The New York herald., 1876-11-07
10 demand general economy to be observed to avoid
the disaster Of . water famine Respectfully,
ALLAN CAMPBELL, Commissioner.
An ENoISExR's SUGGESTIONS.

NEW FORK, NOV - zos'.
To rHE Enron OF THE HERALD
Noticing your article In to-day's regarding tns
scarcity Of water in the croon reservoir cannot
frain from writing you few lines upon this subject
hopes that, coming from your paper. II have the
desired effect Daring the scarcity OF In tho fall
Of 1870 was the engineer in charge OF the Croon
watershed and cut down or tapped lakes Giiead Gle
Media, Mahopac and KIRK, well China and Bar.
rcti's ponds My duty to send down TO The city
90 600 900 OF gallons OF water every twenty hours
This was effected by deepening tho outlets OF
these lakes gradually until tho buikheads were
put In and tho winter rains on.
Now, In the OF Lake Gilcac
which sounded TO depth Of I25 feet, we blasted out
the rock in lis outlet TO depth OF only twelve fee
below its high water line when closed IL, having ne
moro need of the OF lib feet OF water The ad
joining farm and well with ts water rights Its
lct, were purchased by Mr. Tweed for the city the
time and ever since tho city has held possession Of IL
The wator has lately been drawn down to tho level
OF the outlet, and as It is now too atc to think ol
blasting 10 get at further supply to relieve tho city
In time would respectfully suggest that tho Depart
ment OF Public Works Immediately put tho outlet
two lines OF pipe and sphon out water enough
to carry US through put ono over II in 1871
for local purposes which worked without tho
cas, cniculty during tho timo tho lake ning up
after the ou,ls, had been closed. when Lake Gcad
exhausted the method could be applied to
OF the other lakes in the watershed numbering In all
about twcn,y-four Several OF thcso lakes tain be.
low the level OF their outlets inexhaustibc volume
OF wafer, enough to supply tho city during any
OF drought, provided their outlets were dcepened and
bukhcads put in. Then a very largo quantity Of
water could be drawn from all OF them when required,
instead Of now, draining two dry and leaving
tho theirs nearly untoucnod
Mr.. Tcrrells idea OF pumping the Hudson River
tnfn fRn io (.II
back upon after the watershed dry, but from
knowledge OF its great quantity OF untouched IL
reserve u Is evident New York need experience
water famine again If these outlets prepared II
the attention OF tho public to- and that is the TACT thai
constructing artificial storage reservoirs costing mill
ions OF dollars, Is, in my estimaton only
| money, when nature has filled tho watershce
already with twenty-four OF them. They are
| really not yet needed. Look nt tho ono we
time came for u to bo Of use 1t useless IL
drawn down last July whom the cty's supply should
have been then iakon from tho lakes and its contents
sacrodly preserved until now. Bus 10 leaked Ike
face wall, and ned in with cement or concrete plumb
on the back having batter on the front Il Is about
| sixty feet high and $50 feet long, surmountcd
with coping 800 feet above tde mark at
Now York How much longer 1t will resist the action
or the which pcrcolaes through II is question:
early in the season, lest f 10 not drawn from
all II might have water left In n when
wanted II the million OF dollars IL had been cx
pended In preparing the outlets oil the rcser
from day, when they much needed, the money
would have been much better spent, no doubt Yer,
JOHN SCHUYLER, civil Engineer.