The New York herald., 1877-09-06

the reservoirs per tweay four hours and is disrib-
nted throughout tho city This nay be regarded as
srras passsns from Croton Lake through the aque-
icc; suS reservoir dirsct into the city mains The
old snd reservoirs a. the Central Park and the
Forty second street hold aud can be relicd
upon iu os uecd for Loco. 600 900 gallons more
This vsHd seem enough for any snd all emergencies
a. the Ais,s.sauon systen perfect Such, how
ever. not tho case As for nre supply tho present
sys;aa Of Dtsrics OF distribution planned and tho
mains laid when hsnd engines were in use, and tho
system Is net adequate at many points to the sup
ply OF steam Gro cus:rcA The system of
out tho city and SO many conside rations
woula enter nto tho calculation that IL would be
could he delivered at given hour at a gwen Do mt
The experience Of tho Fire Department., however,
alter Gre has occurred near particular hyarants and
they cannot really tell when lrc occurs whether
tho pressure at Tho nearest hydrant will bc
sufficient to allow them scad stream
OF the full capacity OF their cngnss. The department.
however, Is continually making suggestions to the
laying Of the new mains, 70 hs Department OF Public
Works which tho latter attend 10 as quickly as pos
sDlc. Much work OF this KIDD has bccn done dur
gorg on. wha, Tho city seep,s To- need
Is system OF 2onch mains. with plenty OF large hy-
drants, through Tho principal avenues and
nlng north aud south, aad Pinch pipes in the cross
streets, that these ccnd act reservoirs and tho
pressure and supply ut any given point be sufficient
PRESENT sYsTxu
Tho present system of distribution is generally AZ
ioliowsrhe Croton AQueduct leading the water into
the Central Park rc1nrvoirs is co by SIs co with
u semi ni-circulN arch. From the old reservoir two
36-inch MANS run down broadway and avenue to
the lower par; of The city. Two 30-nch mans also
lead Inc down Third avenue TO Forty.
sixth street aud down Eighth avcnuc to Forty scco I'D
street. 3Oinch pipe connects with the Forty second
street The pipes in the crosstown streets
cadin: of from the man pipes range from 10 20
inches the larger szed pipes being placed at tho nigh
inch
mains carry the water into the ciy. These connect
with the 50 aud 30inch mains from the old reservoir
is carried down 10 Tenth avenue and Thirty eighth
street, another TO Fourth avenue and Thirty eighth
street, and the third is now being carried down
Third avenue and Thirty seventh street. Two 3-inch
pipes leave tho reservoir Tor the northern part OF
the city Up January OF this year there werc 425
inches in d,ameter Since Janusry some Six miles
In addition have been laid Tho use OF water and
quenty fires are better subdued at night than dur
ing the day. Tho greatest use downtown is
about ten O'Clock In tho morning ana up
town at eight o'clock. This takes away tho
head OF water and from excessive ant friction in
the pipes the average pressure during the day falls
to pounds per square inch OF cross section; this
Ia 10 l5 pounds during the night and sun
days TO 10 to 20 pounds. Any insunicency of supply
gwen point the present day arises from a de-
feet in the size OF the pipes or deficiency
OF pressure There is plenty Of water the pipes are
large enough In hctase OF The nrc tho Fire Depart.
mcn had not only 10 light against tho smaness Of the
pipes at the point, but the smalness OF the pressure
so that 1t was even necessary TO ''siamcse" or JOIN
q
q good sized stream oi water
As To the supply OF water II the pipes were large
enough and tho pressure sufficient even tho largest
possible dcmand would hardly give an indication of
drain the reservoirs for the largest the steam
fire engines, with full facilities to water throws but
2a,O0o gallons per hour. aud twenty-five Of these
would demand but 625. 600 gallons.
