The New York herald., 1873-07-18
'RAIN- ---R AMP
Effects Of the Terrible Drought-Interesting
Statement Of Commissioner Van Nort-water
Remaining sufacient for Fifty Days Only
The Storage Reservoirs-Lake Maho-
pac in Danger-What the Com
missioners Will Do.

mlb6lOuerS Will O0.
The comparative table OF the number OF inches
OF ram which have fallen since the lst OF May OF
the present year ana for the months OF May, June
and July OF last year. together with the that
'here Is prospect OF water famine in New York,
mas caused no little excitement throughout the
CITY Inc overcast sky OF yesterday morning
promised plentiful fail OF rain during the day,
but when evening came the sun shone out as
not as ever The longcontinued drought became
again the universal topic of Conversation. The
TACT Is that up to the present we have not fullv
realized the extent Of this drought or It's conse-
quences, and we are much nearer to "a serious re-.
suit than great many people would be inclined to
imagine.
Yesterday Chief Engineer Tracy, OF the Croton
Water Department, had long conversation with
Commissioner Van Mort on the subject OF
THE SCARCITY OF WATER
In the reservoirs, and II rumored in the after.
noon through the Department of Public Works
that the Commissioner OF Puslic Works about
to shut on the supply OF Croton water from tho
steamships lying At the docks on the North River,
as was done in 1870.
A HERALD reporter called on Commissioner Van
Mort In the evening, Chief Engineer Tracy
seemed unwilling to give any Information on the
subject except to his superior. From the Com
missoners statement IL will be seen that, had not
the Croton Water Department recently provided n
storage reservoir At place called Boyd's Corners,
there would long before now have been a ter
rible dearth OF fresh, pure water IN New York. and
that it will be
"a TOUCH AND COZ
should we yet escape without a water famine in the
early part OF the Fall-that IL, should the drought
continue Tor any length OF time, even in the
event OF our not having copious rams between now
Mr.
yon TO get some accurate Information about tins
ong-contnued drought we have had and its elect
on the Croton Water Department.
COMMISSIONER VAN NoRrs eTArEMENT
COMMISSIONERS VAN NoRr-My Chief Engineer has
Just been here this afternoon and can give you
some exact 1gures | do not know that you are
aware that We have opened four small lakes or
ponds In the nelghborhood Of the works In Putnam
county some three times The water IN the reser-
voir, however, Is Just now very low storage
reservoir was, however, recently built at place
called Boyd's Corners, which contains an immense
quantity OF water. You know, in the winter
months, when the rains are heavy, an immense
quantity OF water lows over the lap of the dam aC
the works; hitherto this water has always been so
mnEh waste an TINS storage reservoir was built
at is capable OF containing
THREE BILLION GALLONS
OF water. IL Is two ana u hall miles long I've miles
round and sixty feet deep. may tell you that as
long as am connected with this Department my
policy shall always DC TO construct as as many OK
dispensabe In this Climatc.o
''rhs has been very severe drought, has 1t
notSD
''rhe severest in the history OF this Department..
including even 1870, In which there was terrible
drought; but this has been more severe on u.s."
How so, Mr.. Commissioners
'The drought OF 1870 commenced late in the
months; but, being late. though great deal OF
water was exhausted the exhaustion was closely
and the early m % part % Of the Winter and the Depart
ment was able to pull through: TINS year tho
SrUngas mas ns IN e or early pofoh M o e
1t did In 1870. We have portion oi tie summer
and the whole Fall before US, and the probabilities
are that we shall have yet good deal OF dry
weather yet. O course we cannot tell how long TINS
drought may continue but think we will be able
to pull through, but 1t Will be "a touch and go' II
we do"
WATER FOR PITY DAYS.
GLOW long can you hold out should the drought
with what water we have in the storage reser.
vor alluded to before for fifty days. have made
a nice calculation that with that and the natural
supply Of water from the CrOton River and rom
those ponds IN Westchester county we could h old
out for sixty days. Nlnety-Gvc millions OF gallons
OF water are daily consumed in the city OF New
YORK. But. OF course Il is TO be supposed that we
will have rains before fifty days"
"n 1870 1t was necessary to shut on the Croton
water from steamships at the docks and from
Do you anticipate any such necessity this yearp'
mot Just yet. In 1870 they had these Westchester
and we are enabled to draw of immense quanti-
ties of water-some Of these ponds being sixty
feet deep. The fumes were not lowered III 1870,
and they were comparatively useless"
"Now, one more question: Mr.. Commissioner. It
Is said tnat you will have to zap Lake Mahopac;
Is that 80 7"
Not that can see at present. The country
people you know, have great objection TO our
drawing water from their lakes; they say 1t causes
miasma breeds pestilence. and so on; but If the
city OF New York wanted water should have to
drain them"
"DO you intend to issue any special orders about
the use OF the Croton water, Mr.. Commissioner"
Not yet: but IL would be well II the HERALD
would state that common prudence should sug-
gesJ to manufacturers and all kinds OF large
sumers to be careful oil the Croton water at this
time"
ONLY SEVENTY oNE-HUNDREDTHs OF AN INCH OF
RAIN
fell in the month or June and so far in July only
thrty-six hundredths OF inch have fallen,
making altogether, In nearly TWO menths, small
fraction an inch Of rain. In 1872 thirteen
Inches OF rain fell in three months-May, June and
July. In the same months OF this year only TOUR
inches have fallen.