New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-26
WATER SUPPLY PROBLEMS.
LARGE POWERS CONFERRED ON THE
COMMISSIONER BY THE CHARTER.
AUTHORIZED TO SELECT AND DETERMINE
SOURCES OF SUPPLY ANYWHERE IN THE
STATE WITHOUT GOING TO THE

| SOURCES OF SUPPLY ANYWHERE IN THE
STATE WITHOUT GOING TO THE
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AS
TO THE FUTURE.
| Under the new charter the Commissioner OF
Water Supply will possess powers far In excess OF
| those which may now be exercised by any OF .he
| officials of NcwYork BY Section Az 1t Is pro''ueu
| that with the approval of the Board OF Pubhc I'M
| provements Of which he will be member. ne
shall have power throughout the State OF New
| York TO select and determine all sources OF water
! supply that may be needed for the supply OF 'he
| public waterworks' of the city and Tor the supp!
| and distribution Of water therein.
Furthermore, any sources OF water seiecteu anu
! determined by the Commissioner Of Water supply
shall be deemed necessary for the pubhc use ot
the city Of Kew York" and. with the approVhi Oh
| the Board Of Public improvements ana oi '"r
| Board OF Estimate With the concurrent action OF
| the Municipal Assembly. the water rights are " w
acquired the real estate necessary is 10 D. .o"-
demnod conduts and pipes are TO be laid ana o'ne'
| needed work Is 10 be done. The commissioner ~
forbidden 10 interfere with water used for supply
Ing any other city, town or village OF the SUIT ',
Is not allowed to take water from my OF the cHi''
| of the State or from streams used TOT SuPpH"'
| the canals In addition he IS authorized TO 'Na'h
Inc the sources Of supply Of my private cofhp'iS
supplying any part of the city. 10 zee ''"
water IS wholesome and the supply adequa'e'
To .r fe
on this official II should be understood that AT pres
ON, ,bo Auoduc, Commissioners have no power 10
| % outside OF The Croton watershed even ior the
purpose OF making surveys. and that the attempts
which have been made to give them Hueh pow
| have Failed IN the LEGISLATURE on the other hand
the right TO make such surveys ana estimates ms
belonged 70 and been exercised hy the Commission
or Of CITY Works I'm brooklyn notably by Atro' /.
White when he held that office. and IN iH'' c'"S'i
| surveys TO be made by competent engineers "o'
| only OF additional sources OF supply tor ''at c'H
| on Long island but also OF the Ten Nile N''f
! watershed In Dutchcss County, ana OF sources %
! SUNNY on the west side of the hudson River.
| While large power ls thus given TO III" Commi'-
sioner OF Water Supply. II r. not 'ess not'ceap'e
that there IS q positive restriction on his power 10
| make contracts. as he Is forbidden to enter mo
| any contract whatever with any person o. cor
poration engaged IN the business Of selling or SUP
plving water for prvat" public use without IN"
| assent of the Board Of Public improvements after
the submission to Of tn, proposed contract in al
! its details
THE ADIRONDACKS AND LAKE ERIE.
The announcement; has already been made in
| these columns Of the intention Of Senator George
w Brush to Introduce again a BIZ providing for
an examination of the Adirondack watershed. win
| n view to the obtaining Of supply FOR the en-
larged city from that source at some tim" In the
future. There are evidences Of 81 good deal OF
Interest in this subject md 1t Is probab" that tho
sentiment in favor Of the proposed hil. Will be-
strong enough to insure H. passage. especially a@
all that + now proposed is inquiry AS - d."
amount Of water ohininqhl- from this region and
tho probable cost Of bringing q whore II may b"
needed. II s. recognized hy all who have given
attention 10 this matter that works on SO larr" %
f'a'' "S W." DO i't"'''" ""'''' ~ "' 49,
have to be- undertaken ~ the state. bat before
anything IN this direction could be donc an amend
meni to the Constitution would bc necessary.
4 wcl-uformed city o"-i l. who has Eiyca con.
siderable thought TO 30" subject when asked To-
10" -, ''''.. w. ,'. - no ,,y
i ..t" 80, ,,, .. .,,- e,.,,.. ,...- ......,,
no, o,i, eor x.v-yo-A h,. f,- ,b. .,,... o. a..
S,,,. r.n.r,lf,. Prot,tr, "a. can e.. .r,urr
,,..- 3, s,,.,f. nod. 80, ,,,, ito. NJ, ,,. t-...
rt,., tor of,..y ~ ,,,,., ,.,r ,,I,r,.. ,., ,,-
bevonJ our present yource, In. for "A waiter SUD.
ply for hiy year. I" CON-" nave no ''"G' Una,
~, di,r, ans, ~ 3D.. y,,f.-s az ~. tIiss-,, EIy.r
:, s.a,ns 80 ,r. ,,,, %. si,u DO hound ~. .i,.,,,
water to ali the clte- along ths r.vc- arI those
'''' ~ ,
IN AL IL, M ~ NJ, t',,. lima .,, .,,,-
h1 ~ ini,r..' in .ur..,I'r wU,,r H. No. ~.
ark ard The orange ma an 'alt region
TAX, into consilcrai.oa ~. likelihood ihat thcr.
viii be 4 popul4ilo- o. ih'rty ml lion pco,,~ in
York NI.r. Is the water for tr,t y.,.t rof,ult.
s,,"i,. ~, lor ttirk cf ,,lnn,'y 49, fr ,b. ,,,r
nuta' I'd r5 INA. a." ~ 49, fr,, o,rtt -
p~u'i I ~, f,r E.U- ynrk ard tbo rc,- ri,,.,
~ - -, al i.o az H.. gt.f,s ,f',.',,.t D..
ccc,,r.I ,,,t ~ ~. Stafa and al,og he Itii.,,
!, a. ,i, 80 tb,-, A. v,a,,, ,ro,,..c a., ~, y,,l
-. I, -, s,,,ly IN ur.d. fr . crt,,~c md r,,,
=, COM. auJ H.n' f. nv p.lemer, f. en-, .,ro,,,
W 3D., CT. n5,r6t 90 ., D.. ti.,,f.i
LtSyi' " ,,,ro'1.'1 O- ceurs' v6rks o 81. Ir,
- az i,,.. 10 Inc ro,., rt,,f,i i, M So.
e.. -, b.f,.,. m. rim. tho cl,y ~ N.o ~
ti a., I.,,..- ~, - Inc e.a;. t,i, - -
49,, - a., . S,,c would i.oJ 10 '.,t,,, S,,,,t
49, 'r1 .bI.,lJ Lc hca..i on for -. r.,1,t =,
80 49,, ,,E.r" 49, "
III -" '''''
TX-COMAflSsfONER WHITES VIEWS
,
When cX-Nommsfioner W NJ" VAS asked FOR h-
ouinion he suoE- first of tn. great roY.r ..i,..,,
! - 49,, I,.i ..,,. a. w.. SIT,