New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-12
: THE NEWS OF BROOKLYN !
MR.. KNAPP CORRECTED.
THE WATER QUESTION CAUSING A LOT
OF TROUBLE.
Mr. DE VERONA TIE CHIEF ENGINEER SAYS THE
RlDGrwOcD RESERVOIRS WERE CLEANED
SIN YEARS AGO.

RlDGEWOCD RESERVOIRS WERE CLEANED
SIN YEARS AGO.
The trouble over Brooklyn water Is still
snreading dismay and confusion among Brook
,vr officials Yesterday furnished the usual
cron Of cont adictory and conflicting statements
md denials Of what had been said the day be-
fore.
Chief Engineer l. NJ. De Verona was seen by a
Tribune reporter in regard to the statement oi
Water Purveyor Knapp in yesterdays lriou"o'
When MIR De Verona read Mr. knapp's state
xnents 10 the effect that the reservoirs had never
been cleaned ne smiled plying smile.
oMr. Knapp" said he. lis misinformed, prob
nbIv He says that the old reservoir is more
than twenty years Old and the new one l.
about three years old. and that they nave never
been drained or cleaned. Now. as matter Oh
Fact the old reservoir is nearly iorN years o'''
and the new is about six; so that II II were
true that the old reservoir has not been cleaned
vince it was built. it would be in great dea'
worse condition than even Mr.. KNAPP supf"ses'
The truth is that the reservoirs were Thoroughly
.cleanad six wears ago--both of them
mfr Knapp also speaks Of the physical tests
chat were made at the reservoirs. ana says 'ha'
the water tested was on the surface. lie ASKS
what would have been the result II the water
had been taken from nearer the bottom. ->o"'
we have purposely supplied the CIT! IRON. '"'
water on the surface of these reservoirs lo'
large part OF the time during severai DAYS III
stead of from the bottom. and the samples were
taken from the bottom. as well as 1ro" '"e
surface.
He also speaks of the clogging OF the screens
That will always happen in any "a'ei' ~ We
have them regularly cleaned
In view Of the trouble at the sources ol supp's'
hat
1896 City Works Commissioner White asked the
Aldermen for S15OOOO to protect Hampstead
stra,m one of the most important or the
sources In spite Of his recommendations ana
those of Commissioner Willis. the matter mas
never been acted upon. No action mas peeh
taken. either on the annual budget supfnl''eo
on May OF this year, In which the Items io'
cleaning. dredging and protecting the streams
amounting to S42DO are included. 'ohi'ii'S
sioner Willis has repeatedly urged ac'loh oh
these matters and has prepared and Will submit
at the next meeting OF the Board OF Aldermen
an urgent communication on this supJec'' III
the mean time the work of cleaning the ponuS
and thoroughly protecting them Is on the wa!
Health Commissioner Emery denied yesterua!
that the condition Of the water supply was , ua an
gerous TO health. ut is absurd ne saiu, ~
say that because water has bad tas'e anu d
bad odor II is unwholesome. Our chemists haNe
shown after careful analysis or specimens VI
the water derived from the various Soul'.S "
supply, that II contains no element Whlch IN us
present for n, may he regarded as deleteIlous 10
health At the same time. we do not WlthdraW
our assertion that. unless proper measures are
taken TO preserve the purity Of the water sup
plv disease breeding conditions may arise
Engineer De Verona says that he has men at
work constantly patrong the ten ponds from
which the city takes water, IN oruer To rS" u
ali possible sources of impurity. lie added mat
the Springfield Pond. about which SO much COM
plant had been made would be the hrst 10 re-
ceive a thorough and systematic cleaning.
SiInonson's Pond will come next According 10
the record in his office hfty-tWo complaints
about the water have been received. Most or
the complanants live in the Bedford district,
along the line of Willoughby wave. and the cross
streets A number of complaints have Deen re-
ceiyed from Hicks, Remsen. Clinton. Court. Ber-
gen and other streets in or near the Heights.
Several have come from the neighborhood of
Flatbush and Underhill ayes, and there have
been some complaints from the Eastern Dis
trjct Every complaint has been investigated.
FOUL WATER AND TEMPERANCE.
The question of whether the present water sup
perance will be debated at the meeting of the
woman's Christian Temperance Unlon~ Of this
State which will be held in the Emmanuel Baptist
Church early in October The Rev. DR.. John
Eumpstone is pastor of the church. The conven-
ton will last for week. and several interesting
questions temperance Will be considered
woman prominent In temperance work Will read
a paper a system for cOunteractlng inteIn-
peraTice. Miss Slack, the English evangelist. and
Miss Frances Graham. corresponding secretary Of
the New-York State unions. VIII also ADDRESS the
There will be about 800 delegates present, and 4
committee OF prominent temperance women has
been appointed to look after their comfort during