The New York herald., 1877-10-28
We Want m Abundant supply oi
Pure and Wholesome Water.

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supply than she has at present; therefore
there is no necessity of wasting words on
proving that public opinion is right in that
respect The main question is, How is such
a full and reliable supply to be obtained IN
the best and cheapest manner? As this ques-
ton naturally brings up for discussion the
merits of many available sources, it must be
dealt with from both the engineering and
economic standpoints, in order that every
point may be fairly and fully examined,
and that the results may justify the
| action based on such q thorough in
vestigation. Perhaps it will prove safe
rule to measure what we want by what we
have 1t will guide us clear of errors that
would arise out of misconceptions Of the
true state of affairs, and as these may take
the shape of extravaganza or the opposite
extreme in dealing with this important
question the first would prove ruinous,
while the latter would certainly lead to
abortive efforts.
Since 1912, when the Croton water was first
introduced into this city, the officials have
had it all their own way. Plenary powers
have been conferred on O succession OF COM
missioners, who were charged with the duty
Of securing and maintaining the water sup
ply Instead, however, of experiencing to-
day all the benefits of this extraordi-
nary and extravagant system of expert
ments and expenditures New York finds
only water famine. The HERALD does
not propose to usurp the functions of the
engineers Of the Department of Public
Works and propose plan by which all
previous mistakes may be remedied but
the HERALD reserves the right to criticise
every feature of system which has proved
lamentable failure. If the difficulties sur
rounding the supply of New York were
such as to overtax the intelligence and
ability of the officials we would be COM
PEELED to accept the situation as the best
that could be attained under adverse cir
cumstances. But these difficulties do not
exist. or, rather, they present themselves
as such to an order of intelligence and
ability that has proved itself unable to cope
with them. The general who is given
ample forces, complete equipment and un-
restrained authority to accomplish cer-
tain military undertaking, and who fails,
not because the difficulties that pre-
sent themselves are insurmountable, but
through sheer incapacity, has no grounds
on which to base excuses for his
want of success. He is properly con-
demned by public opinion as an unquali-
fed failure and deserves his fate.
- k1,o -
the water supply Of New York, it will not
bear any more delay to its settlement.
Every day that passes increases the danger
SO closely connected with exhausted sources,
depleted reservoirs and insufficient mains.
1t may be asked, What do we want Of more
mains if we have no water to distribute
through them? We certainly must have
the water first, but it will be Of little use
without the mains. To secure the water it
is necessary to reach reliable sources
whence water in abundance can be
drawn at all times. These are certainly
not to be found in the Croton Valley.
We are told on official authority that at
certain seasons of the year the water pro-
duced by rains and springs in that district
is superabundant. At other seasons we
know by actual observation that the oppo-
site is the case, and that the streams and
rivulets become dried UP and the water
standing in the reservoirs and lakes be-
comes charged with impurities and de-
velops minute vegetable and animal
growths which render it unfit for domestic
consumption, if not absolutely poison
Gus. It is proposed to meet the
difficulty caused by the irregularity
of the supply by constructing stor-
age reservoirs in which the surplus
water can be reserved until the sea-
son of scarcity. Then quantity Of water
which has been stagnant for long time
and exposed TO oil the influences of high
temperature, as well as being loaded with
drainage impurities is to be sent into the
city, after securing in its passage to the
aqueduct the beds of dried-up streams and
the muddy bottoms Of intervening lakes and
ponds. If such is to be the great supply Of
water for New York and the best that the
Commissioner and engineers Of the Depart
ment of Public Works can afford us we
have reason to look to the future with some
| anxiety.
Again, all this water must come through
the Croton Aqueduct. structure regarding
which more than suspicious are entertained
We have but very limited storage capacity
in the Central Park reservoirs, and even
this depends on the aqucduct, which is
already overtaxcd. Let us suppose for
moment that any serious accident to the
conduit cuts off the supply, such as it is,
coming from the Croton Valley. Then, in
deed, New York might fear for her safety.
Disease certainly, and fire possibly, would
leave such marks on her that it would take
many years Of prosperous effort to efiace.
Yet the water supply scheme now being de-
liberately carried out by the officials can
admit of no other result than tho creation