Connecticut western news., 1888-10-17
CROTOM AQUEDUCI.
Punctured Through Thirty Miles
 of Solid Rock.
New York Possesses the Long
 est Tunnel in the World.

N0W OIk FOSS0SS0S In0 LOIS-
 est Tunnel in the World.
 The longest tunnel in the world i, rapidly approaching completion. In other word', says the Sun, New York, in abou. eight months time, and after tho expenditure of about $20, 900, 900, will have her aqucduct.
 It is of interest to the public to take glance at this great cngiu ecring feat in some of it's moro practical features the question of Now York's water sup ply and its utilization under present and prospective facilities being of vital importance. -.
 The drainage area of the Croton basin covers about 364 square miles. In other words, tho supply from which New York derives her water is brought to Croton l. ike from that ares of country.
 This vast water shed, even in periods of the greatest drought, will furnish supply of water equal to the needs of tho city for about thirty years to come, allowing for an increase in population in ratio proportionato to that of the past. But under present conditions, the facilities for storing thus water are totally inadequate. Tho present ca pacity of Croton Lake and other reser- voirs is roughly estimated at about ton billions of gallons, aud assuming that each year, like the present, shall give regular monthly rainfall averaging about four inches, these reservoirs will be kept flied and cqual to the increased demands made upon them by the new aqueduct. But, given few months of drought, New York may find herself as badly off as ever.
 The reason for this is obvious. Tho rainfall at present being far in access ] of the storage capacity of the Croton reservoir, the great excess of water passes over the dam and SO irto the Hudson River and out to soa. Hence the necessity for tho proposed Quaker Bridge reservoir, which, when con structed, as it inevitably must be, will impound and store all this waste water and furnish ample reserves from which to draw in seasons of drought. This reservoir, therefore, is most impor- tant feature in the present plan for im- proving New York's water supply. When tho dam shall have been con- structed the proposed reservoir will have a capacity of about 35, 900, 900, 900 of gallons. It will form a lake practically about sixteen miles long and of an average width of over half mile, from the mouth of the Croton river to Croton Falls, near Pur- dy's. By reason of it's vastcr body and greater depth, the water in this rcscr- voir will not only be cooler but of great CT purity. It is . we'll known fact that the rays of the sun acting upon any body of water of general depth of less than eight feet cause vegetable growth or green scum, the gradual decay of which renders tho water more or less impure although not actually deleteri- ous to health.
 The new aqueduct is about 30 miles long, and will deliver to tho city $50, . 900, 900 gallons day. It is horseshoe shaped and little over thirteen and a half feet in diameter from Croton lake to point near Jerome park, throu ;h which section tho water will run ly gravity, with fall of about sevoa- tenths of foot to tho mile, filing the conduit to tho extent of about four. ffths of it's capacity. At J,rome park the aqueduct makes somewhat abrupt fall of about 100 feet, passing under the Harlem river some 300 feet below the level of the water, running under Man. hattau island, and finally rising at 1s5,h street, where gatc-house has been constructed, from which the wate, will be distributed by means of eight iron pipes, four of which run into the reservoir at Central park and four te the city.
 Throughout it's entire length thi great tunnel has been blasted out o solid rock, with the exception of three or four spots where "blow-off," hav' }. been const: ucted with the object O rapidly emptying the aqucduct- -whicl here meets the surface-for the purpose of examination, repair or cleansing. The tunnel is lined throughout with bricl and, in one or two places, where th rock has been found imperf ct and leakage is possible, iron has been ad ded as lining. Ia eight months tim
 this vast undertaking will have bee, accomplished, and nothing will thcl be lacking but the Quaker Bridge res ervoir, which is now under coas1lera tion by tho new commissioners.
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