New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-13
NO PROSPECT OF RAIN.
.ur WATER SUPPLY DANGEROUSLY LOW.
,voxr- SHOULD USE THE PRECIOUS FLUID
spAFINGLY-CoNDIrIoN OF THE
RESERVOIRS.

..r,voyE. SHOULD USE THE PRECIOUS FLUID
spARSGLY-ooNDITIoN OF THE
RESERVOIRS.
=. ~. waste any water This is timely adj
md IL ought to be needed by every man,
W. and child in this city, for the prospects
.h.t within the next week or ten days the
s .,,. Of New-York will be put upon an exceed
rs,. sborter allowance of this necessary article
.rs' - rster in the various reservoirs from which
.;tv draws its supply is iapidly decreasing in
md the recent rains did not seem to check
~F..n;d decline in the least The engineers Of
~' ns,artment of Public Works say that the
~, ~ Storm did not bring supply which would
-. more than two days at the outside. There
,,,ls hone that there will be another rain
~ within the next three or four days. Mr.
O., who is in charge of the Weather Bureau
:. ,bs Equitable Building, was asked one ques-
W., many times yesterday. That was when
|, IL going TO ram
AMER looking the country all over and searching
: ,o;n for a storm headed in this direction he
...s forced to tell the anxious inquirers" that
!, misht rain within the next four or five days
A, midnight il was said at the Weather Bureau
,,., there was not a general storm TO he found
=. ,he country. and that if there was any rain
u this region within few days IL would be only
u,,s local shower which would not amount to
,uob These reports will not be at all enceurag-
-. "a those who live in the upper floors of high
hn;,d,n0s which have no auxiliary power for
.onirc water TO them. Unless the Weather
pr,eau IL at fault and rain comes from some
,,bsre people will be compelled TO carry water
,.ou, tho Easements TO the upper floors for
'-s,.rv family use The Commissioner Of Pub
n. works is considerably disturbed at the condi-
zion NJ affairs. and he warns householders, ten
or,s and Others who use water to be as careful
Of il as possible.
Tbere was only depth of thirty feet and six
inches Of water in the larger reservoir at Central
park Yesterday morning. This, however, was
min Of onehaf inch over the previous day. In
the smaller reservoir there was falling on OF
ono font seven inches from the depth of last
Wednesday morning which was then fourteen
feet and two inches In the reservoir at Forty
seoondst and Fifth-ave. the decrease in the water
supply was twenty inches in the twenty-four
hours before yesterday morning. At that time
there was only twelve feet and nine inches of
water.
A comparison of the water supply now on hand
and that Of year ago presents startling con-
dton of affairs for the people OF this city to con-
fder. The difference is SO great that unless a
long, steamy rain soon sets in water famine
will turn out to be a sad reality year
tgo there was enough and TO spare
md the water which then ran TO
waste because it could noc be stored amounted TO
millions of gallons. In November of last year the
reservoir at Boyd's Corners, Putnam County, was
more than full, and stream of water two inches
deep was running over the top of the dam. Now
the surface of the water in this dam is fifty-one
feet and three inches below the overfall This is
a difference in depth between that Of a year ago
and at the present time of fortyone feet and three
inches. This in itself is an enormous falling off
in the water supply. The reservoir at Middle
Branch on November 10, 1890, also was more than
full, and at least three inches of water ran to
waste over the top of the dam. Now the water is
about fortyseven feet and two inches below the
top Of the dam, making difference of forty-seven
feet and five inches. These are not the only
reservoirs in which there is astounding falling
of in the water supply. year ago
there were twenty-five feet and one inch
Of water in the Kensico reservoir, and now
there are only sixteen feet and three inches of
water in it. The amount on storage in the Rye
Pond reservoir last November was eleven feet and
nine inches; now it is hardly two and one-half
lecN luc w ACSoi VIII ID enc ohiJ
one which does not show a remarkable falling
Of in the water from the amount on storage
year ago Here there has been decrease of only
one foot and seven inches in the year.
The water used in this city every day when the
supply is normal is 65 000 900 gallons 1t was as
serted yesterday that only about 100000 were
now being used, falling off of 65,000,000 gal
Ions a day This falling off of the supply is di-
recty due 10 the reduction of the pressure In the
MAINS and if there appears no promise of rain next
week the pressure will he further reduced.
According to Mr.. Birdsall, the chief engineer
Of the Public Works Department, the present sup
ply from the CrOton River is 40,000,0O0 gallons
a day. aud it may well be that before Thanks
giving this will be the sole supply of the city. as
the water stored in reserve reservoirs Will last
for few days more only. The streetsprinkIng
carts will be stopped on Sunday, thereby saving
over 00,000 gallons day. and If the drouth
continues the water supply TO factories will be
shut of early next week. Already in all the
houses on high ground, where there are no prl-
Vate arrangements TO elevate water, it is seldom
ootainabe above the first floor. When the pres
sure is still further reduced it will only be found IN
the basement
There has been some pretty close figuring as
70 how the daily consumption of water could be
diminished still further The breweries and fac
tofles use about 30,000,000 gallons daily, and II
necessity compes, they can be shut off until
ssuHclent rain falls TO replenish the supply. The
uafroonS also use an enormous amount of water
aug nowhere else is the waste so common. In the
MAJORITY OF the barroOms of the city at least one
ana often two faucets are open constantly.