CHIEF ENGINEER or THE AQUEDUcT,
With view OF getting Information the water
supply tho writer called on the Chief Engineer Of the
Croton Aqueduci, in whose Office from himself and
Assistant Engineer Brsall many Of tho cited u
ha auhn trars nhta atn Mr. Eulttn enid
versation about the ciys supply In reference
to tho late blaze that the OF the depart
mcn were o coarse limited on account OF the appro
prations, but that as last us possible. acting
on tho recon- mcndations OF the Fire Department
pipes being lad. In the last and present years
1892 icet OF 20 inch pipe had been laid Fifth nv.
cnus; between Thirty.e'ghth street and Washington
square. In william, Frankfort and Nassau, between
Chambers and Wall, 3,35l iect OF tho size OF pipe
had been lald. In Church, between Greenwich and
Fulton aud Worth between Canal and Houston g. l3s
icct OF the same size had been laid Pipes have been
also laid down Broadway
As regards the nre, Mr.. Campbell said there was
plenty OF water at Thirty-eghth street, but tho Fro
Department didn't get there on time, and tLey now
want TO lay the blame on somebody else The present
engines was in many places not sufficient Tor tho
steam pumping engines and for five years tho depart
iayng new pipes, ,sking tho most mpor,ant s,s M
points. It, however. requires additional means to do
and resolution has just been passed by the Common
Council authorizing anu directing the laying of pipes
through the Twcnty-thrd ana Twenty fourth wards,
and this alone Will use up 100000, and contracts
be made ahead OF the appropriations The depart
ment thinks that larger mains to act as
reservoirs are necessary with large hydrants at
tra points.
FIRE DEPARTMENT VIEWS.
In an interview with Carl Jensen, secretary to tho
Board OF Fro Commissioners, tho former said that as
rule the hydrans have been attached TO small pipes.
change had bcen recommended recently. The Pub
Recommendation They havo recently put down
large mains on broadway As to the engines of the
minute and tho larger ones as high us 601 Hons
The fault as 10 the water supply lies
IN the general antiqualed system through
out the city. A change involves much tmo aud
money. AS to the idea inooled some time ago about
fitting the ferry boats with large pumps that
might do some good along tho water front ana would
be good tor their own protection. They, however
could not be compelled TO out OF their Dy the
department in case OF TRES As to iirc boats the de-
of water by means Of powerful pumps
also supplied with largo fire pumps, and
the department can send for aud hire hor needed
the Mnnenannock, belonging to the Department Of
Charities and Correction There special calls Tor
these and they can be summoned at any moment
Throughout the city there is plenty Of water the
large mains, but tho distribution Is fauty
WHAT ASSISTANT CHIEF ENGINEER SHEA SAYS
In interview with Assistant Chief Engineer Shea
OF tho Fire Department with reference the present
water supply and tho lesson Of the late fire. that
gentleman snd -This Is tho first case In nv cxnrr
There at those Tenth avenue. 1t was high
ground and the pipes were small. The pressure now
at the hydrant on Thirty NTH street, near Tenth
avenue, is only live pounds per square inch
We should have from fifteen to cigh;c pounds
of pressure. Ir We could get this IN large pipes wc
would ask for no moro Our department have asked
the Depar, ,mcnt OF Public Works to lay additional
mains in various parts OF the Guy which most need
them and they have responded promptly. II wo hayo
large pipes they will act reservoirs Ono thing
certain taero had ought 10 DO pipes Of less than
twelve inches in diameter Tor fire purposes Tho sys
q meg so
to give greater pressure would answer we'll cut IL
has never bcep doue" . .
When asked what wero any OF the places 10 The city
particularly exposed TO want OF in casc of fire.
Engineer Snca SAID that thcre was bad spot Oil tho
hi in Canal street, just cast OF the Bowery IL was full
of combusblc buildings, being tho furniture district
In Mott street there Is six story building formerly
occupied by Singers people, but IL is "A cabiuc:
manulact0ry There uro nothing hut six.inch pipes
in the whole noighborhood There arc no wclvc.,nch
pipes than the Bowcry. TO g,vo n good water
supply the CITY there should DO twenty inch pipes in
tho Loroughiarcs running down town. and those IN IT.
cross should be not less than twclvcs inches IN
diameter and there should be plenty Of hydrants of