The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-11

unless something In done to remove the dncuIty 1t
will not be many years before New York VIII wake
morning TO find herself destitute OF water
II she were in the midst oil an arid DESERT and ~
helpless against the ravages OF dre and disease as
the peaks Of the Acroceraunian mountains are
against the strokes OF the thunderbolt.
From the reservoir dam the stream winds In %
southeasterly direction, taking In tributary from
two small lakes IN tile mountains, but lowing in
It's course towards Carmel through another swampy
tract, and receiving near the village the filthy drip
pings OF Dead swamp. Tins fountain Of malaria
includes within IT. limits about ZOO acres, and in all
respects 1t IL fully as noisome ana mephiric az
Patterson swamp on the East Branch. IL receives
and poisuns the water of Lake Glcnda, which flows
IN from the southeast and that OF Whang Brook,
which enters from the north At its outlet il
worthless dam that throws the water back into the
corrupting pool, only TO have its poison augmented
IN quantity and to allow the sun's rays to evapor-
ate from its mot. oness surface what pure water IL
may AFFORD 10 lend To the clouds. Below the dam "A
brook running from
PINE POND SMELLS THE TIDE
with volume oil clear wholesome water, and the
stream thus formed reaches the Vest Branch at IA
point between two and three miles from the new
reservoir, which, by the way, IL known thrOng out
Putnam county the "Dry Reservoirs name
winch think will justly be applied TO it for many
The West Branch from the point where IL re-
ceivcs the waters OF Dead Swamp TO the Highway
in its course to be almost without motion, anu IN
many places near either bank the water IL stag
nant, or nearly 80. This IL due TO the fact that Il
heavy bar crosses the stream near the Highway
Bridge and cffectually checks the current. AS mo-
ton III the very life Of water, the Importance Oh
having all the bars removed from the channels Of
the Croton and its tributaries cannot be over-esti
mated. From the bridge the current OF the WesL
Branch IL quite rapid, and becomes more anu more
so when il IN joined by the Middle Branch
and two smaller streams, ono irom WiNon
Pond, the other from the famous Lake
Gilead. Middle Branch rises IN Dutchess
county, and has but two tributaries. IL ~ very
valuable adjunct of the Croton, but the numerous
mill dams which obstrnct II greatly impair Us s use
to Croton Falls the West Branch moves through low
meadow land u distance OF two miles,
THE CRoToN RIVER PROPER,
In its course towards the main reservoir, or Croton
DAM takes in the Pitcus River at Purdy's Station,
Plum Brook at Goldens Bridge, Cross River at Kato
nah, and an important stream from Lakes Maho-
pac and Kirke near the head OF the reservoir This
last fows for half a. mile from LAKE
it Is joined by the outlet OF Kirke
Lake. short distance below the junction IL enters
moves suggishy through il. absorbing at every foot
of its progress the poison which the water OF the
swamp holds in solution. SO slow IL the current
of the stream through its marshy passage that ~
this point 1t has ever been known as the ''Still
Water.n What have said In regard TO the c0ndi-
ton of the streams have specified will apply to
the other tributaries of the Croon, only in lesser
degree; and trust that the facts given will con
vince the most sceptical that evaporation AMI ao-
sorption are the subjects which demand the most
careful consideration on the part OF those who are
entrusted with the duty OF keeping New
good pure water. Patterson and Dead swamps,
and the OF less extensive but no less OBJ
strnctve marshes which mar the beauty OF the
streams that supply first impede their now, ieaV-
ing their still surfaces at the mercy of the sum- and
then absorb into their myriad pores a large per-
centage OF their volume The water which escapes
has become impregnated with the poison OF the
decayed and decay ing soil, and has absorbed from
the stench-laden atmosphere much OF the deadly
gases which have eXhaled from the putrid marsh
surface. Until this water Ia washed by an inhuent
stream which has come down from a source pure
and indebted and through channel unobstructed
and interrupted II is as banefnl to the stomach as
acontc and foul to the organs Of taste and smell
as q compound solution OF assafntida.
WHAT Is TO BE DONE?
In the first place the numerous dams IN the trlbli-
tart cs of the CrotOn should be removed and all the
short bends cut on. Their channels should ne
widencd where widening Is necessary, and theif
beds should be graded so as TO give all the TALL
admitted by the topography Of the country. over
Patterson Swamp, Dead Swamp and the quagmirc
at the milk factory aqueducts should be laid; or.
what is far preferable for economical and sanitary
reasons, these and all other Swamps on the line OF
the water courses should be drained, one at time,
and then dug out to serve as natural
This done, hundreds of acres Of valuable land
would be reclaimed the pcstiential Odors nom the
swanps WOULD be scattered forever anu the water
marsh soil, bearing with 1t the seeds OF disease,
would be abundant pure and wholesome.
! At present in the dry season the water, after
| being distilled in these swamps, assumes wine
color and carries away with 1t vast quantities OF
matter OF greenish hue IL Is the popular belief
when these Appearances are visible in water drawn
| from hydrants that the dark tint is the re-
suit of heavy rains IN the north, which have
washed the soil into the Croton: but the truth is
that the water is often discolOred when there has
been rain in the CrotOn region and that II loses
It's color Immediately after heavy showers II will
be remembered that few years ago there was
general alarm in the metropolis arising from the
1MpuRirY OF THE CRoToN WATER
during drought The Water Board employed
Professor Chiffon and other chemists to anayze the
water, and the discovery was made that the dis
celebration due TO the presence, in large guam
titles. Of decomposcd vegetable hbrc II de
serves 80 be recorded that no effort was
made to learn anything In regard to the
source from which this extraneons mat
/ ter proceeded or To provide against its appear
ance in future. IL has been and is contended by
many who have made the subject a study that the
water supply has at all times been sufficient ana
| that 1t Is now unnecessary TO force an in
crease by cutting down the lakes In Putnam county
| They reason that there would never be any danger
i OF Il water famine If the supervision or the dstr
| button of water were governed by rules similar TO
those which regulate the distribution OF gas and
which make IL matter of great
INTEREST CONSUMER TO EXERCISE ECONOMY
Although il Is true that the prevention OF The
/ excessive waste Of water would do much TO insure
against failure Of the supply do not see that
the strctcst economy can, under existing circum-
stances, avail against at least great scarcity
when the population of the city has been increased
4 the pennilcss workman was, "Economize." The
water consumer will be adiured not 10 waste the
! charge more than sufficient water TO sake the
| family thirst. We may build dozen
more reservoirs but unless we depend upon the
clouds for water to supply them how they be
| fledY I would venture the assertion that the
| water poured into Patterson Swamp and Dead
Swamp and there swallowed up and evaporated is
sufficient In quantity to give every man, woman
and child Manhattan Island at least three-tenths
OF the average allowance of ninety gallons per
diem. As il is. this vast quantity IL lost, which
were the swamps removed could be utilized.
When the Croton water was first introduced into
New York. in 1912, the Common Council ordered the
publication OF book concerning the history Of the
great undertaking. In this memorial 1t is written =
'The average flow OF the water since It's introduce
| ton into the Croton Aqneduct has been about
! fourteen million gallons daily, which gives height
in the conduts of two feet four inches. Its capa-
city for delivery is more than quadrupe this guam
| tity, and the supply is equal to the utmost ca
| pacity."
A MILLION CONSUMERS.
This was when the population OF the city was
about three hundred and twenty thousand. There
are now at least one million people who consume
the Croton water and yet the supply has not been