New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-16
THE AoUEDUO1 COMMISSIONERS.
THE COST OF BUILDING A FLUME.
MR. THOMPSON SHOWS THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE
WAY OF Mr. DowD's PLAN.

THE COST OF BUILDING A FLUME,
MR.. THOMPSON SHOWS THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE
WAY OF Mr.. DowDs PLAN.
The greater portion of the time which the Aqueee
duct Commissioners devoted to the TRANSACTION OF
ITS business Yesterday afternoon was passed I'D
adopting its rules and bylaws. twas decided tnat
hereafter majority OF tue ssatn sst;u9
sbonld he held every Wednesday at y p. M,
at the rooms of the Commission in The TRIBUNE
building In order to hold O special meeting
IL wtll be necessary for all the Commissioners 10 be
present The officers and the employees OF the COM
mission will consist of president and vlce-presi-
dent who hold their respective Offices one year a
secretary an auditor, chief-englneer, assistant
engineer and inspectors. There will be SIX stand,
ing committees. as follows; On Finance and
Proposals on Work and Construction, and on A p
pointmens of Employees. The salaries OF the
officers will be fxed by the Board OF Estimate and
AppOrtiOnment. .
At the last meeting of the Commission, Mr..
Thompson was requested to prepare series OF esti-
ma ties on the cost OF building fume, 10 measure
four feet by four feet by means Of which this city
could be supplied with thirty millions or gallons OF
water a day from Croton Lake. The hume was to
follow the line OF the old aqnednSt. 1t was vas 10 De
water while the new aqueduct was IN process OF
construction Yesterday Mr.. Thompson submitted
the result of his inquiries to the Commission IN the
form OF number of estimates supplemented by a
mum Der of maps. The Commissioner IN presenting
the estimates SAID that he had found that it would
described, as The unduations of the country
between Croton Lake and this city: together
with the masses of rock which would have 10
be pierced would interfere with the grade so greatly
that the hume could not be MADE sufficiently strong
to Withstand the weight OF the water. " Ihen. ne
added, the equeduct properly does not all lie on
the surface of the ground many places con-
siss simply of the right of way beneath farms ana
gardens, whose owners wonld seek heavy damages
should their land be invaded. The cost I'D buying
rights would be enormous Again, the square fiume
would offer many angles TO the force OF the
water and il would not stand the pressure. The
only practicable fume would be tubular one.
heavily hound aud braced with iron" hume to
extend the thirty-three miles between CrotOn Lake
and this city. similar 10 the one upon men he had
been desired to furnish estimates, Mr.. thompson
said would cost 81 20 a foot. or $4,000 tor It's
construction. Then 1t would ONLY furnish q daily
total of 100000 gallons. In ordef 10 bring ins
requisite amount of water TO the city Hume win
an interior measurement of twenty square feet
would be necessary
1.-The only TUNE that would be of
useO Mr. Thompson continued, would necessarily
he constructed ut q considerable elevation above
the aqueduct. As the waterway now 49, 10 IS taxed
to It's uttermost and stigation has shown mat
in several places the tunnel has been depressed fully
eighteen inches by the weight OF the water. IDe
siuking al point naturally weakenslt AT seVeIal
Others, and were an additional weight To be pl"ceu
on the masonry the results woud be disastrous.
The elevated hume could be built high enough 10
make the grade very gradual and the How oi the
wafer regular but the COST would be very great
At height OF fifty teet-a very necessary eieVa-
ton if The grade is to be reg ried-ii would cost
- l53,ODO. and would take from one anu "a nan W
two years to buid. Az an elevation OF fifteen feet
the time Tor building would not be mucn less ana
II would II quire an expenditure of 81 10000 The
hume could be made very slrong, WIN sIIags
aud braces of iron, and would resist pressure
of thirty pounds TO TO the square lbch ih
addition 10 the cost for the construction 3l the
t1ume 100000 would have to be- cxpenfed Tor
pumping machinery. IL would, therefore, 10 hardly
a profitable venture for the public ihe maps
which MIR. Thompson presented were OF the route
of the proposed aqueduct, and diagrams oil various
sections of the proposed Hume. "
Commas Lane suggested that II would be
well to appoint cnefengineer as soon as possible,
and ne moved that Benjamin ;. Church, tue chiei-
Engineer of the Department of Public Works, be
chosen. Mr.. Church was familiar with the ground,
and was intimate with the requirements OIL the
aqueduct by reason of his twenly-six years OF ex-
perIence with the Croton Aqueduct. 1t was very
necessary to have an engineer VINO would lose no
time III becoming acquainted with the conformation
of the country and Was prepared 10 go instantly 10
Mr. Thompson said that Mr. Lanes motion was
complete surprise 10 hun, bur that he would support
Mt Churchs appointment III good con-
science. Mr. Church WAS present at the early part
of the meeting, but when Alr. Lane mentioned
his uame he left the room. W hen he returned he
found Oh at he had been chosen CHIEF engineer.
Commissioner Dowd SAID that 1t would be adyls-
able to have public presentation OF the pans OF
the Commission possible. that the work
might not be delayed day longer Than was a0sO-
uteIv necessary Mayor Edison SAID that II would ne
better to have maps and plans Tor pubic lnspec-
ZION before any sucn decisive step as Mr.. Dowd had
suggested should by taken.
Mr. Thompson introduced Chief Engineer Isaac
Newton of the CrotOn Aqueduct to the COmnlssIOn
He was asked how soon he could prepare the re-
uuIred maps and he answered that as IL work OF
considerable detail tie could not lInf the necessary
time. lie sald that he would have key" maps traced
and would simplify them as much as possible.
The roOms of the Commission VIII he open 10 the
public uext Thursday afternoon at 3 O'Clock, when
the plans OF the aqueduct will be discussed
Tie Commissioners present yesterday were
Mayor Edison Controller Grant, Hubert o. Thomp
son, Mr.. Dord and Dir. Lane.