The New York herald., 1876-10-28
SCARCE cROTON WATER.
Remarkable Manner of Regulating
the Supply.
HOUSEHOLD PERILS.
The Grand Jury Take the Matter Into
Consideration.
SUGGESTIONS OF ENGINEERS.

Great Inconvenience and much damage to house.
holds uptown, beyond the line OF Fifty ninth street,
have been occasloned by the eccentric In which
the Croton water supply has been distributed OF late
People have had their full day and dry the
next Visitors to the country have returned 70 town
80 find their cellars flooded and their csterns empty,
showing that tho distribution OF tho water must have
been under the control OF somebody aboring from
attack of vertigo in the head. For weeks past resi-
dents on the east side Of town, above Fifty ninth
street, have been compelled to send out in every
direction for the necessary household supply
OF water Mon and boys and girls might
be seen OF a morning with tin pals and
wooden pals trudgng about the streets in search Of
some friendly pump. In many houses the water sup
ply dropped from the fourth to the floor Nuner-
houses uptown provided with cisterns situa-
ted the roofs, and these connected with boilers
IN tho basement So long as the cisterns hold fair
supply there is for complaint, but when they
run dry all unknown TO the people of tho house who
light their nres usual in tho morning, never dream
Ing that their boilers about empty, then there is
absolute and serious danger Suddenly the cistorn
filled and the cold water comes rushing into the
heated boilers steam Is generated, and the boilers
plode dealing death and destruction around Instances
numerous where such results have occurred,
especially OF late years. since the moro general intro
ducton Of patent boilers that afford easy and
stant supply Of hot water. Iftho
MANAGEMENT THE CRoroN WATER
what it ought to be 1t would let the citizens know
by bulletins IN the morning or evening papers, accord
ing circumstances when The water is about TO be
turned OF and when the supply Is running so low
TO create inco onvenence actual peril Cases
related where families going to the country for the
summer omitted the precaution of regulating
the s,opcock that controls the measure OF water in
tha cio In hrtaf fntou
been drowned out, subsequently the same
eau dc Croton For several years past complaints
have been constantly made against the
precarious character Of the Croton water
supply. II Is admitted by the engineers
that II depends in great measure the rainfall
Such being the case 1t is criminal folly waste the
water In the spring by allowing it to the dam
in volume like river. According to good engineer,
with whom the HERALD reporter talked, the dam
should be raised at least twenty feet higher and
larger body OF water imprisoned for the Of the city
In The hot and dry season OF the year. Cases of
short supply Of water reported from places down
rs well as up town. 1t is the universal opinion that
when operations that interfere with the running or
water undertaken, the people ought be notified
In advance, considering the danger likely to arise
from such have been heretofore referred
concerning hot water boilers.
WHAT ENGINEER CAMPBELL SAYS
The HERALD reporter called Chief Engineer Camp
bell at the Croton Aqueduct Bureau and inquirod:-
"What ia the cause, Mr. Campbell Of the fluctuations
In the Croton water supplyY"
'sWelln said he, sthis morning We engaged
testing some new engines we are putting up at High
Bridge. aud we had to shut OF the water for few
hours"
There Is good deal Of complaint in the uptown
districts OF the insufficient supply. and In some
ssThe remedy. said Mr. Campbell .swil come
With the rain We are awaiting II impatIently
The The season has been uncommonly dry.
The statement 10 mistake about the
rainfall being greater this year than last. Springs
alone such there in the Croton lakes inade
Quate for great a demand this city Every
thing being done by this department give the city
the Iu benefit OF the water supply, but you can't
water from where It IS not Tho weather has much 10
do with the crops and 1t has also something say TO
the water supply, but none OF US presume reg
ulate it,
COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL on THE SITUATION
BY tue report OF MIR. Campbell, Commissioner of
Public Works. for October OF this year il appears that
from June until the present time the drought Ia the
Croton valley and It's tributaries has been unexamplod
within the past i've years. since the 22d Of June
water has the Crotnn dam except for the short
space OF four days Mr Campbell says the Croton River
Itself has dwindIed to the dimensions of brook,
and resort has necessarily been had to the artificial
reservoirs al Boyd's Corner and 10 the lakes
Of Westchester and Putnam counties; that during
this period OF drought 4450 600 900 gallons of
have been drawn from the water stored up in these
busins. Although We had every an ticipate
relief from summer showers and autumnal rams
the atteni the department has been unremitting
In procuring such additional supplies could by any
possibility be commanded. The lakes hitherto not
possessed by the city have been purchased or leased
then outlets cut down, ana large volumes OF water
thus added to Croton River Mr.. Campbell also says
that he estimates the cost Of aqueduct includ-
the accessory works of reservoirs and distributing
pipes at $50 O00 and the time for the completion
years The city will at the expiration of this
period have increased much in population that an
additional supply Will be needed.
RESOLUTIONS JURY.
The Grand Jury OF the Court ot General Sessions.
having had their attention called to the state OF the
Croon water supply came into court yesterday ulter-
ard presented the following document TO Judge
Sutherland:-
The attention of the Grand Inquest in and Tor the
city and county Of New having called TO the
matter OF the low head Of the C:oton Reser-
voir, and having considered the testimony taken by IT,
submit the ioilowing:-
Whereas in consequence of the low head of
several reservoirs OF the Croon aquedc the
o =. dry and the rss. Of time tina.
prevalence Of continued rain it is
dsrbaon Of the water eonded that they use
~ snd % measures 70 restrict "a. waste and use even
basins also that we call fellow citizens of all
Of water Tor in the Of occurring combusbIe
SIsd chAsIGs SlS0n H. ssn.f
THE SUGGESTIONS A CIVIL ENGINEER.
communication IRON James /. SerrcIi, civil engi-
neer, was presented TO the Board Of Aldermen yeser
day and referred TO the Committee on Pubic Works,
as foilows:-
GESrLgMEN--In regard to the water supply OF New
York. Suggest that what Is desired Is exhaustless
supply OF fresh water Tor The city OF New York, and
IL is what must he oDtsined WHAT desire to say Is
that we have the Hudson river, and above a
known point II Is always fresh water and by
,ss uss uss q s,sya pu%ps similar to those now in
River never failing supply could bc oblaned ior The
city OF Now York by ing main IRON such place
connected with reservoir, only receiver. with suf
cient head 10 carry the water down TO Croton Lake
and dispense with all the storage reservoirs now built
and proposed to be built The capacity OF the aque.
duct from Cro,on dam 10 Hisu Bridge is uniform IN
size and capable OF a competent discharge oil water
The land taken for the right 10 lay supply main
could be OF such widtn-say nty ieet-that at any fu
ture time mans as many as required could be laid in
sucn land and additional pumps added any In
creased demand aud would and could be COM
peted IN snortcr time than by the mode pro-
posed (which Is TO cost by estimation $1g OOO and
not be subject TO the drainage OF iarns and
houses, a represented IN the map aud pub do
scription which appeared few weeks since showing
these and the proposed storage The de as
OF and tho necessary OF the
pumps and pipes would be, matter of course pro-
pertoncd to the present demand and increased from