BOY
Corners IN Putnam County. the record SHOWS taa'