New-York tribune., 1875-07-01
THE WATER SUPPLY.
INCREASED FACILITIES IN DISTRIBUTION
NEEnTn


NEEDED.
PLANS or THE COMMISSIONER OF PUsSdc WORKS.
AUTHORITY FROM THE COMMON COUNCIL ph-
sIREp-LARGT MAINS TO BE LaID-TdT soo"C's
nv st,rrry--SyrD or NEW AQURDUCr 10
THE HARLEM RivRR--INsURANCE MfN Di MAND-
ING Br1TsR PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE.
The question of procuring an adequate water
sprly for this city from the Croton River ana VS. upu
tares and the small lakes adaeI thereto has ior sew
eral wears occupied tho attention OF the engineers of the
Croon aqaeduct and the city authorities In lSo9 ana
1870 there was a short supply and the d'heay OF pro
curing WAGER in the higher parts OF the CITY during he
past Winter is fresh in the remembrance OF the
citsscns Of Ncw-York. Gen. FitS John for-
ter Connni i.sioner OF Pubic WOrSs is exceed
,ogIv anxious 10 have tho Board Of Alder
men settle their difficulty and have the Rcpuhcan Alder
mon ara.n occupy their vacant scais in the Board Inc
Law passed last Winter by the Legislature authorizes the
expenditure Of $500 900 this year in laying down new
Cyot,n ans aud otherwise improving the water supply
OF the city But this only he done under the authority
Of the Common Council and the work to be done and the
money expended mnst he authorized i,yit
1t is proposed by Gen. Porter 10 10y a 4S'neh main
from the Central Park Reservoir through Eight ysxt-st
to Frsave. This will be tapped by 2Oinci mains on
the north and south se extending M and down oWnon
the main avenues supplying the district east Of Fourth
ave This fs-inch main Anally will he carried down
pfrsf-ave aong an adequate supply Of CrOion to the
FAST side On tho west side Of the city there is fSnch
rnsin extending from the Central Park Reservoir to
Fory-secoDd-st. This will also be carried down town.
but possibly not this year. A 2O-nch main will be laid
An Fif,h.ave 10 replace the 6inch main there and
there will be considerable WORT done in the annexed
territory known as tho Invent third aud Twenty yOth
Wards.
For an expenditure Of public money II requires three
fourths Of the Common COuaoi and this cannot be
had until te Republicans who have been declared in con-
tempt by their DcmOct0 COLES Sucs return and again
take part in the transactions ~ the Board.
The lct of Chief Engineer Bates calling attention to
ti,e peril from OF the short water supply
which was printed in THH TEIDU>E yesterday, has
again called attention to the subject from Official
sources reporter Of TEE TRIBUNE has obtained thc
data herewith given;
The area Of land which drains into the Croton River
sboyc hc Croton dam which supplies water 70 this
CITY is about $40 square miles. THIS. GCcOrd. 10 TIE
record of rainfall VIII give average daily supply OF
water from rain aoue throughout tue year OF about
100000 ooO gallOus A record for m'ny years OF the
daily quantity OF wnter Gowing the Croton dam IN
addition 10 that which conveyed into Tie city 10y tie
aauetiuct shows for the past ycGrs average daily
waste of water of 3iOO0O,OO0 gallons. II If manfcst
therefore that many Of the larger springs within the
Caoton basin receive their supply Tom sources ouisdc
OF the watershed.
Tho Croton Lake covers about 100 acres AMI has
storage capacity Cbove a level that will allow the de-
IycIy daily OF 100000 gallons, Of about 50OO00OOO
gallons Tho new reservoir in Central Park has sor'
arc capacity OF 900 900 Oc0 gallons. TIE old reservoir
iuSenr4 Park has - storage capacity Of about 100000
900 gallons and the distributing reservoir on III thave
about 20 900 OOO making total OF abont l,G70ccOoOO
gallons With this storage capacity al OF the aNa'ape
supnv was practically exhausted Oct. 2, 1869,
and t,e only supply amount not exceeding
27 900 600 gaIio,s per day ten running In the Croon
River Only the early partial closing of tho valves
at the reservoirs and in this city prevented the
higher pnrts Of the city from being entirely
tlv ~
psrts being scanly supplied In 1870 the drOuth was
longer and the drain on the water supply clcr Thore
are in Putnam County, at or near the sources OF the
tributaries OF the CrOtOn River many lake. most OF them
toi!i, todrlw on hes. Tie Outlct wcrec cut down and
ample supply OF pure water vas ihns Obtained
STORAGE RVOIHs
It's the opinon OF The Coums sioncT Of Pablo Works
and others connected With the Coon Water Bureau that
there should he provided complete system o' storage
reservoirs to guard against recurrence of the nconve
p,epce and positive danger Of short supply Of water
which were felt 1860, ard 10 more limited extent N
nv The rotor. Board The reservoirs hlcd during
Tie wet season and drawn frum in the dy season.
