The New York herald., 1876-03-04
UTILIZING SALT WATER.
4EARNG ACCORDED THE REPREsENTATIvEs
OF TWO SYSTEMS B1 colnurTEE OF THE

OF TWO SYSTEMS BY colaurTEE OF TIE
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
There was meeting yesterday afternoon Of The CON-
mttee of the Board OF Aldermen appointed in accord
ance with resolution OF the body 10 inquire into the
feasibility OF utilizing salt water for sanitary purposes
and for tho extngushing OF fires The committee
consisted OF Aldermen Mccarthy, Billings, Gross,
Tuomey and Rowland.
Mr. Thomas Miller who had sent communication
TO the Board OF Aldermen on the subject OF utilizing
salt water was FIRST heard He was not prepared 10
consider the question from scientific standpoint nor
has he plan TO present. but he satisfied that
salt water was more effective in extingushing fires
than fresh As TO the objection Of some persons
that salt water damaging to goods than fresh
water he replied that It vastly better goods should
be damaged than reduced to ashes. No one
doubted that present the fresh water supply not
sufficient He alluded to the fatal fire Centre street
few years ago, and said the loss of life then was
chargeabe TO the want OF water Were there to-day
great connagration In Ann street in Wall street.
where the supply is very small be believed there
would be great destruction throughout the lower part
of the city
The Chairman asked Mr.. Miller whether he knew
that ordinances had recently been passed authorizing
the laying OF additional MAINS and whether II such
mains were laid the supply would then be sunicent2
Mr.. Miller answered that he thought 1t would be a
long time before such work would be completed and
that meanwhile the danger continued Besides, this
work would probably cost s2o, 900, 600
Ex-Commodore Jonas p Levy next presented an
argument in favor OF the OF salt water About $50
miles Of Croton pipes now laid. costing On an
average So per loot To introduce salt water
about 800 miles OF pipes would be required
OF Two sizes which he specified When introduced the
salt water could be used for washing purposes, to
cleanse the sewers, &c, and in this way saving OF
twenty Eve per cent OF the fresh supply could be
effected The Commodore represented the interests Of
number OF persons who had bill introduced the
& M unree years ago prVposng tne neerpora
Company The bill contemplated after 81 600 600 Of
stock had been subscribed for, with twenty five por
cent paid up TO erect reservoir at Carmansvillc,
which, at elevation Of 200 feet above the Battery
would provide at that point pressure sufficient to
throw stream 100 feet high. For the assumed ben
e6ts OF such system IL proposed tax each free
holder twenty cents n foot for land fronting the
streets and alleys OF the city, every fire insurance COM
pary $500 per year, every marine insurance company
500, every ocean steamer s. annually, and every
| coastwise vessel $40.
the Chief Engineer OF the Kings County Public Works
stating that about the time the bill was introduced he
made an estimate Of the probable cost Of the work
! contemplated, and summed up all the expense at
| SIS, 000 600 Tor the entire city.
In conclusion the speaker submitted article from
the HERALD oil February 26, giving with other par
tculars the estimates OF the expenses 10 be incurred
| by the additional work authorized by the Board OF
Aldermen. This sum. il will be remembered Is about
$40 0o0 The whole subject he said now before
the Board OF Underwriters.
Mr.. Joseph Blumentha who introduced the bill
was In the committee room, and being asked by the
Chairman whether he desired 10 say anything on the
subject, stated that the bill came 10 him well roc
ommended, and the project seemed so feasible he
presented II, but did not commit himself It's pro-
visions
MI. +. A. Peterson, on behalf OF the Holly system
reviewed the evidences OF insufficient supply discov
cred at the late Broadway Ere II occurred early
hour; the day calm the chiefs early Oil hand
the hydrants were not frozen; there other fire
in the city; the streets clear that the engines
had no difficulty in reaching the spot-and yet the fire
was not checked until property worth millions of dol
difficulty the absolute want OF water As q remedy
the introduction OF the Holly system advocated.
Tho speaker proposed to lay from Fourteenth street
the Battery, along the North and East rivers either
side, tweny-iour inch pipe, with branches running
out into the rivers. From this be run through
eight inch pipe, so that hydrant with
fifty feet pf hose could be placed on every
corner along Broadway II is further proposed
TO place similar hydrants through the entire
distance mentioned 500 eet apart and TO two of
the Holly machines, which would require n space of
fifty feet square each and by whose aid 140 streams
could be at any moment set in motion. The hydrants
TO be employed frost proof the speaker said the
screw that shuts of their supply driving the water
down below the frost line. The machines are kept
are no demands on the pipes for FIRE purposes
0oO gallons day Of salt water be used for
cleaning the sewers and sprinklIng the streets The
cost oil pipes, machines and the completion Of the
whole work IL was stated, would be 81, 000, COO
AT this point IL was voted by the committee whom
they adjourn TO adjourn until Monday halfpast two
O'clock and TO invite TO the next meeting the President
OF the Fire Department. the Chief Engineer of the
Croton Aqueduct Department, the President OF the
Board of Health and the Commissioner of Public Works