New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-16
LOCAL MISCELLANY.

THE NEED OF ECONOMIZING 1NCROIoN.
A LETTER FROM COMMISSIONER THOMPSoN-lMPEH-
ATIvE NECESSITY OF SAVING CRoToN-DANGERs
OF THE DRoUTH.
The Commissioner of Public Works, Hubert o.
Thompson, has addressed the following letter 10 to
public in regard to the water supply OF the Guy
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS; !
NEw-YoRK, Oct. 10, lSSl.)
The extraordinary drouth which has prevailed for
more than three months has reduced the reserve supply
Of water IN the Croton basin to an extent Weh nas
for serious ALARM and calls for e1ceptohn nca
10 preserve sufficient water Tor aDsoite ~ a
continuance of the drouth The rainfall Tor July ~
and September was only 9llOO Imcne dinS 90 three
cent less than the lowest for the corresponding hfoo
months for the preceding fifteen years ,-,oor ~
From the report made to me by the Omei 4; % SUNNY
the CrOton Aqueduc the present CONDITION vi 0 e"lP'
may be briefly summarized as follows: ~ 900 ooo co,
The daily consumption Is UPWARD OF 9ooVVtpi s ,yne
Ions the natural nOw OF the Croton RIVER Ut ls ~,
is but 100000 gallons per day. the reserve pP the
the two storage reservoirs and the lakes from 80
city has the right TO draw water II TeducedI, oo
$50 900 900 gallons; and about 490000,OOO gallons
may possibly obtained other lakes by
Gallons At the present rate OF drawing the reser
voirs and lakes, and allowing for evaporation anu aLe
sorpton OF water In its passage through CrOTn az in
and the Aqueduct this reserve would be used up III
about twenty -three days. =, .o.to5
is not probable, It is by means Impossible anu III o
present parchcd condition Of the ground very @
the streams lakes and reservoirs IL wOuI og a.,
cusabe ncglg, or folly TO incur the rsk OF 'sS few
this entire reserve and leave the city dependent on rev
millions of rsons daily furnished 6y the natural 10" OF
the CrOon River, by continuing tho present rate Vi ~
sumption. H.. ,,r ,.or
The present experience shows that the capacity or
ing water In the CrOton Basin is stu ~ an
IL absolutely that the Aqueduct VIII DH luy SUP
piled III seasons OF such extreme drOuth as lhc p
and measures viii at once he taken toward 'ne LII, Sc
ton of another storage reservoir ON site aIc""3 ~
ltetcd. ,,a.,
made in the report OF the Department hat the 10
Basin capable of furnishing daily supply Vi on
2OOOOO,OOO gallons Of water is cOntIovertcd ny tu
All needed 10 ll47lli u H
in time of abundant rainfall be used AT periods WIen
the dow the crOOn is less shan the Cdpdciy Vi ~
4 change. however has taken place in one respect
since the rst surveys for CrOon system were made
forty-scVCn years ago, when the minimum now oi hc
Croion River was estimated n 100000 gallons per
day All calculations of needed storage capacity nave
been based That suppOSiiluu; nht pIt'tl anu ~
obrrytions show thai at times the How OF the Crot"n ~
less than one-third that quantity. Inc
change is DOUBT due to the redUclOh o 'nc i"lc,
area in The Croon Basin BY s conversion into mCaG9"b
and fields and 10 the drainage OF marshy land Inc
ground retains 20 less extent TIE water rom IulS'
IL runs Immediately into the streams, ana INC 'otSe
qucncc Is that they rise and fall rapidly with dIlcr-
mate rainy and dry weather. The year 1850 was me
dncst Twelve years the average daliE nov oi uo
January the average was 5-"ouu'oVo tdHons' nv, Ht
the months II fell 10 9oJu'OOu saou.S, VI
course ~ Ia ONLY necessary 10 have sufficient t'oIhs'
capacity To deliver ne daIl average minus ~ alo
the head OF the AqGcduct cdrh day IN lHc 1851,
emergency the necessity Of CurtHlliuE tue consumption
is imperative. and tho only pracii'aDI way Va
doing 10 IL by closing down SIN further the ouet
OF uo main distributing reservoir. THIS may nave hc
effect dcprIyug lew limited lOcai'rs OF ul' va,
supply, but the people must be prepared l" "t"l 'u
temporary inconvenience. which j. ~ uoiIhhE ,"nrai,
to the danger water famine and coniisaou WIG"
w.. would otherwise incur. -,
the same time / repeat the appeals so "teh inaHe
Cr discoutinuancc of the wauton waste o "",i "u'u
In prc ails many houses II IA a common occur
,,c md water running into the sewers from PlN"'
hons. drains at the rate ~ gallon per minute p'"'t.
h. inilrs % midnight and m, when thtIt cal p'
,,rcry any legitimate OF water. CuhsIdcrIh- Il'
cyfent OF the city and the number OF places VIII n
,clprs fb volume 81 water thus wasted u lnmcI7''
and ,oppapc Of This would go very far towaIu I'',
ia of an yicty as To the water -upylycycn IN tnI' ''
rencg such waste NJ tins time is absolutely 'illih'.
prrr. have been issued e. stop street rpflhhE al
tlc .uppy of water to the fountains in tht PIlh'II"
parks A. ,..,,,,,,,. r,s.
cryoir 30 a. to Lessen the udtioS and Coh7u"P'" Va
water WAS commenced to-day.
IIInEET -. THOMPSON,
CoInmi. .iouer of Puhlc Nofk-.