The New York herald., 1875-07-18
Croton Lake a Summer Res
ervoir Of Filth.
A REMEDY WANTED.
What an Engineer Of the Croton Depart
ment Says About It
THE SPARKLING WATER" AS IT is.


there are those apprehend mucn danger from
II 4 something is not speedily done 10 get rid OF
the nuisance. AS YET the nlth OF the lake does
not seem TO have any very great effect upon the
water drawn from the pipes in this city, but yes
terday II became apparent that II was not en-
tIrely free rom the impurities with which the
lake Is reeming. IL Will be remembered that some
years ago considerable sickness was produced in
tne city by the decayed vegetable matter tlat was
allowed, through the negligence OF the men IN
charge OF the aqueduct, TO remain for the greater
part or the summer in the lake; and il
may be that the present condition OF
the water above the DAM n It Is permitted TO
exist much longer, Will De quite damaging
HERALD reporter lew days ago visited the dam
and made careful examination oI the ways ana
means employed to
KEEP THE WATER cLHAN AND PURE,
And 60 all appearances they were quite made
quate II should be understood that me water does
not now over the dam unless the stream above 1t
IL swollen by the rains the outflow into the
aqueduct is very shght Az present the stream
through the aqueduct very large, the surface OF
the water being within 1--WE or SIX inches or the
brick TOP or the huge tunnel Under the circum-
stances the ''craw'' OF water from the lake is
ceedingly great and very little water goes over
the dam. For two days last week, owing 10 a
heavy rain storm, the lake was high and
quite volume Of water ran over tne
dam, carrying with it great deal OF the horrible
scum which had for days covered the surface or
the lake for q considerable distance in the imme
1iate neighDorhood OF the spot Wnere the Croton
enters the adueduct. After the storm, however,
Ihe scum began to Increase, and, three Gays ar
lerward, not only the s1ores but the middle OF
The lake, Just above the dam, Tor distance OF
about 800 feet. presented a positively revolting
appearance. This scum is OF a dark greenish hue
and 10 places where IL noats the thickest, il looks
hxacIly like green paint that had been partially
eaked by long exposure TO the sun. When an oar
dipped INTO it and Withdrawn from the water
the slime clung 1t in mushy masses, aud the
nrippings had the consistency OF thick oil. one
Of the thTee days when the HERALD reporter Wis
tied the lake three men were discovered with
rUps
sKIMMIYG TIE SCUM
Of the surface OF the water the operation re-
ulndng hIm very lorcibly OF the GOOD Dame Par
ungton, who during a storm, attempted, with a
mop, 20 keep the rising Atlantic rom overlooking
her cabin. 1t Is true that there are large wooden
beams in the water near the aqueduct entrance,
which we're put IN position 10 prevent any ugly
obstacle from approaching too near the entrance,
ARC that IL is claimed that the slime when IL
uoats down toward the dam, clings TO these beams
and cannot get into the aqueduct. The beams
might possibly prove all sufficient TO prevent the
impurities 1oating the surface IN the immeci-
vicinity OF the dam from getting into the
kqueduct, II the slime confined to tie surface
the lake alone. But, unfortunately, such is not
the fact. 'The stun that vow see there SAID
OF the men employed about the dam,
"does not amount TO anything There is only
little OF 1t along the shore here and most o. IL
goes over the dam that gets on the sariace in It's
immediate neIghborhood"
Despite TINS view o. the case the HERALD re-
porter, accompanied by another gentleman, de.
Termned 10 see Just how far the green scum ex-
tended on the lake, and procured rowboat
and pusned out from the shore and rOwed ND the
lake IN midstream. Where The boat lay--WIth.n
stones throw OF the dam-the scum was so tHIcE
that IL chung 10 the oars ia thick layers. ana the
water thrown UP Dy the dripping o. the oar blades
looked as though II was so much
OIL AND PAINT MIXED
II was the same along tue opposite shore. only
here ana there small clearing OF apparently pure
water being visible During the row up me
stream In TIE middle OF the lake II discovered
that, while the green. csKy, Iaint-hke slime
not so tnick on the surface as along the shores,
Whatever tue dscayed vegetable matter was that
made the vicinity OF the dam look 50 revolving. it
had thoroughly permeated the streAm TO sucn
rom the surface the wafer OF dirty green
hue, presenting the same appearance hat pan
OF water would II commiDgled with mustard
Wnen stirred with STICK there rose 10 the sur
face q slime winch, though not so thick that
which lined the shores, was quite as unnVt-
ing In appearance. This mixed appearance OF
the water was lound 10 prevail al Inc way up t5e
hudson and central Railroad Company's new
bridge 10 connect IL with the Harlem road IS Being
erected across the stream There, and Tor tue
distance oi a coup OF hundred oil leel, the water
was clear ana sparkling. and the reporter came 10
the conclusion tsat he had
PASSED BEYOND TIE DEAD LINE"
-Rnc that from TIE railroad bridge up the lake
woulo be found free Of the impurities wnics maae
the lower portion sucn an eyesore. However, the
green, bltny, reeklng water was again encOun-
tered further up and when Pines Bridge was
reached the lake IN the vicinity was, II possible
ave times more nltBy than near rae dam. Inc
green slime noated about on tue surface In huge
The sldes OF the boat greasy stripes pd lett in
us wake a dirty green track mat would nave
been sufficient 10 deter any Croton deyotse from
ever thereafter putting much falth /. that CrotCn
exoous OF the mountain wno thirty ood years
ago, according 10 the poet Morris,
From her protto springs advancing,
woodland lays ~ s1 bes ss'hsrS her aaReiSs sRGiS
pursued her winding way to New YORK city.
Just above the bridge and Ia 'front.' OF the Croton
Hote the green scum along the shore made the
wnile IN mia stream, wDen the surface from tue
snore looked clear, the water, on close Inspection
found 70 be thoroughly permeatad with the
same substance winch mad been met with Iurtlcr
nown. Although the flthy condition OF the water
few people residing along tHe lake VINO found
Iault with the conoltion OF things, simply because
tney never make use OF the water for drinking
purposes, and they are, Of course, not allowed 10
oathe in II. "Wnyp said one Of the Plne's Bridge
ties, when asked n he ever drank CTOtou, "drInk
h should say not; ~ ISN'T NJ 10 WASH SHIRT
IN" Another resident Of the place, when
0ls attention was caLcu 10 me condition oil tle
water, exclaimed, "Bles3 you I've seen 10 worse
than that That KIND OF thing occurs every year;
q doesn't hurt anybody InIs party, lt was as
certained afterwdrd. was an EN- plOye OF one OF
the inspectors" ia the employ OF me CORPORA
ton, as the country people cal the Department.
Of Pubic works, whose special nUty 10 Is 10 Keep
an eve on the lake 10 good purpose and wac,
win the AID OF gang OF men. might be prontaby
employed In scooping at least the surface scum
on the water before II cuuld so down 20 tEe dam.
HERALD reporLerJesteraay called At the once
Ot the chief Engineer OF the Department OF Pub
nc Works 10 ascertain Bis views Or the condition
DI the lake, Dut found that he was III and could
not oc seen. His assistant, Mr. Campbell how
evcr, was I'm the once, and to nm the
reporter addressed himself Mr.. Campbell, ia
replying 10 several Questions he was asked
concerning the lake and It's Dlthy appearance,
kaia tnat the appearance or the water IN tae lake,
ln ms opinion, did not indlcate that any danger
was to Oe apprenended from the slime that was
10 ne Ound along the shores; that it was nothing
ne ", and that every summer the lake was Ia the
anne cOnaILLon. he Added tnat tne sunerlntend-