TIE NATURAL REsREVOIRs.
The lakes or natural reservoirs the waters Of which
can be drawn from in Of necessity, ara as follows
Iake1ilcnida ls2 acres drawn down three Feet viii sup
ply los 900 900 gallons Lale Giead % acres drawn
down 10 feet viii sappy 396,O0o0oO gallons; Lake Ma
bcpne Goa acres drawn down three feet will supply
90 feet IN supply 52sOO0.OO0 gallons; L.ke Bi1et
20 acres drawn down 10 feet win ahlly l9s oooom
supply l320O00eO gallons making u 0'@i supply u
2,OU6. 100000 eallonS
ARTIFICIAL RTsTrvoIEs.
TIC reservoir at Boyts Corners 1n,hrd has st orage
cepacity OF 27OOOOC.COO gacna. Tie new res 'ryol
on the middle branch Of Tho Crcou River, which is ui
finished will lavo storage capacity 0f 4O0OOcOOoO
gallons TIE rights Of the the basins OF these
lakes have granted 10 the city. and ale hold hY
There are private rights which are yet To be ac-
Quirrd ana can be 0hjainod at net large expense Oh
lake Ccad the property conf. lin the rsli TO Use thS
water Of the hSe WIS hougit h! Nin ~ iWrcd, alI
this city $50 END s'ii'r ai NCdf, las ma e eeOl
the water vitbort raging Hny cOmucnsdn H. va LAKES
NahoIar and Kirk the rights OF c Lake hahop"o Manu-
featuring Company were secure f iH.', ana ust' ip
s15SOO farm, controlling part " the outlet TO The
lake was bought 10y Vim. NJ Twed, and used by the De
DarfIucrt OF l'ublc Works without any compensation
,ecied rights nave been stcud ant paid ior - the
ownership Of y small piece o ano, Nc anu oht-ihth
acres al terminu o. road. on which ~ are nOw dr
Dmng the year N70, be Ginning WITH jmc 90 ani end
ing on oct 81 there wcrc drawn from he lakes mentioned
,;G- 900 600 gallons The value of this the Lowest
rate allowed. cent pen 100 gallons. would he rl66sOC
IT, 1873 the storage rvoirs were drawn upon as fol
lows. Bov,s Corners Reservoir, 2.37 900 glllcu
Lake Gncad, 2lOoOo0OO gollons Lake Kirk, soo0OOco
{aal of 72l 600 Geo gallons Value IT cent per 100
gallons, Ss372sO0. In 1874 there were drawn fr0in
S"y,I- Corners Leservor 1924 100000 gallons; Lake
(iid 900 900 gallons. making total OF l,9oSOOo,
600 gallons, valued at S196.sO In 1870 here wero
drawn from Jan TO June s. from Boyds Cofneis k5SeT @
600 making total of 5ii4OO,OOJ gallons. valued at
S54.i40; ,,. -..-. ,,..u.,. =, M.
tributlng Reservoir fif,l-dve, 2s.O0OOOO "a Ions
in Old Reservoir in Centrd Park IjO,0O0O gallons
in New Reservoir in Central Park, 1,0OO,OOOgO0 gal.
Ions in CrotOn Lake above present necessary ght OF
water aqneduet 10 supply the city, lOOOO0CuO gal
Ions I'm nniral lakes 5000 100000 gallons; making
total OF 5,97O CGOO0 gallons The new kcs"rvoir on
the middle branch Of the CrOton River, when completed
viii supply 4.OOO,OOO,OO0 gallons
IxCRE sFD CONSUMPTION or WATER.