The New York herald., 1877-01-12
THE WATER SUPPLY.

THE PUTNAM COUNTY PRIVILEGES SOON TO
ExpIRE-wuAr THE CITY SHOULD DE-
MAND-A REMEDY SUGGESTED
The extension OF the Croton water into tho newly
annexed wards, the trouble and danger OF short sup
ply and the action of the Board OF Aldermen In ap-
porting SPECIAL committee to consider the advsa-
bility OF procuring ample and increased supply Of
water city, brings the aqueduct and the water
privileges permanently to the front.
While Il is true that calculations made by tho
engineers when the Croton Aqueduct was projected
aud built the amount OF water necessary for tho sup
ply of the city was underesimated, at present the
supply obtained exceeds the estimates made whens
under Mr.. John B. Jervs the work was completed 10
lS42 after hvo years OF bard work. Mr Jervis con-
cedcd supply of IL 900 gallons per day, while Mr.
E. H. Tracey, the engineer who maze the surveys Tor
the proposed receiving reservoirs gives due credits
to the velocity of the current and, with supply oil ut
least no. ooo gallons per day. gives enough tor
period of nine months OF zach year with the ordinary
ranfalis.
TIE AouEDucr.
The entire length Of the work, FROM tho Croton
River to the reservoir at Filth and Forlicih
street, is little over forty miles, and on this line
therc tunnels and tho area OF Croton Lake
formed by the dam erected the river Is about
400 acres.
The storage reservoir at Boyds Corners, capable Of
holding in reserve a large amount OF water,
erected during 1S73-74 but the capacity OF this basin
Is not sufficient TO supply tho demands made upon It
by the rcceivng reservoirs the Central Park and tho
a third reservoir, now course Of construction
what known as the Middle Branch, will secure
equal TO the at Boyds Corners; and much water
IS necessarily lost by tho flow over the dam when
these rcceptacles laden to their full capacity
CONDITION TIE WORK.
AS tribute to the wise judgment OF the original
cnt time may bc taken evidence That tho work
well DONE The men In charge worked conscien entously
and wc. and the whole cost, including commissions,
interest and amounts paid for rights Of way footed
up about Sl2, sou, 900.
The area OF The water sncd OF the Croon Is 3SS
square miles. with an elevation above tide water Of
1000 feet and pouring the winter into the RESERVOIR at
the Croion dam. which Is about 300 feet above tide
The lakes largely fed by springs, and, as In the
instance OF Lake MahopaC, even tho immense demands
upon thor capacity o supply by the storage rcser.
voirs already in give no reason to believe that
under ordinary circumstances the supply OF wator
the city would be endangered.
TnE LAKE DISTRICT.
The area included the lake district OF Putnam
county Is about 1870 acres, and the most competent
engineers grant that with the properly savedin
ample storage reservoirs, the means OF obtaining It
may be considered safe The aqueduct however, IS
tested 10 rs uli.s; extent , and o after thirty,
many would suppose it TO be. For distance OF live
miles tho aqueduc. IS over streams aud ravlnes;
work, bong small stones and gravel, above
which is mass Of hydraulic as concrete, lad
work at the dam which Is intended and
has so far hold the immense Of water check,
signs Of age and at the annual inspection proves
the immediate necessity for repair Both ut the top
bottom large cracks have appeared, through which
the wator tricklcs and which, in case Of heavy
pressure, often widen. These cracks repaired by
the simple process OF throwing mass OF loose cement
amer preparation into the water, that It muy
find its way into the tssures as, In most instances,
II docs. Commissioner Campbell in his report made
in August, reports tho aquedaet and reservoirs
IN good condition. but there Is nothing
ms vet done toward the Of tho work Of con-
structng the third storage reservoir, for which
appropriation hns been partly made, and the work
upon u will Of necessity be delayed ona year. II not
moro unless immediate measures takon 10 prevent
this delay so dangerous as may b. fairly judged from
sber,ness Of the water supply carly Ia the present
month, whom tho waste Of water in tho city wns com.
paratvey unchecked and when tho water In rescr-
voirs at Boyd's Corners and elsewhere too low TO
give full head throughout the water consumns dis.
tricts
The famous Tweed purchases of the Putnam county
akcs and the wafer privileges OF the land were mat
sioncr OF Public Works Tweed clothed With
supreme, II not imperial power IN all apperaining to
mo o, anu
extensions The Comptroller OF the city was instructed
TO pay whatever Tweed told him TO pay. There was
an appropriation tor than sufficient to complete
all that devised, and until by special Legislation
the appropriation limited to $l,o00.0O0 there
was intended to be with from Twoed's prop.
crty. Tweed held then In reality he holds the
key 10 the mains Of tho ctys reservoirs far
as tho newly acquired lakes arc concerned There
was purchase ostonsibly for tho city, but In reality
for Tweed and the neanoss of tho operation clearly
shown In the fact that while there understand
ing the title the properly should go the city,
until the present tme It stands really q lease
noary expired.
A REMEDY.
There timc to delay In fcrretng out the mys-
terry surrounding the real estate transactions In which
Tweed and those VINO had tho properly from him
concerned. Tho acquisition OF the title Is due Ia
careful manipulation OF tho public confidence at the
time the contract made, and the people ot New
York daily wasting water without single thought
OF tho slight dependence upon which their supply
rests The newly Incorporated Wcstchester wards," "
tho Twenty third and Twenty fourth, have put
claim their share of the Croton water that
less something is done to provide them from other
sources the supply will be absolutely short
Tor tho rest Of tho city Among tho origi-
nal ideas Of tho Croton Board the
use of the Bronx River n means OF supply,
aud II used would, II Is claimed, do the best
by supplying tho districts BronxviIlo, IL IS
pointed out great advantages for reservoir and
is so situated that 1t would be bat short cut tO the
new wards and best fitted for the location Of the
aqucduct and the storage reservoirs necessary to sup
ply It, The of this scheme suy that tho pos
session this OF additional supply upon terms
moro Just to the people OF New York than bargain
with Tweed compromise, under tho cIrcum-
stances with who act for him. would be OF nd.
vantage in evory way TO the city. II the Putnam
county leases cannot bo changed into absolute titles
this and all other OF securing the city against
the possibilities water famine deserve caseiul aud
prompt consideration.
ID