New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-26
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE, FRIDAY JANUARY &C. 1885,

reached when the steam pipes, III ADDITION I'd
the frequent function of blowing up portions
of the street, began to disseminate unpleasant
smells through the cellars of buildings along
their course. Merchants actually went openly
before a committee of the Board OF Aldermen
and complained that the foul odors from the
pipes so permeated their stores and offices that
their clerks were made i'll and unable to work.
Others complained that the pipes distributed
more smells than steam; that when the
weather became especially cold the steam was
cut of. Nobody charged that the supply Oh
smells had been cut of or diminished from any
cause whatever. One competent authority told
the committee boldly that steam heating was
still an experiment; that two steam heating
companies had failed in Troy and that the per-
mission to lay pipes here never ought 10 have
been granted until it had been concluslyely
demonstrated that the scheme was practicable.
How audacous such talk as this must have
seemed to the statesmen of the Board OF Alder
men, who are accustomed to nothing but meek
acquiescence from the citizens Of this metrop-
oils They must have thought that the worm
had not only turned but had actually erected
himself on end.
SURPRISE the Mayors Water Commissioners
were subjected to a similar experience. A COM
mittee of taxpayers appeared before them and
with unprecedented boldness asked u series of
searching questions concerning the capacity OF
the aqueducts and the pipes leading therefrom.
They asked for a variety OF information, and
their manner must have struck the Board OF
Public Works as extremely impertinent. They
demanded, actually demanded, that the public
be furnished with exact aud trustworthy inior-
nation about the capacities of our present
water supply and the manner in which they are
used before they consent to the building OF
new aqueduct and the consequent laying OF
larger distributing pipes. This was clearly auda-
cious Here Is public which has been appropri-
atng a million dollars annually since 1879 for
increasing the water supply, and has heen re-
ceiving less water all the time; which has been
unable to have water run above the second door
of most of its houses, and has seen it disappear
from the second floor when cold snap came on
or a periodic water famine was ins'igated-this
public which has borne these and other attic
tions uncompaningly, suddenly develops a
committee of taxpayers who want to know just
why it all happens, you know! We wonder the
astounding spectacle did not take Mr.. Hubert
y. Thompson's breath away. Hero he is be-
fore the public with a proposition to build
new a1ueduct at an estimated expense OF
$14, 000,O 900, with a brilliant prospect that be-
fore the Job is done the taxpayers may have to
pay double that amt unit and instead OF the
public haling the proposition with huzzas of
delight, prylng committee Of taxpayers perk
up their heads and ask to know whether or not
they are getting all the water they might have
with the present facilities Clearly Wednesday
was bad day for tho pipe. but it was great
day for that crushed worm, the average citi-
gen of New-YOrk.