The New York herald., 1873-07-20

becomes coated with q poisonous scum emitting
liquid itself The present plan, It viii be seen, is.
therefore, = great Improvement as by its use the
surface Is continually changing and never becomes
stagnant while at the same time that which is
drawn on is very carefully filtered The natural
now and the ireshets OF the river are carried
the north end Of the dam and pouring into the bed
Of the stream in the valley below.
THE ARTIFICIAL LAKE
is more than two miles In length and covers 303
acres OF land. Its capacity Is equal TO three biz
lions OF gallons OF water-as much as that con-
tanned in all the other reservoirs belonging to the
department The gates OF the dam were first
closed in January, when the filing OF the pond
commenced, and on the lst OF April the water
commenced running over the 'spilllngway" and
through the canal IN stream ninety feet high and
more than foot deep. In some places the depth
principal tributaries-one OF which is a brook that
drains the water from the Black Pond, and the
other little rivuets and creeks also empty into the
lake, the waters OF which are clearer and more
white than crystal and very COOL
NATURAL Ponds
In tins region there are numerous natural ponds,
which In the aggregate have an area OF over two
them are situated in secluded hooks among the
hills, and could be thus used without any inconve-
nience TO the Inhabitants living In their vicinity.
Some have already been provided with bulkheads
at their outlets, so that they may be drained'wne
Engineer OF the Public WorkA that IL has been de-
termined not to draw either Lake Mahopac or
Lake Gleneida, IN any case, until very late In the
Fall, and not then unless II is absolutely neces-
The Croton Lake which is formed by the Cro,on
area OF 500 acres and, whenever necessary, two or
three feet depth above Its ordinary surface are
used as storage reservoir.
The party visiting the new dam also drove over
q great portion Of the county, inspecting the sew
eral lesser works and the natural sources OF water
All through the richly mantled hills, shaded with
dark green foliage, nesting In The deep valleys
that yet are great way above the sea, are gems
in their pacid bosoms the dreamy Visions Of earth
and sky. Their beauty 10 very attractive to the
visitor. and one Is not Immediately led In the poet
lcal influence OF the moment to turn his thoughts
to the question OF their usefulness to humanity.
But they really comprise
IMMENSE RESOURCES
still held in by the managers OF New York's
CrOton water for the season OF necessity that will
come in the future, when even their peaceful and
romantic waters will perforce be desecrated by
passage through iron tubes to the thirsty gulets OF
naturalized and unnaturalzed Americans II IL,
however, pleasant thing to know that this en-
slavement OF nature by science 10 not going to de-
tract in any degree from her charms and enchant-
ments, as 1T is the benevolent purpose OF the
which, In these sequestered spots, Is SO charming
THE WATER AT COMMAND.
With all these means or sustaining the supply OF
water there is now a storage capacity OF over five
thousand millions OF gallons, as folows:-
Distributing Reservoir a. street. sSS Sooo
Old Receiving in Central Park... l50sOOJO
New Receiving Reseryor IN Central Park. 1000 o0ooOo
Storage Reservoir Ut Boyds Corners. ao0oooo0o
6S7o,OO0OO0
Some curious and very interesting facts may be
learned by an examination OF the records Of the
supply and consumption OF Croton water in the
ana a tpe ss IN
ceeded $4,000, 900 gallons. At that time the city
had only 100000 Inhabitants; and in 1872, with
day by thirsty Gotham was sS,O 600 gallons, show
ing an average increase in the daily consumption
Q, about 5000. 900 gallons 2 year From April l.
81, 900 900 gallons day, and from the lst OF APRIL
1871, TO the lst OF April 1872 u averaged ssoo6,ooo
SO, 600 600 gallons, indicating almost an alarming
increase either in the use or waste OF the water.
ANOTHER rHoJEErED Ss sToM1aE d sEsEsvos n
tion for the future wants OF the metropolis when
her population shall have expanded as widely as
%ess @ and were made Win ss o.
ject OF establishing another storage reservoir in
Putnam county, even larger than that year R2yds
gallops Of water. The. site Of this pro-
posed artificial lsks y even more pic
xasS being ann
five hundred acres IN extent. Other valleys have
also been selected. in view OF the possible exigen-
cies Of the future, and as Putnam county Is sort
of miniature Switzerland. with hundreds OF such
romantic spots which can be turned to civilized
use and be made at the same time even more beau
tifu IL Is not likely that New York VIII really
suffer the dire misery OF a genuine water famine.
The present alarm about the continuance OF the
droush ht IL somewhat premature. There has, cer-
tsinlv, fallen during the past two months re-
markably small average quantity OF rain; but,
guided by experience, IL Is not a rash statement
that there is little doubt OF fall OF moisture dur
ing August and the Autumn months which will
make the average OF the year fully as large as IL
ever has been. This prediction Is founded upon
the known fact that for Jhirty-four years the
average fall OF rain during the three months of
June, July and August has not varied in scarcely
any perceptible degree. The following table shows
the
AVERAGE FALL OF RAIN
at the storage reservoir IN each month OF the year