New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-30
PRICE THREE CENTS.
KENSICO IS DOOMED.
COMMISSIONER DAILY BEGINS HIS RAID ON
THE CROTON WATERSHED

THE CROTON WATERSHED.
A HOUSE AND STABLE BURNED AND oTHER
STRUCTURES DEMoLIsHED-No RESIST.
ANCE by THE VILLAGERS.
The work Of removing the nuisances in the
Croton watershed was begun yesterday by Com
missioner DAILY. 1t became evident some time
ago that it was absolutely necessary promptly 70
cleanse the watershed if the health of New-York
City were not TO be endangered. and so the Legs-
lature at Albany passed measure which gave
the Commissioner of Public Works of New-fork
City full power to remove anything that pollutes
the Croton water and to arrange for a settlement
OF the damages afterward. The Croton watershed
is in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties.
The inhabitants of these counties have long
been using its streams and ponds as sewers. On
or near their banks were built the outhousess
hen cOops, piggeres and stables OF those VINO lvs
within the precincts Of the watershed, ana ths
sewers and drains have been so constructed az 70
pour their contents into these streams ana ponoS'
II was thought when CrotOn water was taken
for the use OF this city that, as it came from sucn
distance it would purify itself before it reacned
New-York. People in Wcstchester, Putnam ana
Dutchess counties, when the Webster Dill became
q law, were highly indignant because, they sald'
as they had used the streams and ponds IN ths
Croton watershed for sewers before the drinking
water of this city was supplied from them, tho
LEGISLATURE had no right to take away their sewers
merely because it was thought that New-Yorks
drinking water was polluted by them. II tho
water must not be polluted the inhabitants OF the
watershed thought that they should be reim-
bursed for every nuisance before it was removed
When they learned that every Objectionable place
would be done away with, and that reimburse-
ment would come afterward, they talked OF
opposing the work Of the Commissioner of Public
Works of New-York City; but they did not DO
SO directly.
BEGINNING THE WORK IN KENsICo.
The village of Kensico the first place
visited. The examination revealed a bad condi.
ton of affairs so far as the pollution OF Croton
water was concerned, but worse places Will DO
found before the examination Of the waterSneo
il completed Several Objectionable structures
were removed yesterday, greatly to the sorrow
of the inhabitants While they showed that they
did not like what was being done, they offered
no resistance. 1t is only question OF time
when the village will be destroyed, for in Its
position it is almost impossible to prevent 1t from
polIuting the Croton water. 1t will eventually
become the property of New-YorS City.
At 9:Ol o'clock yesterday morning Commls-
sioner DAILY and Chief Engineer Birdsall, OF the
Oroton Aqueduct, accompanied by newspaper
men, took train at the Grand Central station
for White Plains. They arrived there shortly
before 10 o'clock At White Plains they were
met by Henry Il. Dykman. special counsel for tho
city in the requirement Of aqueduct lands;
Sheriff Duffy, of Westchester County: G. D. Lord,
the superintendent of the Kensico reservoir. and
about q dozen men with axes, crowbars, saws,
shoyels and similar implements Of destruction with
which IN attack the nuisances Of Kansc0. Little
time was spent at White Plains by this lighting
force. Commissioner DAILY, Chief Engineer Bird
sail and Mr. Dykman climbed into a hack and
showed the way to the village of Kensico. The
men who were to use their strength in tearing
down structures and smashing things generally
were also provided with means of transportation.
Sheriff Duffy did not go with the party. but had
deputy sheriffs on the watch in the village. The
newspaper men were the only ones for whom
transportation had not been provided. They had
to hustle" for vehicles to take them to the scene
Of destruction.
TURNING AN HONEST PENNY.
Many of the good men of Kensico had hitchcd
up their horses and driven to White Plains IN
time to meet uninvited visitors from New-York
City Although there were many specimens OF
vehicles which could be used for transportation
the newspaper men had hard time trying to hire
some of them at moderate terms. The citizens
Of White Plains and Kensico were in sympathy.
They had>>s good thing and they knew it. So
they would not let it go. They did not like
Commissioner DAILY and his assistants did
they fancy the newspaper men. AS the ncws-
paper men had to get to Kensico, they could do
nothing but pay the eXorbitant fares demanded
by the cunning natives for transportation.
rha drive IN kpnSic0 abOut flrpo milaa
up a steep country road, with an abundance of
ruts and muddy spots, to the top Of hill and
then down the side of precipice. On the road
were many of the well-known and prominent
citizens of the doomed village, who We're cOntinu-
ally asking their friends, the drivers, whether
they knew the way TO KensicO, for they declared
that they would feel sorry should Commissioner
DAILY and his assistants and his bodyguard Of
smart reporters, become lost in the wilds sur
rounding their village.
In the village all the councils must have
been held early in the morning, for when the
enemy first bcheld their field Of action they saw
that the bulwarks of the town were prepared to
meet them. When the invaders arrived and
aighted from the most uncomfortable vehicles that
Kensico could boast of, one Of the deputy sherins
informed the assembled multitude that Com
missioner DAILY would point out the causes OF
defilement and pollution that Mr.. Birdsall would
officially declare them to be causes Of defilement
and pollution; that Mr.. Dykman would explain
to the owner Of the land tho Jaw on the SUBJ
ject that Mr. Lord would see that the causes
would be removed and demolished by the men
with the implements Of destruction, and that the
rest Of the party were reporters who were to tell
the world what happened to Kensico. Many Of
the leading lights Of the place realized the signia
canoe Of what was said, and accepted tho situa-
ton philosophically. Some Of them, howevers
said something about seeing about II, "geb.
ting even,' and teaching them fellows from
New-York lesson
THE COMMISSIONER LEADS THE WAY.