New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-15
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
CONTAMINATION OF THE WATER SUPPLY.
TIE IMPURITIES NOT ALL FROM oRoToN BASIN
WHERE GRoUTING Is LACKING.

| TIE IMPURITIES NOT ALL FROM CRoTON BAslN
WHERE GRoUTING Is LACKING.
TO tho Editor of The Tribune
Sir: @Chief Engineer Ftsey in his exhaustive report
to the Aqueduct Commissioners the question OF con-
tamnation of the water supply from the Croton Valley
writes: IAN ample storage will give facilities for the
selection Of water cty's supply at times when
there be local growth OF aigac and other temporary
contamination" This implies that the contemplated
big dam when built win give such facilities which is
equivalent to SAYING that If the water In the cistern
becomes putrd from long s0ndfDg, the way to remedy
it is to increase the size OF the elstern Is II possible
that he thinks the citizens Of Now York gulbe enough
TO accept such means this for remedyl Is IL not
evident that the report is intended TO give tho big dam
project n BOOST Ordinarily persons who have to de-
pend on the rain water they catch for the water they
use when they find that the water becomes putrid,
clean out the cstern and If they must have water To
while the cstern is being cleaned out build another
clstern. Then they have one the other Of them
always clean and ready TO receive the fresh rain water
1t seems rs IL this plan will work on a large scale as
wen ms it does n small scale.
Does tho contamination Of the water all Of It. orig
mate at the Croton Basin3 1t is wellknown fact
that If quantity Of kerosene oil other like matter
is spilled the ground within few hundred feet Of
we'll 1t will find its way into the well. 1t will be
remembered that in one OF the articles published In
the spring OF 1850 by an exAQucduct Commissioner
attention was called TO tho grOuting that was
being done in that portion Of the Adueduct running
under the city south OF Harlem River and that In one
place therein the groutng cut of water which had tee
tofore caused great stencil in the tunnel and that In
another article some time later attention was called
to the fact that the present AQuedut Commissioners
were having only small part Of said portion OF the
Aqueduct grouted instead OF having ii all groued as
they insisted having the balance Of the Adueduct
except perhaps a portion which Fteley's stepson
was the contractor although it in the vicinity
where the AQueducB runs under graveyard Placing
cotton cloth the mouth Of faucet, and allowing
the water Of such amount is ordinarily drawn Tor
common use in couple of days. to pass through 1t.
enough matter was caught nearly to equal in size.
though not so hard to swallow. Of Fteeys hnal
sections to tunnel excavation which he offers
TO pay the contractors. There blunder made In
the original plans of the Aqueduct by not providing for
n large pipe or drain underneath the Aoueduct for
the purpose Of conducting therein the seepage water
and its matter so as to avoid its having to flow into
the Croton water it now does. Being that All OF tle
Aoueduct except tho portion that runs undr the river
Is above the Harlem this drain could have been mace
To empty into the river. This blunder was not ds-
covered until near the completion Of the work Hence
page water Bu why-if 1t is not too Grouty question
was not all the A1ueduct TOutedY IL was proven
that all of Ii would take gr0ut. 1t may seem LOT ue
time being that it is good policy 10 have IN employ an
engineer who will endeevor TO cover up ms Dnders at
the contractors expense but tie the cotton coh over
the faucet and when you see what you eaten GoSuer
then the policy. " ~ "UoHA-"
NaxU-N opk