New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-18
THE RESERVOIR SITE FOX TIE Lipn@>"'
ovrRrSTIMATING TIE DANGER OF AFfNor"''
.rtxc TIA NEW PIPE LINE NECESSARY


ArIXc Ir-A NEW PIPE LINE NECESSARY
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir. Tho question whether no to condemn the
t,or,vsacond-st reservoir and occupy us size d! d
,uhlic library IS one Of great importance 10 the
,,,. % \e,y.York and the Aldermans committee 90
u.u n eve the matter the deepest consideration
The occurring OF such an exceptonai site lol "e
location o. magnificent library. when wouiu justly
h, the pride of the city, has great claims upon pun
lie attention; on the other mana any 'a"Pe'"'e
with SO important an element OF public welfare as
the c.iy's water supply Is a thing TO DE- jealousy
Guarded opainst except for the strongest motives
II seems 10 me that the division OF public opinion
unon this question Is too strongly marked; that Is
"a say one side maintains that the reservoir Is
absolutely useless, and the other. that II Is Well
nigh ,nd,spensabe Neither position Is correct To
say that II is useless is to contradict the very ele-
ments OF hydraulics. To say that ii is indispensable
ls greatly TO exaggerate It's Importance What are
the facts? I believe the capacity OF tho Forty-sec-
ond-st reservoir is about 2OOOocO gallons. During
the night that is. during the hours Of minimum
draft the pipes leading from the Central Park reser-
volr convey. or capable OF conveying. more
water than is consumed The surplus Is. there
fore run down during this time TO the Forty sec
ond-st reservoir where II Is stored with scarcely
diminished head ready for use next morning when
the draft Is at the maximum. To say that there Is
advantage In bringing nearly 20 per cent Of the
daily supply over night as fdr down town as fOrty-
second-s;. Instead Of leaving 1t all up at Central
Park Is TO advance an untenable proposition.
But "a understand II. the project does not con-
template the simple destruction Of the reservoir,
leaving the city supply just far crippled. with
out doing anything TO make good the deficit. | be-
lieve IL Is proposed to lay another line OF forty
eight inch pipe from the Central Park reservoir TO
tho Battery. II We had To elect between the Forty
second-st. reservoir and the new pipe line. there
would be no hesitation in choosing the latter. Blu.
this would not In the least affect the value OF the
former. which would still retain it's utility. The
city water supply. II that were the only consdera-
ton, would be better OFF for both. and the better
off greater number of pipe lines and reservoirs
that should be built in other parts OF the city.
IL seems 10 me. therefore, that the question re-
solves Itself into one Of compromise of conflicting
claims. The proposed site, taken In connection with
the adjacent Bryant Park. Is such an Ideal one for
some sacrifice In order to secure 1t. II We
can be assured that the proposed additional forty
eight-i pipe line will be Immediately laid and
put in commission. might reconcile ourselves 10
the loss OF the reservoir In view Of the gain Of the
library. But II the new line Is not TO be laid. the
Aldermen's committee would do we'll in my opinion.
firmly oppose the project. or at least to secure an
exhaustive expert report upon the project before APP
proving IL.
present needs there is sufficient daily quantity
delivered the Central Park reservoir Of which
the level is only about M feet above mean tide
water. There are not however, sufficient means 10
throughout the city, without great loss OF press
ure. The Forty second-st. reservoir helps out this
deficiency, as above described. and the city can
scarcely afford lose this help. unless least
an equivalent in the form OF another pipeline be
Workers n Y June 1896