New-York tribune., 1872-03-27
THE CROTON DANGER.
HISTORY, PROSPECTS, AND PERILS OF THE
WATER SUPPLY OF NEW-YORK.

WATER SUPPLY OF NEw-YORK.
THE COLLECT POND" AND THE "TEA-wATER
PUMP - EARLY wATER-woRKs - SOURCES
AND QUALITY OF THE PRESENT SUPPLY
THE STORAGE REsERVolhs-rhh c.' ohoioS ~
WATER sHED-DRAwTNG FROM THE PUTNAM
AND wEsTCHEsTER LAKEs-HoW TO PIE
VENT A WATER FAMINE.
1t is nearly 100 years since the SUBJECT VI
supplying NewYOrk with water began To attract to a"
tention of the city authorities, and although from te
10 time such action has been taken as seemed hAey ~
meet all future necessities the subject to-day is again
brought forward, and demands immediate attention.
P1or to the year 99 the dependence of the people OF
the city for water was on the old Collect Pond the
famous "Tea-watar Pump" and wells In different
parts Of the city In iT74, when the total popuaoh
OF the city did exceed $4,000, works were con
structed by Engineer Christopher Coils, on the east
line OF Broadway between the present Pearl and "he
sts Here a reservoir but and a large well sunk
In the "Coect Pond" filed up and covered with
costly buildings defray the expense OF these works.
paper money 10 the OF R2O0 issued by the
corporation and called WaterworSs Money and bonds
20 the amount Of issued in favor OF certain
individuals for land and material The breaking out OF
the Revolutionary in 1775 and the occupation OF the
city by British these works. while yet unconl-
peted, TO be abandoned. The "Tea-Water Pump" was
situated in Chathamst east OF Pearl. It's water was
pure and soft and the pump resorted to from all
parts OF the city AS late as I79 the records OF the
Common Council indicate Its popularity resolution be-
passed prevent the street being obstructed by the
water carts and the being required to raise and
enghen the spout for the convenience OF the
sidewalk The well still remains, covered with o Tat
stone.
fruitess effort made in 1859 70 obtain water for
the city from the River Bronx, and favorable report
was made by Engineer william Weston, but further
action taken that tme owing 70 the orgauiza-
ton Of the Manhattan Company This Company
was Incorporated by act OF Legislature, dated
April 2, 1879, the object being supply the city
With pure and wholesome water. Instead OF seek
ing for a foreign supply, the Company erected
reservoir aud dug wells on Chambers ana heade-
sts., near Centre, from which they supplied the
city until ls22 The water not remarkably good and
many people in the lower part Of the city we're furnished
with water by carts from Knapps Spring the North
River side FOurteenthst. This was an excellent
natural spring, very popular nearly all down
town Offices being furnished at the rate OF two gallons
per day for twenty-five cents week. The carts
painted red and white, and are well remembered by
many old citizens II is said that the drivers used TO
by repenshDg their casks from wells IL g. Johns
Park. The Manhattan Company also had a branch In
Bleecker-st The charter OF this Company permitted
h TO do general banking business which was
organized in 17ss, in wall-st., tand under which
the Manhattan Bank las existed and does busi-
ness to this day. This found much more
profitable than the water business, so that the
Company made little opposition when, in 1922, the
Common Council again took the subject Of the water
supply for the city. may be interesting Ito know that
the Manhattan Bank still its yater-works at the
corner of Reade and Center-st occupied
foundry, and still holds itself ready to fulfill the re-
quiremcnts Of its charter by supplying al demands
made on IL for "pure and wholesome water" The site
OF the present T. Court formerly occupied
by q portion Of the works of this company.
Between 1872 and 1882, the Common Council took re-
peated lon with view to obtaining water from the
Bronx and in 1926 the Legislature Incorporated the
NevYork water-works purpose, the charter
OF this Company found defective, and without
complshng anything It dissolved in 1877 and for
five years longer the subject rested without important
action.
Al length in 1882 the Common Council employed De
Witt Clinton to examine the CrOtOn River and the
streams in IFS vicinity, with view TO finding source
from which an inexhaustbe supply of pure water could
be obtained and report the best plan OF crossing the
Harlem River and bringing the water TO reservoirs
within the city In December Of the same year Mr..
Clinton reported in favor Of the Croton River and recon-
mended taking the Pines Bridge $50 feet above
the level OF the Hudson and conducting IL IN an open
adueduct along the line OF the Croton and Harlem
Rivers crossing the Harlem River on an ARCH l3s feet
high and 1000 in length. He estimated the cost at
s25OOO0o In compliance with this report the Common
Council in 1885, pettiOned the Legislature for an act
creating commission to examine the subject OF sup
plying the City OF NewYork with pure and wholesome
water" The report OF the Commission was such that
In May 1884, an OF the Legislature passed TO pro-
vide for supplying the city with water Operations were
begun on the work early in 1887 and it far
peted that water admitted to the city the ih OF
July, 1912, the only unfinished part being the High
Bridge over the Harlem River which completed IN
ls4s
ABUNDANCE AND PURITY OF THE CRoroS.
Very few II any, large cities Of the present day
literally provided with pure water as New-Tork The
following table gives the supply to eaeh person in
number of important cities:
Gais Gals
Manchester. in 1882. .....0 Glasgow IN ls62......5O
Liverpool in 1862 80 Lon don, IN 1862 .......50
Edinburgh, in 80 Ne T9Ork In 1872 80
In purity also the water OF NewYork is far superior
10 that Of other cities. From table, recently COM
piled by Prof Chandler of Columbia College giving the
Impurities contained in wine gallon OF 231 cubic
inches expressed in grains. the following is taken:
New York k......... 47s Cleveland ........... 6.27
Boston ............. 3ll Chicago 6.6s
Philade phia $50 London. 1888
Albany. ........... 1913 Paris ................ ss3
Troy ............. 7.43 Amsterdam 1853
syracuse. ........---- lj.sJl
On this subject Prof. Chandler says:
No one who has examined the district OF 33s
square miles which supplies the Croton River will be
surprised az the purity OF the water shown by dnay
Sis M56taHs G n.!ls .!is | rftntiAn gness receive the
fan-fall which ia quickly absorbed and filtered by the
pure siceous sands and grayes TO gusn outn number