The New York herald., 1876-10-13
HEMPsTEAD RESERVOIR.
TRIAL or COMMISSIONER yowLxR BEFORE TIE
pRooxLYM ALpERMEN.

TRIAL OF COMMISSIONER yowLxR BEFORE TIE
BROOKLYN ALDERMEx.
Tho brooklyn Common Council held their third ses-
sion Yesterday afternoon Tor tho purpose Of invsstI
eating the charges Of nonieusance preferred against
william A. Fowler, the suspended Commissioner Of
the Board or City Works, In the Adermanic cEamber
Tho attendance OF politicians OF both parties Was
quito large. President french occupied the chair.
Tho Corporation Counsel, W. Do Witt and J. Johnson
appeared for the prosecution. General Roger A.
Pryor counsel for the defendant, objected TO the ad
mission certain line OF evidence sought to be in
,roduced on behalf OF the prosecution against his
client lie spoke At considerable length In denuncia-
ton of method OF proceeding to try the charges
preferred against the Commissioner by Mayor
Schroeder, who was, he sad, in league
with certain Aldermen in tins preceding
He charged Alderman Rowley, OF the Sew
cnth ward, with actually assisting the Corpo-
ration Counsel IN tho The latter Official offered
the report OF the Water and Sewerage Commissioners
for 1863 evidence 10 show that tho supply OF water
in the reservoirs at that time Was ample 10 meet tho
requirements OF the city. Objection and
argued by tho counsel Tor Mr. Fowler but the report
was admitted. The document offered IN evidence
4 report OF tho commissioners Tor 1870, which
show that the consumption OF water In Brook
Iyn was steadily increasing Counsel objected again,
as II was not shown that Mr. Fowler was one OF The
parties who the report about the famine.
lilo ovcrruled. however, and asserted nst he feared
he was not gong get justice for his client al their
hands; and II he was not, he said, he might AS well
pick up hrs papers and leave What he objected to- he
held was entirely irrelevant and The rules
OF evidence The Corporation Counsel contended that
the message OF the Ma. .or to tho Board OF Aldermen
wes not an indictment nor a common law pleading,
and il therefore useless 10 make merely tech
meal objection. A report OF Chief Engineer julius
Adams, OF the Board OF City Works was then
offered. showing The amount OF water IN tho Ridge
wood Reservoir, IN 1870 and objected 10. corr
muncaIion from the same engineer TO the Com
missioner dated February l3 1871. offered.
wus m by counsel thereto net
mentioned In the Mayors charges against Mr. Fowler
that defendant was member Of the Board OF City
Works. and also because his clicnt could not be held
responsible for anything Mr. Adams, tho engineer,
might do The ommunlcation, winch was admitted
forth that thcre imminent danger OF scarcity
Of water and recommended tnat citizens be warned
not TO waste the water. The official documents bear.
ing the publication OF the ucsired warning notice
the Corporation newspapers were next placed IN
evidence Tho notice announced that the gates OF the
Rdgswood reservoir would be closed during the night
and kept open only between the hours OF SIX A. A.
r. A. Suydam was called to the witness chair nnd
being sworn testified tnat no holds tho oico OF keeper
at the Rdgcwood Reservoir; was there IN February,
1871 but could recollect whether the gales of the
entirely closed at that time not He
not r0sS-examincd
Tho Board adjourned ill three O'Clock this after
noon.
NETTING or REYEREEs.
Yesterday held another session Of the referees
appointed by tho Court 10 take testimony reference
the claim OF Aessrs. William q. Kingsley and Abncr
C. Kceney contractors for the construction OF the
HeE Is.cad storage Reservoir, against The CITY, Mr..
Van Brunt Bergen, civil engineer, who made draw
ings the Hampstead Reservoir, testified
tain land plans and maps Of the work. Witness could
not rcinembsr the number OF acres covered by map
which contained the original surveys, but which map
was missing. He made calculation TO tho sodity
OF tho earth to be taken OF tho 1S60
knew OF other calculation than his own to have been
previous to 1872 could nos give tho exact figures
memory to tho amount OF excavation revealed
10 the estimate but thought IL was less than 400 900
cubic yards his calculations showed the holding
pacity the reservoir TO be 1U6O 900 gallons Of
water.
General Tracy then offered to put In evidence the
proceedings OF the supreme Court condemnng the b57
acres for the Of the Hrmpstead Reservoir OF tho
date OF October 1871. Tho papers admitted and
the prosecution rested their case.
The Corporation Counsel stated that no intended to
argue motion tor nSnsut, aud asked for adjourn
mrn tho purpose Of preparing necessary points OF
law until to-day. II was nnay agreed TO, and tho
court adjourned 10 meet at ten o'clock this forenoon