New-York tribune., 1890-07-16

TO see the increase in the volume which sur2"d
into the reservoir Mayor Grant and the Com
missioners shook hands with Mr.. Fteey, and con-
rratuated him on the success OF the Aqueduct.
Mr. Ftplev said he was satisfied so far BIT he
was onnarcntly not only worn out in body, for
his nights and days Of late have been laboriouS.
bnt opnressed by the consciousness that his re-
sponsibilities are not yet nearly over. lie re-
neatcd more than once the statement that has
already been quoted. and was painfully anxious
that New-Yorkcrs should not entertain great cN-
pectaticns of increased water pressure from the
present repenishing of the reservoir As 10
matter of fact many people i'll the
city lave cherished hopes, foStercd by newspaper
articles written in ignorance of the circumstances
that an immense body of water would rush through
tho supplv bpcs when the Mayor turned the
knob" and come rushing down with q force that
would send it into every room in the tallcSt
building But the Mayor having, like the king
in the rhyme. marched his men mp the hill and
marched them down again without making any
municipal history and the long expected water
having been set Allowing into the reservoir. with
the promise that the reservoir shall he filed TO
the brim before the great new feeder is again
shut Off New-Ycrk citizens must rest content
with the absolute guarantee against a watcrfam-
inc that this assures, and wait IN patient eNpcc-
tation of that day when the new Aquciuct shall,
after sufficient trial he declared success without
any qualifying phrases.
But. in spite OF the tame and inClorious nature
of its performance. let no man undclrate the I'M
porancc of the lifting of the gates 10y Nlr Fic-
cv's "Tom' Dick" or Harry" The Central
Park reservoir holds l,OO0,000,O0o gallons OF
water. The dividing wall of masonry which
separates the east basin from the west Is > feet
under tie surface when this tremendous capacity
is achieved. That partition has not been ont
of sight since 1917, but if all goes well il will
be submerged about fortnight hence. The rcNcr-
voir Yesterday morning was only half filed, con-
tanning about 500 0,000.O00 gallons When the
gates al Observation-Disclosures y-fth-st. were first
raised 10 the full rum. the pressure OF the i"Il
from the watershed drove the water laundering
aong the four Affect pipes that iced tie reservoir
at rate that would have aided from 75,0p".ooo
10 0OOO 900 n day to the watcr-rCScrvc had
it been maintained But much Of the tremendous
energy Of the first wild drive of ,hc freed food
was spent in the course Of an hour or TWO, ana
it settled down TO a stealy flow of about 10000,
600 d day OF this the equivalent Of l0."o""'"
will be allowed o. escape To the city. only one
Of the sin supply gates AT the distributing house
at the foot Of the reservoir was opened wider
Its c>capcmcnt to adapt tcrm-was in
creased from m inch and n half 10 four feet The
additional 1G.ooO.o0o gallons day thus
released should take the water up ten feet IN
those parts Of the city which it visits. but In
rncer Brdsall said that the increase was intended
for the relief Of the Fire Department The Forty
sccond-st reservoir, which has been Of late empty
AT the middle Of the day will now Get ten icc'
of water from the 1O,o0o,000 gallons sent - the
city. and the old Park reservoir viii be increased
in depth ten feet At tic rate Of 4O.Oo",u'' gal
Ions a day the new Aqucduct Will feed IN" reservoir
until lis deficit Of 800 100000 IS made mp. Then
Mr. Ftelcy will get a chance 20 90 on with needed
repairs in Section and any other part OF the
work in which strengthening may be found nee
essary.
Mr.. BrdsaH was M more inclined than Mr..
Fteley 10 speak positively Of the prospects AMI
success Of the Aqucduct Said he: rs one thihS
10 squirt water through hose when You can
replace by another hose If II breaks, ana another
| thing 70 send water through great tnhuc lhe
! this | don't think anybody can speak "i'l
! precision about il, or about what IL I" he done
! IL depends on circumstances.
| Commissioner Howe was less uncertain. lie
| talked as if the success Of The hqucIu were
assured and if his hopes realized the io.""".-
OOO-callon flow Will not he interruptc J. the icerI-
vor will he rcpcni-hcd. water VIII b" abundant,
the repairs now necessary WI! Ice r"pIIN exc
cuted. and then tie city viii really have the nc"
| Aqueduct.
The construction Of the new gat" house, al ia"
| east basin Of the reservoir l. much simpler ih1h
| that Of the old one al the west basin ItS i"-
| quirementS are less complex. Tie OH Gair-hpusr
not only receives water from the old A4ueduct,
but distributes II 10 part Of th" cltV. Ih' new
gate house merely receives the water from ID" ucy
! Aqucduct Each Of the four pipes ls controlled
hv n guard gate These ouard-gatcs as has hr"n
alrcad stated. have been open for sin months,
and will not be uHcd except IN emergency. ms
ma kes il still more diiicult - comprehend WhN
| il should have been supposed that Mayor Hrant or
any member Of the Aqucduct Commission Wouid
| hy knob or key turn on the. water AT the fark,
! and tho ludicroUS aspect Of the matter Was en-
! phasizcd last niQht when At least one evening
paper. which makes much -bnas!nG q rs integrity,
! PATRIOTISM, virtue and accuracy, printed DE-
! tailed account Of how Mayor |fr"nI turned tie
| knob and let the water flow, while
the rest of the Aqucduct 'omrIes'oncrs
! looked on The new gatc-house IS
| architecturaly an ornament 70 the Park. II l'
in the pure Romon STYLE and IFS graceful arches
! look as II they had been transported from tht
! city Of the Caesars. TO stand IN utlllaran beauty
over the broad. liquid sheet now gushing ll"u
their bases and swelling The artificial lake from
! which New-Nork is WatcTcd