New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-20
,,p sCHIEREN'S TWO TRIPS.
r,xc NEWTOWN CREEK AND THE
w. SOURCES OF BRookLfNS
WATER SUPPLY.

WATER SUPPLY.
oa,srIc REMEDY FOR THE CREEK NUISANCE
-orss,RY-rHE WATER SYSTEM IN GOOD
POSSIBILITIES OF LONG ISLAND
- THIS DIRECTION - THE
FAVOR STRONGLY OPPOSED
no WATER METERS
FOR HOUSES.
water and--water. Compare Tor ihs'al,oe;
Ins.S which a sometime Laureate oesoi''e 7
rs ~ the adjectves that the hnS"s" a.,.N
win q" =, os coming down at Lodore win
could sur H., river Thames within the limits OF
ne wa .bich as stirred up by the passing
LOOa0h' ants the appearance OF brown october
boaH r. ,han the aqua pura dispensed by 'ne"'-
81 IL n'-ors the turbid nastiness OF NewtoWh
fs ',n the streams and ponds from whlch 'ne
CFsA .,lv q Brooklyn is drawn-a water sup
1'@,sxrsled in purity by that OF any o'ner CITY
Il the COUNT 10 rreclselv what Mayor Schioren
Tbs ''S ao.o, IN the course OF the week Just
has osen cres7ev he traversed the ill-savored
ended va cot IN a tugboat. On Wednesday he
Nw0"" - tho island 10 see with his own eyes
veal Vu' rb,ch supplies the 100000 people IN
me ~. Nth all the water they use lie was SUI
B'o0N' ,.,,, cod at the time. and 1t was not I'M
ferns 49, hts two trips. and in consequence ne u'u
prove y Ne office on Thursday. on Friday ne came
not V''' civ Hall for a little while in the after
Gown md attempted to catch up with the Ous''eSS
noun ,a,ed during three days ABSENCE
secua'-h exceedingly busy and suffering from 'he
Ai'"'" va which be had not been able 10 snake
severe W." ccb,ereD consented to talk with rep
Of NAY. - The Tribune regarding his experiences
" rrsssay and Wednesday. 49,.
Cd .s~ .,5 drainage said the Mayor are TWO
',r,ant factors IN a community ana upon
ven sansnd much Of the health and comfort OF
NV" ,ba, uavs proper attention 10 thein' luz
aH' administration in Brooklyn Is maKihs an
p - ,,onrove the sewer system IN cer'd" SVO-
e - tho city. especially In those parts where
tons o. -. ,,,o n canal running in part through
',,.L,v settled regions. Newio"h CIeeN VIM" ~
N'A' c,,v from Ions Island City and queens
vAs' "" a,u,,ys been one Of the bones of con
O0'"'' T., .na Health Department. ana the solution
V'"' .t,or, NJ relieving the nuisance or bad
w "a might add unwholesome, yes. poison
s" oaors ,s still before us. In order that nhsht
V~ inspec, the creek Dr.. Emery our Heath
tu.issioner. arranged for a visit last TUESDAY
~or ~ that quarter 4 tusboat awaited us
w.. 90, ~ Manhattan-ave right at the Man
- bridge and there W. experienced the an
,,css and delays q tn dra"oridge al tha' pom"
I..ar,sd ~ be always OPEN because no sooner was
j se, IN. o,o,ed than another signal heard to
-, !, sssin; and from personal observation sa"
,so,n,A necessity OF some sort OF relief. either
-, A. bv another bridge further down. near
" -. ,rou,h Of the creek Whether tunnel Is
,..h,o is q question Yet 10 be solved. Suihce
- 49,. ,bs+ on account q the heavy uaiiic better
'g,.,.s ms. be provided between these TWO
,,,ss a, this point and 1t seems 10 me that posi-
Five connection such as a tunnel would aiioru
,rou,a he rreferabe 70 an additional bridge below
..Th. veto OF the Newtown Creek Tunnel bill by
Governor Flower was clearly In the Interest OF the
,eor,s that bill being defective and decided'y oo-
,sctjonable. 1t was without proper restrictions CIV
,rs ,oo much power into the hands Of few per-
40 US. pr, The subject NAV be further investigated
and perhaps in the future better Dill may De
.ramsa one more IN the interest OF the people.
