The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-07
THE CROTON WATER.

The democratic politicians are considerably ex-
erclsed over the failure OF the Board of Aldermen
on Thursday 10 pass the ordinance providing for
J the laying OF the new Croton mains up town. II
Will be remembered that during the last session
OF the Legislature a Bill was introduced appropr-
ating $1,5Oo.OoO 10 be extended by the Commits
sloner OF Public Works. out. this appropriation
was cut down 10 $500 900 before the bill was
passed. Before TINS amount can be raised by the
issuing OF bonds 1t IS necessary that the Alder
men should pass the ordinance which authorizes
the Commissioner 10 lay such wafer pipes. mains
and fixtures have been ordered or may be or
dered by the Common Council to be laid, and such
other pines, mains and fixtures as he may deem
necessary TO extend ana enlarge the distribution
OF oroton water Though the city, including the
two new wards The ordinance provides further
that the pipes be so LAID TO furnish
A SUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF WATER
10 the institutions Ia charge or the Department
OF Puolc Charities and Correction located on
Blackwell's Island, Ward's Island and Randalrs
I Island, and authorizes the Commissioners to lay
mains necessary 10 deliver the water at higher
/ levels and in greater quantities. General Porter
says mat This work is an absolute necessity, and
/ he gives some very good reasons why 1t should be
/ begun aud completed as possible. lie
/ says mat the increased service OF water Will per-
/ NIT many OF the private force pumps to be dis
pensed wita, ana enable the use OF fire hose to be
/ directly attached TO the hydrdnts and carried to
| the upper stories without the aid OF cam power.
! lie con lenns that before the consumption out
/ grew the capacity o the old Crotun main system
the water reached a greater height than at
present, ana tlaJ fire insurance com pantes In Tn
lower part of the city nave been led to believe by
reason OF the 100000 appropriation by the Legls
lature that the supply would be restored TO its
former height. one or the strongest arguments
the Commissioner puts forward IS that the IN
surance companies seriously thinking
OF increasing the rates in certain parts
OF the city II the means OF extingushlng fires are
not increased, and that they have been led to this
policy ''by the absence OF reasonable supply OF
waters" and he adds 'The annual premium on
insurance risks below FlGty-ninth street IS over
$1,000 600, the ARREST portion OF which is in
property below Canal street, where the means OF
extlngulshinG fires most demanded" The
Commissioner states thai the cisterns in the
Twenty third aud Twenty-iourth wards have at
present to be filed from fire hydrants. He says
that the forty eight inch pipe, 10 be laid in Eighty
/ sixth street to FIRST avenue. Will afford an ample
supply Of water both north and south through
First, Second, Third and Lexington avenues and
at the same time relieve che twenty-inch pipe, upon
which all that part Of the city east OF Fourth ave-
nue. solely depends for Croton, and permit OF
water beng supplied through it TO
LOWER WARDS
/ once the work Is completed, General Porter
SAYS that eacn district OF the city VIII be amply
supplied with CrOton for ordinary purposes nde-
pendent OF adjacent districts, and all the pipes
! VIII be connected that, IN case OF fire, the
whole supply can be directed TO whatever soint
IT IS needed. Thus much Tor the real object
sought TO be obtained 10y the ordnance. When 1T
was hrst introduced into the Board of Aldermen.
as the Dill approprat1ng the 5000 900 mad found in
the republican senate an active advocate In
senator Bootn repub lean, Of this city ft was not
iot Il moment suspec ed that the republican mem
| bers OF the Boari would make It's passage parW
/ question. But they have 50 made II, ana, although
] z n a n
oom Gratis at every meeting of the Board Tor The
past I'VE weeks, it has been found impossible TO
secure enough votes TO pass II. There
teen democrats all told IN the Board and eight re-
| publicans, clear democratic majority OF six;
and JUST this TACT Whicn has lea many persons
10 WONDER why the democrats nave hau such long
and useless fight over the ordinanc From the
fact tha' no resolution or general order requiring
the exp andIture OF dollar can be passed Dy the
democrats unless at least three of the republicans
agree 10 lts PASSAGE, as section OF the new char
ter provides tnat 10 pass any such resolution
general order three-iourtns OF the members
be seen that unless The ordnance secures
seventeen votes It cannot be passeU. On Thurs
gan the Board the republicans veutured to
/ pllln their position, and, II Alderman Deane
rightly represents his cOleagues their only rea-
OPPOSING THE ORDINANCES
that will give employment to tue laborers is that
tue Department OF Pubic Works as at present
/ constituted Is incapable. lth the democrats,
VINO as has 1eea said, are very indignant over
the result OF thursdays session, especially the
republicans defeated the Eightleth street. paving
ordinance rs well a. the lretOn nam resolution,
the stand taken by the re uDicans was yesterday
tHelr cnlef theme OF discussion. They ale &c that
the deadlock as 10 matters OF importance IN the
I Board was hrst brought ABOUT Dy the republican
party leaders VINO some time ago held private
meeting at which 10 was decided tnatlt was 10 the
interest OF the republican party ia this city 10 OPP
pose ali measures IN the Board OF Aldermen mat
would result in putting any patronage into me
hands OF tue dem party; that 1t was the
duty of republicans 10 take advantage of the bad
( ieenng now exstIng among the wUrkingmen VINO
I have been so long and IN vain
CLAMORlNG
and curslng Tammany because tney have been
the Croton man ordinance was 10 pass the work
I that IL would authorize me Commissioner OF PUB
nands OF the leaders OF lammauy Hail an immense
amount OF patronage thar would be used az the
next election to fne disadvantage OF tue republi-
cans. 10 Is but lust u tne republican MEMOIRS OF
1 the Board 70 state that they deny al this. Tney
clam that in tnelr opinion tne additional Croton
mans are not necessary, the Commissioner of
Puohc works to the contrary Notwithstanding,
and mat the passage OF tue ordinance Is desired
regardless OF tue in erests OF the city, mat the
howl OF the iaborers against Tanmany may IN
I ocrdts agree with General Porter tnat the work IS
necessary aud tlat as the raising OF the S50OJ0
depends upon the action OF tue Board, and as
General Porter ought TO be
TIE BEST JUDGE
/ whether or not tho means 80 supply the ci:y with
water are adequate, ana that Il the work Is not
I speedily beguu the cold weather Will prevent It's
proper prosecution there ought TO be no opposl-
ton 10 the uhuer ahtng. IEty openly assert that
t1e opposition OF the republicans IS purely lac
tiOus. al" sald one oil the democrats yesterday,
"tne ordinance was passed, people In tae uptown
DISTRICTS, which are now suffering to some eX-
tent from scarcity OIL water, VIII feel more at
ease. Inc demand for better supply Of UrOton
ls imperative, ana Us the tWenty-lnch pipe winch
now supplies an the east side OF Town east or
Fourth avenue VIII thus be left Tree to supply the
lower wards tue Insurance companies VIII not
tht.k of raising tnelr rates. Bendes, the work
has got to be 0one some time or utner, and way
not now, when the money is at hand ana wnen
there are hundreds o. aborers out Of employ
mcnt WHO could be relieved at me same ume
that the city would DC getung much needed I'M
proYemcntn
The democrats believe now that no amount OF
persuasion or argument VIII bulge The rcpuUl cans
an ncu. The BOart WILL prOuAbly adjourn IN u
couple OF weeks aud 10 Is SAID that before they 30
the democrats w.il draw up PAPER addressed 10
the pubic deinng tnrlr position, thu-, they
Hcve placing the responsibility Of the defeat OF the
CrOtOa mann ordinance where 10 properly be ongs.