The New York herald., 1875-12-03
How the Property Owners Taint the
Water and Defy the Law.
THE LAKE A REPOSITORY OF FARM FILTH.
Rnstic Sewerage and Dwelling House Drainage
Between Pines Bridge and
CrotOn Falls.
The Whitlock Slaughter House
and Other Pests.

There has been great deal of discussion Tor many
years about the water supply Of New York city, and
chemical experts have from time to time undertaken
by elaborate analyses to show why Croton as 1t is
served in every metropolitan household might
be considered free from vital impurities.
Much yexatious disputation has resulted in
no satisfactory solution termination. At
this time the question to whether New York
is the best that be furnished remains Just
settled and the advocates OF either side
tenacious Of their opinions as they The
prevailing oeef is that croton water is not good
it should be- because OF the outrageous abuses existing
nl along the watershed from Croton dam at the foot
OF lake upwards These have continued for years.
and are greater to-day, perhaps than they
before, for the Croton Board has been poweress to
deal with abate them having no authority to
the slaughter houses, privcs, barns cattle yards
and sites built upon the branhes Of the Croton and
Cross rivers and all the that feed the principal
reservoir, Croton Lake Day after day the inhabitants
OF the villages and townships of Putnam and West
chester counties the location of the watershed have
written letters TO the Board complaining of the shame
fu conduct of the factorymen butchers and farmers
residing in the region. Requests and protests have
poured into the department calling for some remedial
action and the Corporation Counsel has been notified
by the officers again and again to proceed II possible
of the laws he found that he could not do nything
toward effecting the much needed relief the only
act relating TO the matter that passed May 1s45
entitled IAN act 70 prohibit the throwing depostng
IN the Croon Aqueduct either Of the reservoirs any
dead animals or other offensive matter anything
whatever"
To understand the Boards position with regard TO
these abuses necessary to glance at the map OF the
warehouses; in and around the principal reservoir
Croton Lake. The act applies to this, the aqueduct
and the reservoir High Bridge and elsewhere,
tho and that pour into the lake from the
hills aud mountains not mentioned; hence, 1t is
claimed, the department cannot interfere with any Of
the squatters property owners who deliberately
poison the sources OF the New York water supply
They and increase Notwithstanding the charges
preferred almost daily against them these fellows cooy
deny that they are Inuring the water and have even
The audacity say that the erection Of prvy the
river bank The dumping Of farm and factory hth
into the stream is not nuisance much less crime
We shall see. THE New YORK HERALD, after patiently
waiting she departments action in these cases, and
hearing the oft reiterated charges decided to nves
gate the subject and Of its attaches to travel
from the dam up both sides ofthe mouth Of
each stream with instructions follow IL TO its
and carefully note down every plague spot describe,
and if necessary sketch it. The task not eay
one, requiring tme caution and the exercise OF she
most rigid scrutiny. Every inch OF ground on 10Th
sides of Croton Lake and its tributaries was
travelled over, sometimes foot on horseback and
otherwise A boat had be used twice and no
means of obtaining accurate description oil the
watershed and service neglected W. present
herewith the FIRST instament OF the work anf map Of
the sections explored comprises that pTt OF West
chester county between Croton Dam and croton Falls,
through which Cross, Croton, Kisc, Turkey, Cat
Hill Cherry Plum and a dozen snallG rivers. which
empty themselves into Croton LAX and the main
stream at different points through drech of country
about twenty-fv miles square. round the lake, OF
course the law above mentioned hing specifically rea-
tive so abuses in that vicint, the arrangements
are not SO glaring, although frequent and
bad enough TO warrant dcsive action Their
principal characteristics diier entirely from
those be found above Groom Falls and in the imme
dato vicinity OF Lake Glaeida, Brewsters Station
and Carmel where ouhouses, prlvies slaughter
houses aud factories abond Around the large lake,
as shown in the map iagnant water, fever and ague
swamps filthy drains I'D waysidc sloughs are seen,
and on tho river bans cattle pens and dirty yards.
rsrEavrw WITH Mr.. BIRDsALL
On Monday Nov mber %, Mr.. Campbell, Chief Engi-
neer of the Crot1 Aqucduct Department made the
nual inspection the aqueduct The water shut OF
atsx in the evung Of that day and not turned again
until the follwng Thursday During tho intervening
tain whet,sr it needed any repairs. The distance
eed wa,neary thirty eight miles from the dam High
Bridge and the repairs necessary not great
were Anticipated Mr. Campbell met with serious acct
don't a. the conclusion of his abors not been
able 70 come down town for some days His assistant
Mr. Birdsal who made the inspection OF the pipes
onhanhattan Island, tolda HERALD reporter that the
nhses existing along the watershed we're the sources
Q continued annoyance to the department The farm.
rs and factory people above Katonah were beyond
,s reach and could be compelled to remove their
pests The Corporation Counsel had been authorized
20 push matters against them but unless the Legsla.
passed another giving the orOton Board officers
jurisdiction over the dwelers along the water
courses nothing would ever be done TO remedy the
matter He acknowledged his belief In the truth Of the
accusations made against the persons hereinafter
named, and sad It was well known shat croton Lake
and vicinity lively place for fever and ague He
knew that the upper portion OF Croon Lake wore
slimy, greenish appearance, and was filed here and
there almost down to Pines Bridge with fungi, but he
did know whether il could be helped or not What
was needed the passage Of a law which
would give the department power to remove the
prive slaughter houses hat factories and other things
SO absolutely infectious. still be wished to BIO under
believing that long before the water enters the
acqueduct was materially freed from tant and ac
tualIy reached New York good and pure
cRoroN
The Croton Dam proper that is TO say the dam next
10 the aqueduct at the foot Of the lake just below Pines
Bridge, is built across the river little way above
HuntersyRe, in the bend, and is the admiration OF
visitors who summer at the hotel the left bank
looking north At this point the water seems pclucid
and active falling many feet as u driven the cur
tau's CLASSY surface by rapid stream flowing down.
ward between the mountains either band. The
aqucducps mouth ls northeast OF the dam some rods
and built n the still waters beneath the hill where the
broad sheet smooth and rppoless, washes the shore
Ihe very pacdiU Of Us bosom is suggestive The sur.