New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-26
MR.. CHURCHs TESTIMONY.

Mr.. CHURCHS TESTIMONY.
The following is the conversation between Mr..
Potter and Engineer Church before the Aqueduct
Commission last week, to which reference Is made
in Mr. Potters letter:
oThe permanent and important point at this moment
is the terminus Now, would Ike TO ask you whether
however il shall be Observation-Disclosures TO include the
Quaker Dam no-haye you any doubt about its giving
Whole system 10 carry il at once 10 the Croton Dami A.
have very much better control there than NJ inc point
below. a.,
yo can get absolute control OF the large lake. when
built as of the upper hikes, can't yOui A.-Ies win
proper care you can control the whole thing from
NO cam ,"ate that big lake from tho other COM
pletelyi Ayes. after the surface is drawn down to
o.@Afterit Is drawn down thrtyfour feet you can
isolate that lake from all the Others ana clean II Out per
fccy, and have II under absolute conr0li A-nesy you
Q-Withouf affecting the supply or the quality OF tho
wateri A.-Yes, sir; without interrupung the water
Q'"You have had large experience and have given
great study i, matter Of supplying water To the cyi
QIIIas il been the study of your lifetime A-Yes
On dealing with great populations Ike that OF the
wat Importance to have the possible control of the
reservoirs from which you draw your waIerf A'-1es'
o'Wouid Won consider the matter OF 900 or 700 or
500 thousand or a million dollars as OF any conse-
oueuce IMAM thai question "a against the health OF this
Tast cityi Al think one mishap might produce more
damage than ten-fold that amount.
Q-And II you go then 60 Croton Dam the whole sy'-
ten viii be practically safe. will mott A-fcs sir
Q-And under perfect control lu-t ~ periecI as my
human being IN the present state of can hhe
IA A-Thc Commission Will have put al Things IN as
perfect control can be In regard To arrangement IN
ogHaye you any doubt therefore. the engineer of
thio 3la ap le lJ ' M The droton DAM A.
That II the deepest point, and IL Is decdeay Tue ocs'
% mean to provide Tor the condition Of things when
tins large axe shal Dr l'o cohp.'t3 a. Ia ,,l, and
0Tbrr 3. no doubt in your mind this Is the best
and safest point draw from A-Decidedy the safest
az nt II the only point that gives real control to
rho lower akel Ayes II you 20 10 the Quaker Dam
there are or two combinations that you lose; ,
pis BAN h5gid sct into state OF fermentation from
any cause long period Of drouih aud tue water be
civ except 10y mnging with that, in whnteYer state 1t
was Alt would have to pass through Il yes, sur :,
O-It would have 10 pass through ule DOdy Oh IL,
wouldn't II. and become part ofiti A-Io moro or
Ie co Two WeuId simply dilute iti Ayes sir.
0.-Ilayo you ever cleaned out the present CrotOn
Lake. All depends on what you ea cleaning out
We had ten liteen men there at Croton Dam o1.ni
out the oued portion Of tne water near IG h ac cf
bOoms across to prevent ~ gong lnt1 ns alIcuV.
What couldn't out went into the aquednct ald came
down TO the reservoir We never cleaned ne leSor'on
VIsnt the upper part OF that Croon Lake. for great
many miles pretty wei hled upI A'-leS' Tue u'pO'
there have been quite appreciable . q, , r,o,,
I "A "a
O"Whch the body OF the lake Is filed upi A.-Where
| there is a great deal Of sediment A.. 49,.
The prpsIdcnt.-DO understand you 10 say that the
Department had ten or fifteen men Dmnng OUT thH Dad
purtionsl A.whorc IL would not How over tne up o'
the dam had To put In syphon pipe NJ one uulc' anu
utm :, U To- the IrotoD dam can be completed at
the same time as you in going TO the Quaker Dam
The President-SO far as that Is concerned you can
build the aqueduc from here 70 Albany as quickly a' you
Judge Arnoux-IIow much would II cost Tor that exc
tension of the hi es A. Thatl Is ralher Doau ques
| ud,u M
"J"igo Arnoux-Your en- gineer's estimate Imean. A
net en 5000 600 and 300 900 that extra two miles
o"Hayc YOU made any calculation 10 what Il would
cost to build ume of that kind four ana ahi llies
| longi Al have made IA calculation II was rather
careless onefor circular ume hooped WIN ron TO oo
strong enough estimate IL about T2JOOOO-that Is iOr
six diameter, and the portion ut tue mouth Oi the
"uAs an engineer, do you think 1t would be prudent
and provision TO make for supply OF great cry IKE
York with all ~ vast interests for term o. years
Al think you could risk It, u you have no better way,
Q.woud It be prudent aud wise to rsk IT, 70 supply
lad the responsibility OF it should prefer not to do So
but stil II there no better means should 40 ~
stcI of bniidng the Crolon Aqueduct through into the
Croton kei should prefer the Croton Aqueduot put
o~lsn't it more than mere prefcrence' A-You run
some r1sgs. ,, H.. l., $500. ,,,,, 4,
is prudent 10 depend upon the me from there when you
can put the aqueduct through Al DOM t9 h Mn Is
that not prudent Ii is not prudent TO use te ou
aqueduc in It's present condition but we are using IT, m
tSough with certainty to the Croton Dam quick
the lower daIn-the lower polnti Ayes, sir
And you say that II beyond the question the best place
to draw from It'll include the Tucker Dam as the system
aboyei A.-That ls my opinion yes SIR -
Q.-YOu have no doubt about thatf A-No, SIT, none
whatever. ,,-.-. --,,- -. an.
fullest examination, that there Is no other prudent way
mean with view of the great interests at stake
except build this through TO the CrOton Damf A.
Unless you are willing to walt Tor your wafer, ,
Q- mean provided you want IN tS hes cs 70
then that il the only proper pace-Or the pest pace 70
draw from the whole systemi Al should say that Is
the best place Yes, sir . ,,, =.
East Branch) conrOabOut what portion OF inc Wator'
Bbedi A.-The whole drainage areai 49,
Q.-Yes, sir. Al suppose the larger portion OF
COT the whole CrotOn shed amspeaking OF ana am
apcaklng of the SOlom daml Alt Is just about half
pretty neary-of the whole drainage 1t IL on the
Last Branch. Idon't remember the exact figures.
Q.-And there Is dam whatever upon that Is theref
| A.-NO lake. ,,,- A.,
OF a lake were made upon that as to include the
largest area considered last winter, have you
any doubt about its containing In the vicinity OF eight
pOn gallonsi All would, II you filled both OF those
Ldsns.
Q-ave you any doubt that the cost then estimated Of
81 100000 would be adequate To complete III Al
| should think IL would be sufficient.
Q.-It would then substantially double the present
Q-Now II understand IL Is part Of your proposition
10 build dam Muscoot Mountain to the place you call
MuscoOt Mountain necessary and wise part OF the
i large reservoir A.-Ies, air.
, Q,-The large lake mean. A.-Yes sir.
Q-And that n for the purpose or holding the water
back upon the fiat so as not to expose tho shoresl A
| Yes sir.
over thousand million gallOns-that s billion gal
/ Ions.
Q-And you propose to enter tho Croton Lake at its
bottom, instead OF where you now enter IT, and draw
from II and add that as storage to the city don't you
1 A air.