A MENACE 10 PUBLIC HEALTH.
."As We steamed I'd the creek noticed the
various sewers emp,ying their filth into the water
and the hocd-tlde taking II UP stream toward the
head OF the creek where It lodged Anybody can
imagine the condition OF things at that point IL
Is a disgrace to any civilized community that an
immense area OF the city should be emptying It's
sewerage into this waterway which has no other
outlet than at It's mouth; and II being tide water.
naturally the ebb tide cannot and does not take
away this of foul matter into the East RIVER
and the hoodtide Is not strong enough 10 bring In
sufficient clean water especially at the head OF the
creek 10 wash and cleanse 1t thoroughly. There
fore at the head OF the creek the Nth s left and
It constantly Increases
III there were no factories on the New,own
Creek 10 produce the smells much complained q.
the sewers alone are enough 10 bring about the
existing state Of things: and l cannot refrain from
expressing my surprise that the former city ad-
ministra,ions failed 10 pIOlle proper Fem@ly
for the existing evil and relef Tor TINS mucn-aousel
district While many or the OBNOXIOUS ltct'r.eS
have been removed and those Yet there Will De re-
moved. still the only radical remedy for Newio~n
Creek will be 10 take our all the sewers and dredge
out the entire creek. For the protection Of public
health 1t must be done. and done as speedily as
possible This is another heritage from former
adrninstrl tons and though a costly Undertaking
Il and will receive attention from the present
administration
THE VISIT TO THE WATER WORKS.
Mayor schieren then turned TO a more agreeable
subjec-the c!ty's water supply-and regarding this
b. said
On Wednesday the Water and Drainage Com
ni,tee Of the Board Of Aldermen made their annual
outing and invited many guests. well as the
Mayor City Works Commissioner White and Chief
1agneer Bergen 70 accompany them. The party
IIook carriages at Jamaica ana first visited the
ssa ad Fdrx pumping station ana the frst system
% orven wells. There are about POI wells at this
s s.,l and pumps cap bic OF pumping 100 900
gallons daily. Near By !. Baisey Pond. the water
q which certainly dd not look inviting; nor were
ns surroundings inviting. Everything seemed
careless and in need Of immediate attention. The
water was Of muddy character. The city owns
sHnsrs pipe well 'iatiOns. With a capacity OF about
Ss.@ gallons daily They are placed at intervals
" from Two 70 three miles. ana have "a capacity
" rom $4,000 10 100000 gallons each. on the
.Hole the system seems 10 work satisfactorily, and
o. were In pretty fair condition. At one station
srsle Is iine flo ing well with a capacity of CO.,.
W. gallons a day frOm a siX-inch pipe.
Sohsllerabe controversy prevails as 10 the
n OF tne driven well system. Some physicians
WESTON the purity Of the water obtained from
r-sn wells II placed In proximity 10 villages. Very
s m.cn depends or the character OF the soil that
s'Ieunds these :yells. Generally they are placed
T. ssveiy soil land as the south side OF Long
S.ls largely composed OF gravel ana sand. II
Nj. ssh vel system is placed IN the centre Of A
sys, u 4. ana lVN fee, square the water pumped
49,, sn i came from the surface, would clarity
f.s y passing through 80 much sand and gravel
*sa Is sixty feet
several years ago Brooklyn suffered severely
Vn lack OF water. and this well system proved
AVE. ss' help. The extension Of the system Is
rsSou oy many competent engineers who have
eIssre ne water system great study. and they
Ss. an 'hat IT Is far preferable 10 and gives less
s,s oI Communicating the water than flowing
~, an IN and ponds. Besides. a pipe well system
srnv ve introduced at a very moderate cost. Cen
s,lgn Is computed that a million gallons can be
lace sh.r