New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-20
THE STRIFE FOR WATER.
A GOOD SUPPLY is RATHER TO BE
CHOSEN THAN MUCH LAND
THE DEMAND INCREASES AND THE QUANTITY
TO BE HAD DECREAsEs-NEw-Y oRK's
PRoBLEM-TAPPING LAKE GEORGE-EX-
PERIENcE OF EUROPE-wATER-
WORKS IN THE SOUTH AND
WEST.

WORKS IN THE SOUTH AND
WEST.
Lake Tahoe lies one-half In Nevada and the
other half in California. The city Of San Fran
cisco desires the water OF this natural reservoir
while Nevada says that It needs the water for us
use and for the development Of the Truckee
Valley The middle level Of the Erie Canal draws
It's water from billy country which was sparsely
settled at the time the canal was built Riparian
rights have been used that hourishing villages
DOT the dense woods Of 1926. Syracuse. very small
/ city In those days. has now more than 5000 people
Large fires frequent. and water Is peddled IN
the streets. The city recently turned to the hills
whence the water for the canal But the
canal interests said the water should not be taken.
After A hard fight in several Legislatures permits
sion given to Syracuse to take a small part OF
the water. Brooklyn depends solely upon the ridge
OF Long Island for water supply AS yet the
supply is equal to the demand. But the city is
growing at rapid rate; and towns and cities on
other parts of the island are multiplying and
water famine is not far distant Foreseeing this.
the authorities OF the city have struggled In vain
for additional part OF the water. only rain water,
that falls in the adjoining county OF Queens. The
residents of that county have resisted all the eff
forts OF the Brooklyn authorities. saying that the
water already used by that city has been stolen
from the rghtfu owners.
These only examples taken at random. among
many Of the cities in the United States that are
obliged to reach for increased supply. While
the cities have grown. the adjoining villages have
also grown. Small agricultural and manufacturing
centres have developed into large ones and all are
clamorng for more water The courts will pass
upon these matters more frequently in the future.
and they will reed more than the wisdom Of a Solo
decide which side Is right when there IL
not water enough for both This problem In casuis-
try is Insignificant compared with the more star
Ting questions: Whence can water be drawn when
every present available source Is exhausted" and
Must Americans cease their lavish use OF this ne
cessity. and restrict themselves after the manner
common to many parts OF Europe These appeal
70 that sense Of the practical which every fore
handed man applies to his own business, and they
deserve careful treatment "a can be given within
a limited space.
LESS WATER AND MORE PEOPLE.
To use n figure the Americans have been burn
ing the candle at both ends. On the end. the
total supply has been reduced by cutting the for
In the Adirondacks. for example. the original
timber was spruce pine. hemlock and other ever
greens. When this timber is cleared. the second
growth is OF white poplar birch and other decduous
woods. The sprIces while they lasted. gave thick
deposits OF what woodsmen call duff" composed
OF partially decayed trees bark. needles cones and
MOSES Dun absorbs water like sponge 1t be-
comes saturated during the heavy rains in the
spring md the water Is held until Il slowly oozes
down the hlllsldes into the streams in the
catching ana storing the rain IT falls The alb
sence Of dun causes sudden foods In spring and
fail and dlmlnishes the summer flow OF the rivers.
Even the very swamps are dry. Streams once used
for water-power or for driving logs cannot be used
for those purposes now. once they were forded
with difficulty In summer but now they be
waded by children: while some OF the smaller creeks
and brooks are wholly dry Forest fires also
more frequent and destructive IN the second than
In the nrst growth OF timber. Not only In the
Adirondack but all over the country. the rivers
and small streams smaller than they were
generation ago. The Des Molnss River onSa
navlgated 20 the site Of the present city OF that
name: but now II will hardly noat small boat.
and IL f. many years since steamers have been
upon H. Even the level Of some OF the Great Lakes
appears 20 be falling The harbor Of Toronto. al
though dredgel to the bottom rock has almost
ceased 20 be OF u9e and similar fears expressed
for chicago and other lake ports
But the candle IL burned still faster from tho
other end. While the actual supply of water has
decreased. the demand for II has increased The
cities and larger communities 81 the United States
have increased their inhabitants an average total
Of nearly n million every year FOR the last genera
ton. Smaller communities. once depending upon
wells and springs now artificial supplies The
cities have also, increased their demands Where
n well-appolnted house had only one bathroom TWEEN
iy-nye years ago II must have several today and
the modern hotel provides private bath whore
formerly It directed the bather TO some establish
ment outside Manufacturers also have used water
more and more freely every year. The record OF in
crease in five cities may be taken fair samples Of
Ions. per capita drawn every day. at spaces set