The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-14
THE SCARCITY OF WATER.
GREAT RUSH TO THE DEPARTME EMIT
OF PUBLIC WORHS.
Muddy, Thick. and Filthy Water In Harlem
ALLEGED FavOritsm bv Commissioners-
Why the supply OF Croton IL Iessened.


Muddy, Thick. and FiIihy Water in Harlem
ALLEGED Favoritism bv missioners-
Why the supply OF Croton IL Lessened.
At the office of the Engineers of the De-
partment Of Public Works, In the City Hall.
there has been for fortnight past a constant
rush Of people, anxious TO know why their sup
ply Of water Is so small. The throng OF lnquirers
ia made up OF all kinds Of people, some mild
hammered and some in angry good. To all the
engineers make the same reply: The water In
the reservoirs IL getting lower, and we have been
Obliged to allow a. little "a possible be used.
up In Harlem. where live" said an old gen
tleman, 1.-THE water is too muddy for use. The
mains have been cut on at the Fourth avenue
during tho work OF improving that thorough
fare, and now that there Is no current through
tho ripes, the mud and other sediment collects
at the stopped-up ends, and makes the water In
each street that crosses tho avenue muddy and
thick, and filthy"
81 don't get any water at ALL except In my
kitchen" said man from the neigh oorhood Of
Fortleth street and Madison avenue. Two
years ago tho water ceased to flow to the third
| story OF my residence; now II has stopped run
ming to the second floor. 1 came down to pro-
test, SO that when get no water at all can at
| least say that did all | could to prevent the
MISFORTUNE.
From every ward and neighborhood were
| took the aggravatlon most to heart were tn,
property owners on Murray Hill,who complained
apartment house, had received permission to
| tap the nigh service" mains, and was enjoying
plenty OF water at the top OF the great building
| A rumor had got ahoat that the Albemarle was
| to be similarly favored.
In consequence, all Murray Hill desired per-
mission To tap these high service mains, which
carry the water that has been forced to the top
Of the tower at High Bridge.
Tho fact is," said Mr.. q. W. Brdsell, an en-
Rinser OF the Croton Aqueduct Commission,
that there will be less water before there 10
more. In June, the reservoir contained los, OOO-
| co.. gallons OF water, while now there are but
75.0OO,OOO or 7s00O,00O gallons. When the intense
heat and dryness continued more than or.
binary length OF time, the people were warned
OF the necessity of economy In the use OF water.
| The water in the Central Park reservoir measur-
ed twenty-nine feet In depth on June 81, the date
| of the last copous rain, and 1t has now fallen
| below a depth of twenty-twO feet In view OF
| moderate In their use of water. but they were
not the least affected Dy the warning, and II be-
came necessary for us to force them Into econ
| lis mere really much wastef" yes, indeed,
and just where II can not be stopped. Enormous
| quantities OF water are needlessly drawn In
private houses, while IN tue tenement houses
| peopl let the water run all summer to keep II
| cool. and an winter to keep IT from freezing.
| II the amount Of water used In almost auy
house In The city should be gagged, IL would be
| found that the owner pays about one-Quarter of
| the tax that should toe assessed"
| Mr.. BiIdsell corrected the popular impression
that should an Immense fire occur the supply
| under the present economic arrangement. lie
! said. here IL already enough supplied. but II
| there were not II would be Instantly furnished"
IL may be necessary. he thought, to stu fur
| Their decrease the volume Of water which II
| beng supplied to the city but even In that
! event, no house will he absolutely deprive
| Mr.. Birdsell WIS Of the opinion that VI three
| inches Of rain should fall upon the land whose
| drainage supplies CrOt1n lake, there would no
| longer he any occasion for alarm.
| MIR. Fitzgibbons, the superintendent Of the
reservoir. has to 90 to more trouble to get water
| than perhaps any one else In New York. The
| north basin Of the old reservoir, alongside OF
| which his house stands Is being cleaned out
ana he has To Chamber down Its walls. pail IN
hand, whenever water IS needed. q" The proprie-
tors Of the Casino restaurant have been growl
ing around here to-day" said MIR. Fitzgibbons
because their supply IA getting low. expect
10 hear from the Mount 81. Vincent folks ne xt
! But there is remedy. They tap the man.
that run through the Park, and N the watel
don't come. II ~ because there isn't enough Oi
II. A great quantity Of water Is drawn from
ground"
MIR. Fitzgibbons had heard that the depart
mCnt has recently secured the water from
small lake contsining afty or seventy-nve mil
lion gallons and THIS will be added to the guam
tity now on hand. 1t was also "a subject OF near
say with him that the water now being received
at the reservoir comes from the storage
reservoir AT Boyd's Corner, near the Gro
ton dam. Ia this Reservoir we're stored 300,
$4,000 gallons Of water during the summer
six weeks ago ~ was found necessary TO draw
from this, aud now the quantity has pr1bahl
been lessened One-half. At CrOtOn lake tn
surface Of the water II many feet b low tn
av, rage mark, and Is steadily falling, although
the great gates through which u rushes INTO IN
mains under the city are shut down TO puin
mat allows bus ffty per cent. Of the quAutit
distributed during the early summer to pas
them.