The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-03-15
Americas Finest AnnaduOts.

Up to the present time the finest
aqueduct in use in America is the Croton;
but this will be surpassed by the new
aqueduct now IN course of construction
on lines parallel with it. The Croton
aqueduct was begun in 1897 and finished
in 1912, at a cost, including the means
of distribution, of so, 375, 600. The
length Of the conduit from the impound-
ing to the receiving reservoirs in the
Central Park is 3Sf miles, for 33 of
which the conduit is built of stone, brick
and cement, arched above and below, is
feet and inches high, g. feet wide at
the bottom and u att the top. The water
crosses Harlem River in two cast-iron
pipes feet in diameter, and one wrought
iron pipe feet inches in diameter laid
upon High Bridge in magnificent granite
arcades 1860 feet long and ia high.
High Bridge comprises fifteen archesS
seven of which have ifty-feet span and
eight of those over the river eighty feet
span. The greatest capacity OF tbs
aqueduct is rs, 600, 600 gallons per day,
but for the first SIX years after its
completion the water used was
only $4,000, 900 gallons per day.
Twelve years ago the daily sup
ply had risen to Sc, 900, 900 gallons ana
at the present time it is between 50. O0Ow
600 and 100, 0OO,0 900 gallons. 1t hsS
long, however, been inadequate to thsr
demands of the city, with its ever grow
ing population, and about four veal
ago work was commenced On the nefe
aqueduct, which is now nearly COM
pleted. The trouble up to the present
time has been not so much with the
Croton aqueduct as with the supply of
water. The supply is drawn from Gro
ton River. a stream that flows into the
Hudson a short distance above Sing
Sing. The river was arrested by dam
forty feet high, and made to form what
has since been called Croton Lake. For
the purpose of the new aqueduct it has
been decided to collect the entire water
supply of the Croton watershed, and for
this purpose three more dams are build
ing across the Croton and subsidiary
valleys. The length of the new aque-
duct from the impounding reservoirs to
the receiving reservoirs is thirty-three
and one-eighth miles, and the water, in.
stead of being carried over the Harlem
River by a bridge, as in the case OF the
old aqueduct, is carried under the river
by siphOn. Atits lowest point the con-
duit is over 800 feet below the surface of
the earth. The conduit has an inside
area equal to that of circle fourteen
feet in diameter and its capacity will be
$50, 600, 600 gallons per day. This will
give, with the old aqueduct, total
water supply of over $50, 600, 900 gallons
per day. The actual cost of the new
aqueduct, up to May /, 1883, was $t7,-
l6S, 600, and it is expected that an ex-
penditure of 81, 500, 900 more will be
required to complete it. This is exclu-
sive of the cost of the dam yet to be
built. The aqueduct proper is finished,
and only the finishing touches remain to |
be put on. 1t will be opened for use
next summer
other notable aqueducts in this coun-
try are the Washington aqueduct and the |
Cechituate Of Boston. The former sup
plies the cities of Washington and /
Georgetown with water from the |
Potomac. Its capacity is 5000, 900 |
gallons per day. 1t was constructed by |
the United States Government at cost |
of So, 900, 600. and has several fine ar
cades, of which the most notable is the |
one across Cabin John Creek, which is |
single granite arch 100 feet high aud /
220 feet long. The cities of Chicago |
and Milwaukee obtain their water sup |
plv from the lake The water of Lake /
Michigan is brought into each city by a /
tunnel from a sufficient distance off shore /
to insure It's being pure, and is then /
- into r4.rfaaa rasaruairs