New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-25
A WELCOME BAN, BUT LITTLE RELIEF

A FALL OF ONLY ~ INCH IN THIS Cllh-LlI Ili'
OR NO RAIN IN THE CRoToN REGIoN-MEASUREs
TO SAVE WATER TO BE ENFoRcED-UsE OF FIRE
BOATS.
There was probably not person IN the city yes
tcrdav who did not rejoice when he awoke IN the
morning and saw the rain falling. Gloomy as the
streets appeared with wet SIDE @alks anu lowering
possible relief from the threatened water famine.
The interest taken in the rainfall was shown by the
saIqtatons Of persons meeting IN tue streets or cars
marked one person, " hut | am sorry that 1t does
not pour" "Yes," replied his friend I" we would 6e
willing to submit to any discOmtOrts from the ram
for a week in order to have the water supply IN
creased" Such was the general sentiment among
men everywhere. ,c.u ~.
showed that the rain was general east OF the Mis-
sissippi River. Beginning in the West on Sunday
the storm travelled eastward slowly, but at no
place was the rain very heavy. The storm reached
here about o'clock yesterday morning, ana the
rain fell lightly all day until about p m, giving
fall of about twelve hours me report taken at
o'clock in the mor1ing gave fall IN the city OF
inch The total rainfall in inches Tor the eglI
hours previous to a. m, at the other principal
cities was: Albany. OF inch; Atlanta; 'US !;
Chicago. 80; Davenport. iowa, 10; Detroit .0S :;
EastpoIt, 06; Grand Haven, 80; keokuk, 20 !;
La Crosse, .0l; Knoxville, 81 Milwaukee, 81 T;
ID. c., 80; Toledo, %, and Buffalo NJ l., 40:
The evening reports showed that the otai ran OF
ram in the city was ~ inch anu that IN nearly
the rain had stopped falling. . ,
At the Department of Public Works it was stated
f Deputy Commissioner Hamlin, when asked what
effect he thought the rainfall would have on inc
water supply saa mere mas as oI isnatcbes fhs
morning from the CrotOn DAM stating that lf.was
not raining there at all, aud from Carmel stating
that there had been no rain of any account a those
places. IL may raining there this afternoon, but
have not received any dispatch TO that ehect VI
course the Central Park reservoirs have received
the benefit of the half inch fall IN thls city, but
OfbprWIsp the storm has done nothing 10 llCltdSe
the water supply"
"If relief does not come soon do you intend to
adopt any measures TO diminish the daily cOnsump
tom"
Yes we will have to- There are only about two
weeks supply on hand now aud soon we VIII BEGIN
a very heroic system of saving the water. the
details of the plan have not yet been arranged and
therefore / cannot give them TO you but think
that we will be able to save enough until we have
a good storm"
sDo You intend to give the people personal
warning against wasting waterF
"No | think warning enough has been gwen
through the papers and by the Mayors proclama-
ton If the people will not obey these warnings
don't think they would any other"
There has been some suggestion 10 carry out the
London plan of shutting Oft the water except for q
certain number OF hours each day. Could you adopt
Not in This city because our system OF supplying
water is very different from that IN Use in London.
What would be done in cases OF hre II We should
shut of the water for any number OF hoursp
Chief Engineer Newton SAID that while every
little rain helped the fall yesterday 50 triiling
that il would not do much good. want TO see It
pour for five days as heavily as 1t did when Noahs
ark noated TO the top OF Mount Ararat Until we
get good rainfall will have to save all we can
There a proposal now TO shut the water down ana
thus diminish the supply" When asked about the
method followed IN London on similar occasions
Mr. Newton said that the plan could not be adopted
here unless the plumbing changed IN every
house. so that the occupants could It'll tank While
the water was turned on.
The Fire Commissioners decided yesterday TO
accept the offer OF publicspirited citizen, who
does not wish his name mentioned, which VIII
lessen the SO of CrOtoD water At fires. The citizen
places at the disposal of the Department five boats
provided with powerful steam pump available Tor
fire purposes and also large supply OF hose 1elc-
graphic conn unicaton will be established with the
place where the boats stationed, and at fire
call the boats will be sent To the foot of the street
where the fire occurs. The Commissioners state
that with the use of these boats the danger OF the
spread Of a fire would be greatly obviated.
The effect of the dronth upon the water supply
of Brooklyn made known 10 the people OF that
city yesterday by Commissioner French, of the
Department of City Works at q time when light
rain was falling. In a report the Chief Engineer
showed that the depth of water in the Hampstead
Storage Reservoir was feet inches, which will
be exhausted in three weeks. The rainfall for the
past four months was 39-1OO inches against
II $500 inches in the time last year. Un-
less heavy rains fall there cannot be delivered more
than 81 900, 900 gallons daily. On Friday OF last
week So SO, 800 gallons were used. Commissioner
French calls attention to the need of IN the use
of water as the approach of cold weather fore
shadows scanty supply for the winter The use of
water for street sprinkling and washing sidewalks
and the fronts of houses Is ordered to be discon-
tinued. go
The rain of Yesterday was received with welcome
on Staten Island, although it was too late TO be of
any benefit 10 the crops. For the past four months
water has been carted long distance from different
points the island, csteIns and wells having be-
come dry. phe farmers WILL lose by the failure OF
fhe cabbape and turnip crops $40 900 or more.