New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-02
ADDITIONAL WATER SUPPLY.
THE NEW RESERVOIR AND CONDUIT.
PROGRESS UPON FACILITIES FOR GETTING
TWENTY MILLION GALLONS DAY MORE
THAN is NOW SUPPLIED.

About thirty years ago the Nassau Watcrworks
supplying the city with pure water from wells and
streams out on Long Island. were formally opened
with Of the most elaborate celebrations ever held
in the city The present year VIII see the completion
OF an equally important work for doubling the facilities
which supply Ridgcwood water 10 the growing city
The original Ridgcwood Reservoir the high ground
east of Cypress Hills Cemetery, has a capacity o
16O 900 600 gallons and in the period when the daS
Quantity used only 2o,0oO,Ooo gallons, weeks
reserve supply constantly on hand 10 provide iof
any emergency But as the quantity used has In
creased tie reserve less and less. and the
engines at the pumping station have been worked 10
their full capacity to keep the reservoir full all the
time In point OF fact. the city has been in peril o.
lack Of water at any time in the last ten years If
serious accident had occurred at the pumping station
All the water in the reservoir has T.
be pumped from the level OF the CONDUIT
in which flows from Hampstead to woodhavcn TO the
reservoir 80 feet higher IN level and mile away
II the engines had broken down simultaneously, or
serious break had occurred On the pipes leading I" the
reservoir the supply might have been cut Oh ana the
city would have been PIT upon short ratlons I" maxi
the quantity last until repairs were made. 10 pre-
vent such contingency fourth pumping engine
WAS mt in a short time ago for use when Ole Of The
others needed repairs.
The daily demand for water which had rsch U
40 600 COO gallons day ten years ago, has sh'c IN
creased TO G0,O00,ooo gallons. This IS tie mi
capacity Of the pumping engines, ana the r''rNor
holds less than three day. supply. This male
apparent the need OF reservoir ana an additional
pumpng station. The WORK Of their construction j.
going forward rapidly. and IT Is expected
that the reservoir Will be ready for use in SIX months
1t will be duplicate in size Of the present one having
an area Of twenty five depth In the middle OF
twenty feet and capacity Of 16ooooooo gallons
The present reservoir is divided into two parts by
wall so that if an accident occurred only onchaif
would be drawn OIL This Will not be necessary Win
the new one, it will be entirely unconncctcd with
the old one. About 600 cubic wards OF earth VIII
have TO be removed In the excavation, ana the greater
mart Of this work has already been done by steam
shovcls The contractor has found bed OF clay
which can be used in pudding the bottom Of the
reservoir and q large quantity Of trap rock 10 be
used in building the retaining wall THIS VIII enable
him to MAKE profit on his bid, which was S'oooo
less than the estimate Of the engineers OF the my
Works Department force Of about 300 men j.
employed upon the work and the fine weather Of the
carly winter has allowed the work to be pushed with
much greater rapidly than was expected. The con
tract docs not call for the completion OF the job before
January /, 1901, but at least SIX months inc CON
tractor thinks can be saved
The cost Of the construction Of the new reservoir
Will be about S325 900. and IT VIII increase the guam
tty of water on hand 10 seven days supply, a. the
Mount Prospect q hlghscrvicc reservoir holds about
70 600 600 gallons. Tie new pumping station VIII
have a capacity OF @0,OOOOOO gallons "a day To Keep
the reservoir full and 10 provide for future demands
The supply in the conduit from the ponds and streams
along its TO the Hampstead storage reservoir has
been added to by driven wells at various points, 80
that the maximum quantity OF COOOO,OOo gallons i
provided Tho contracts have recently been given out
for All extension Of the conduit ten miles further cast
to Massapequa Pond. and the building Of another
conduit alongside the present one 70 the pumping sta
be secured. The cost OF hi. work VIII be upwards o
a. 900 900. Up 10 the present Tune ne Nacr"ofAa
has .l.i D
Before the Introduction Of iidgcwoM water, the
sole sources Of supply for the city were wei, ana
cisfcrns The latter used TO store up water u
extingush fires. When the present water mains wcro
laid il was not anticipated that the city wonid grow
Al the enormous rate II has, and the capacity OF many
of them is not sufficient 20 secure an abundant supply
when a great fire makes serious drain upon Them
II is pr0pOscd u lay new mains from the new
KidgcwOod Reservoir 10 The heart OF the CITY. TO
secure sufficient pressure 70 carry water u the upper
floors of the Hat binding, on the Heights, and to
meet the demand created by their erection. ne" mann
has ust been laid IN Ilatbuahavc.. state It and Hicks
st., TO connect wiih te cnsns nan III Iits plr e
security against serious 'ohiagratiors VIII be IN
creased large number OF new nydran" wli .i al,n
the water front the engines use salt water pumped ou'
of the bay Or river 1t h's been proposed 70 nsyo
where dangcrou, ircs most likely to break ont,
am. to have pumping stations TO Keep Them filled, but
the expense. it IS believed, would not warrant TINS
extra protection.
From the SIC Of the reservoir a view OF a wide
extent Of country, including the south side OF the
Island, to Jamaica Bay and KOcmway Beach, WIN tho
ocean beyond the rolling land OF Queens Comfy ana
the distant city bo gained. In few years Brook
j. is likely TO extend and surround tlic reservoir IL
IS proposed to provide In advance park III ms REGION
where IL will be needed taking In about fifteen
acres OF woodland owned by the city, and the |
y acres occupied by the reservoirs ana 70 add con
siderable tract which be purchased OF the owners
for about ~. 900 an acre IL the park is laid out
party IN hrSohly. and partly IN Queens County,
ply for the Eastern District and now wards what
Prospect Park supplies to the other part OF the city
dummy railroad 10 Cypress Hills, side. and
an electric railroad on the other, afford easy means %
access at present and two lines Of elevated road could
be extended TO II easily, by building for mile two