The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-10
Tho Water supply OF the city.

The communication Of ex-Commissioner
Van Mort to the Mayor, and the accompany
ing statement of the Chief Engineer of the
Department of Public Works, published in
yesterdays HERALD, will direct public atten-
ton to the insuf6ciency Of our present water
supply and to the necessity of adopting some
measures tor its improvement In the past
New York has been justly proud Of its Croton
water, and has enjoyed water privileges such
as few other cities in the world possess. The
Croton Department has been generally in
honest hands, or has at least escaped the COR
ruptions that have marred SO many other de-
partrnents of the city government This may
in some measure, be due to an instructive
knowledge that the people would not permit
any triAing with so important an interest
However this may be, it is certain that our
water rates have always been moderate, and
that our present troubles are only the natural
result Of the fact that the city has outgrown
the capacity of the works. IT we pursue
sound and sensible policy we shall continue
to have a sufficient supply of excellent water
without materially or even noticeably ncreas-
ing the cost.
Within the last three years the supply and
distribution have been greatly improved, es-
pecially in the central and lower portions of
the city. Before the large mains were laid
from the reservoirs south, greatly relieving
the district below Canal street, there was i'm
minent danger of destructive confagration
at almost any moment through the lack of
suficiency of water. The relief below Canal
street increased the supply above and gave
much increased accommodation to house.
keepers. 1t is now found necessary to under
take additional work in order to insure the
safety of the city and to promote the health
and comfort of the citizens The Chief Engi-
neer recommends the immediate commence
ment Of the following improvements: The
continuation of the new westerly main down
town with thirty-six inch main, to con-
meet with the existing large mains on
Canal and Church streets; the continuation
of the easterly forty-eight inch main
from Eightieth street and Fourth avenue
through Eighteenth street to First avenue, and
through First avenue to the vicinity of For
tieth street, connecting with the lower reser-
voir and all the existing mains running south;
and the laying of new twenty-inch main in
Fifth avenue which is now insufficiently sup
piled, from Fifty ninth street to Washington
square. THE cost of these works is estimated
at one and half million collars, q sum utterly
insignificant when the advantages to be Sc
cured are taken into consideration. The es-
innate includes also the extension of the dis
trbuting mains in the upper part of the island
where the new streets and avenues have been
graded, and in the two newly annexed wards.
Public sentiment will demand the prosecu-
ton of this work. The Comptroller has
thrown every possible obstruction in the way
of the Croton Bureau since the Public Works
Department passed under the control of Com
missioner Van Mort Personal malice has
heretofore been suffered to interfere with the
public interests in this important matter, and
it is possible that in his ne fight with the
Mayor, Mr.. Green may endeavor to continue
his obstructive policy. b. fsgtunateiy, he
has not now the power that he possessed
under the late administration, and we may
look for the commencement of tho work