New-York tribune., 1872-05-30
THE WATER SUPPLY.

THE WATER SUPPLY.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF HEALTIi-RE-
PORT ON THE CROTON SURFACE AND DRAIN
AGE GROUND-AN ABUNDANCE OF WHOLE
SOME WATER.
The Sanitary Committee presented report
relative to tho request Of Messrs Kane Ryan thas
they be allowed TO pile soiled from stables on their
dumplnggrounds at the foot Of East Fortyssxth and
Forty seventhss and recommended that no soiled or
damaged straw be allowed to be stored within the CITY
limits to be stirred In manner 20 as to produce
exhaatons Commissioner Barr said that Messrs. Kane
& Ryan were willing to dsinfect the straw President
Bosworh replied that those persons were always pro
fuse in promises which their subsequent acts did not
justify. Finally, by vote OF to the application OF
Messrs. Kane Ryan was denied.
large number Of applications to render rat and lard
IN bultup localities were denied A petition was re-
ceved from number OF persons having contracts for
removing manure from various public and private
stables asking that they be relieved from the provisions
between the hours OF p. M and Referred to the
Committee on Law and Ordinances. ,..
Health Inspectors were derelct in their duty There
many violations which, for some unexRahea fea
SON. not reported by the Inspectors he therefore,
moved that the various inspectors De assigned 10 lew
districts the first Of each month The mater was
Gross submitted the following encouraging report Oh
'Np 70 he BoG1d Of Hear The quality and quantity Of
the Croton water having been made the subject OF as
cusson In the public and elsewhere the Board OF
Health could not but take notice Of the disqetude aud
alarm created that account among our czens, ana
s Pe Ei chemist Of Of the Board Prof Charles F.
Chandler was forthwith requested to institute an ana
Croon water coming from the reservoirs the result Of
which has already been presented to the Board whhe
at the same time was resolved that the original feed
ers OF the said reservoirs in other words the sources OF
the Croton, should be examined A visit or tne vast
drainage OF the Croton Aqueduct was to this end
suggested and through the ready assent and kind assist
ance the Department of Public Works put IN execution
On last Thursday, the undersigned, with Mr. tracy
the Chief Engineer, and his assistant, Mr. EmmIs
IN I)r II Assistant
this Board, left the city on tour OF exploration Inc
Of water taken the spot that In the hands OF
their orsano and Inorganic constituents and other prop
critics appertaining to them These samples were
taken irom the lakes ra ana Pohas
we'll as from leading brooks and rivers constituting
the main feeders OF the central reservoir the CrOoh
Lake. An area of so miles from south to north
traversed this end aud thorough knowledge OF the
ply steal geological character OF the vast drainage
area obtained Reserying all details OF strictly chem
ca nature to be embodied in subsequent report ex
pected at early day from Prof. Chandler ana MS as
sisants lay before the Board the following general
observations: . 49,, l.,
The drainage area Of the Croton Aqueduct takes In
nearly all of the northern portion east to west OF west
chester County, the whole of Putnam County ana tae
eouhern part OF Dutchess County, excepting only sueh
portions OF the same where at certain point along tne
son River instead Of the Croton branches, ana re-
spectively the Croton Lake. 10 impress
still more forcbly as to the wonderfu adapedness
OF that region to serve as the great waterrese'0r o
the metropolis of the land, the peculiar feature s no
ticed that the sites OF none OF tDese Muily rc9h-
water receptacles of less than As feet eie,
yaon above tide-water occasionally rising TO 600
feet and over. without this uniform and considerable
elevation above tide-water Of Its the oly
Of New York. in order 10 avail itself Oi the latter "ou
probably have been compelled To spend ten uIes tne
amount OF its present outlay on engineering ana water
works The ponds and lakes with an area OF from 60 TO
over 600 acres, II OF which were visited haye all
of them sandy and grayelly beds, scarcely any per
ceptbe vegetable growth on their surface perIecty
clear water Notwithstanding the then aboundlng ram
showers) great DEPTH varying from 80 10 over
feet Thus water taken, for Instance, at ueptn OF
80 feet from Lake Gilead, found as cool as II the
The circumstance that rainalls do not render muddy
the water OF these ponds and lakes Is easily e1pa
and we ere by this explanation made to understand
another Of the virtues of the region TO supply he
great city with water. The geological character OF the
ghout and wherever the eye does not meet sod
rocks 1t meets meadows, pasture, ana Woodsi alhvl
ground Ia rarely found and the titled land III Putnam
County in particular does not occupy INC one one
bundredth part OF its surface There Is consequently
extreme scarcity Of material by means OF
which the water could be made muddy: It's IL is
of granite land do not ofer any Inducements Ior inc
establishment of factories through which water could
mills, sash and blind factory, and some eondensed
milk factories nothing in that line could be discovered
tannery, oncJ in operation at Brewsters,
has ceased to work. Tho peat bogs were
found fewer and far less extensive than was
expected. The occasional abrasion ana carrying on OF
particles Of peat, the slight coorng OF small streams
OF water by means OF dissolved humic or ulio acids
iced not alarm person. they are either deposited
or decomposed before the Croton Is used or would not
inure still present 50 qanIbSS boSy yneS
the that the most subtle chemical test woud not
but as mere organic matter" establish their presence
The facts, therefore, already repeatedly estaDushed oy
chemical research that NewYOrk City, above ali other
large cities on surface of the earth Is enjoying the
inestimabe boon Of an abundance OF pure and whole
rmed by this visit TO the Cr0ton sources ana drainage
ground Respectfully submitted MAGNUs Ukoes.