The New York herald., 1878-10-21
CROTON SCARCE UP TOWN.

DRIFT oBsTRUcTING THE GATEs-ENGINEER
ABOVE MURRAY HILL.
The Inhabitants OF Murray Hill, Yorkvilie, Manhat
tanyis, Carmansvlle aud Harlem have lately been
complaining win just cause oil the inadequacy OF the
service Of Croion water in their districts The
hydrants on the upper floors have for some
days bean almost entirely dry. reporter
OF the HERALD yesterday endsavorsd 10 as
certain It's cause and emily partly
successful. There were rumors that one OF the
principal gaes OF the aqueduot had been shut. that
the screen at the High Bridge had been broken and
that The DRIFT which should have been checked there
was floating down and clogging up the pipes In the
upper part OF the city, None OF these strictly
curate, and only Indicated the true cause OF
oil the trouble Tue dissatisfaction of the consume
well founded all the same aud In reality It is
only an old grievance remantestng itself fresh
aggravation. The reporter visited first the gate
house Ninety second street. near Ninth avenue.
All the water which supplied to the reservoirs in
Central PARK passes through this ana then
divides into two streams Two were
iound hero busiy engaged in removing small
distractions from the screen, the most part
oi which wero autumn leaves and twigs. heap of
them lay ono corner OF tho platform, under which
pashed and gurged and roared tho powerful torrent
which quenches the thirst OF thrce-tourths Of the
cily's population The mon were working in the
very midst Of the dangerous looking sddes showing
long handled bushes down the inner surface OF
the screen, One OF them came up to whore the re-
porter stood. and he answered questions leaned
upon the IRON railing aud spat at brief intervals
into the food below. He said that tho who has
charge OF the screen b. kesser and as he Is wake
moving autumn leaves from the acrceu for tho past
Two days with hardly any iutermission. Ordina-
riy II was cleaned only three times in twenty-
four hours. The workman thought the difference
between the dopth above tho gale and that below It
was ABOUT ono and a half feel, but IL looKed much
he also asserted tna the extraordinary guam
lity OF drift duo the breaking OF the screen at
the gate on tho north side of Harlem River.
HIGH BRIDGE.
AtH High Bridge there were Two mon cleaning the
screen at the gate IT was intact and sound. Ono
OF these was brother Of the gstekeeper He chew cd
tobacco necessarily, and frequently sQuirsd tho rank
smelling juice into the swift current which he
discussing The drltt was very tnIck, and dead
foliage Ilcd up tho wires almost fast they could
DO removed. During part OF yesterday the water
backed up behind tho gate Two feet higher than
ihe lower SIDE In mo evening the difference had de-
rue keeper Of tho High Bridge reservoir said that
the people OF Washington Heights were complaining
OF tho lack Of water. On saturday, the l2.h, Mr..
Martin, OF Washington lane, told him that he could
not get drop from his hydrAnts. Il seemed lmpos-
splc I'D reason Tor this, for that day noon
tho tanks IN the tower, from wnicn the highest
points arc supplied, showed depth OF twen,yrlhree
ieet and ou Tho next morning the reservoir
was iuiL None oi ,ne. gates have been
closed since last April. The reporter inspected
tho water II was passing into the reservoir
ana saw no na,caons OF drliI in It Yet i, ali goes
through the Ninety-second street gate, and It is
mystery where The leaves from which are found
SO abundantiy there Tho:e is no opening In the
pipes ana reservoir between Manhattanville ana
Tue Central Park. The record Of the depth Of the
water at High Bridge yesterday was as tollows:-
In the 10Der. IN the Rsseryolr
A. M..........17 feet sA. NJ. 10 leeL
IL .23 ieet Il NJ. ..l5 Zee, 31s inches
5P 20 ieeI 5P. M..l5 feet i incnss.
sixteen ieet tbs limit Of the capacity OF Tue reser
voir, and al eight A. NJ. II was oveiaowing. Last
evening, ut six O'clock the depth IN lne tower Iank
was eighteen feet and six inches.
STREET HYDRANTs.
Engineer J. Z. CampDpn said last night that the
only uliouty In the way OF giving the Guy all the
watcr nccasd or private purposes was tho privilege
recently granted 10 tne polics OF opening
ing the guttera II had been passed by the
Common Council while fcarui OF The yellow
fever. Since tnen tho reservoirs had becn drawn
down about icot The eject OF this decrease aud
OF the opening OF SO many large rents at diforent
hours 10 lessen the pressure and the flow. This,
however, did not effect The highest districts, which
were supplied duectly from Inc Higp Bridge. Mr..
Campbell attributed the lack OF tho houses
above Murray hin and sou,h OF Washington Heights
10 tie smdllness OF the maius crossing Manhattan
valley, lhoy are entirely inadequate. New build
ings are constantly going up TIA TINS district, and
the consumption has greatly increased since the
mains were iaid Two years ago. They are now carry
ing 10 the fu extent oil their capacity. He hopes
that alter the election the CONNIE Council viii au-
thorzc Tho erection 0f an engine aud pump
ing engines 10 give additional pressure TN upper Nov
York. Tho site selected 10 between Ninty .seventn
and Ninety .eighth streets, 100 ieet west of Ninth
avenue. Tho other day strong delegation OF west
sido cilizens called ON the Comptroller aud urged
speeay execution OF these projects. They would be
the moat practicable remedy tor the local scarcity,
and there was really no cause for apprehcnding a