New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-29
UASTE or CROT0N W4rER.

PAPER READ BY BENJAMIN sILLIMAN CHURCH
BEFORE THE wE-TcHrsTER HISTORICAL So
CITY.
At the annual meeting of the Westchester
County Historical Society YESTERDAY In the Presbyterian
Church ar White Plains. Benjamin sIllman Church. the
resden; engineer of the Croton Aqueduct submitted
paper which was read by Charles WoOl-ey, on City
Water supplies their Origin. Development and Present
Condition" In some remarks made by members OF the
society on motion TO return the thanks Of the society
10 Nj Church. he was alluded TO the t-grandsOu
Of General schuyler VINO the first to put on pa
per plan for supplying NewYork City with water end
as direct descendant Of General sinan whofought at
the battle Of White Plains One-half OF Mr.. Churchs
paper was devoted TO a discussion of the systems Of
water supply used by the anciens, and historical and
slightly descriptive keoh OF the Crot0n system. On the
subject Of the scarcity Of water IN NewYOrk City and
its causes Nj. Church spoke at great length and with
great seriousness. Among other things he said:
NewYork is suffering now and has been for years
sewers where it does not perform even the service "
flushing tue house soilPpes to any useful degree II
has been established lhat TINS ltNl5h use OF wafer
occurs in the private houses anu d~elLnss.
Constituting the family. It in the kitchen department.
with careless servants, tOge her with mpcrf CT fixtures
and leaking plumbing ese Two cause are ia tAe
man responsible for squan0eriAg TIE wafer tna ltsl-
ma ely used, would suffice Tor the Guys CON ri and
safety until new aQueduct could De constructed; au
the harmful effects Of such abuse are not merely
NEGATIVE D4t very positive evil nv, mr. rro,e.s,,,,
and business men ana The direct Gearing upon their per
soual interests il is surprising that they seem not TO
considered the value OF wafer from the standpoint
OF It's value As staple artce ~ mas Deeh ony Inn
pa years that the important fact has begun 10
be realized tAat water supplied 10 our cities Is al eI-
pensiye necessity ana w means free eIeIIe' liAe
ali and sunlight II has positive money value Per cubic
equal IN most cities 10 mat oil gas Iakn- me cost
OF al that pertains 70 lhe CrotQh water Morh7 ~ ne
figure OF T36OOOOOO the simple interest AT
per cent equals a OF S21GO,OUO per annum Now,
when onenai or TWO thus OF ms water Is wasted I'D
the sewers without performing any duty simply means
throwing away $4,000 or $1,000 a day. Consider the
storm OF Indignation that WOud De raised were
popuace found 70 be invading the city treasury anu
throwing into the narbOr several thousand dollars
worth OF greenbacks daily, aud TINS gong on thougut
lessy ana wautCulY for years, Now July That amount
Of cost In water Is actually Dehg epIed INTO tle NSW
Ork harbor daily. 1ou nu.t readily perceive TINS IA
lacy claiming water 10 be free air and light. wnen
It weiEhs ssixty-'wor ana Vhe-ha H. pou aD
transport this pOnderable substance forty miles aud
through hundreds OF miles IN the city mains into 100000
buildings COSTS money; Inc country storage Whch III
sures daily flow into New York OF 100000 600 gallons
porJation forty miles costs tho city daily 81
the interest on tie city storage and delivery costs $500
per day.
Speaking Of the consequences Of reducing the pressure
IN order restrict the supply after mentioning the loss
at hres Mr.. Church said:
Another still more serious danger attending the
present condition that the upper stories OF houses
are deprived OF water, and the various avenues OF
Louse-ppe communication with the sewers become
many death traps - the Inmates who breathe the III
feced air No one can estimate the number OF broken
constitutions and shortened lives that have
brought sorrow and suffering into many home
the November number OF The Popular Science
Monthly sewage gas thoroughly reviews harmful
influence of such poison the Increase death-rate
New York from ISL TO 1ss2. An increase OF 20 per
cent Is due chiefly to this cause. The writer
o. gas Is due principally to empty plumbing
IN story after story, and the empty plumbing
is directly caused by Of pressure TINS coldtIon Is
unavoidable wnIe The water demand so far outstrips
the supply and things must grow steadily until
new conduit Is constructed, and the stopped to
bridge over The interval.