New-York tribune., 1898-09-18
NATER AT PEBLIC EYPENSE.

The great cities of the world are steadily
growing greater. and As they Increase in p0pu-
lation the task of distributing water In every
district Of their territories becomes more impor-
tant and more serious with every year. London
is especially unfortunate because its chief
sources Of supply are in the hands OF private
corporations, and the quantity coming into the
British metropolis often falls short Of the real
needs of It's millions. At the best, Londoners
are far behind New Workers In getting water.
Americas chief city has been fortunate up TO
the present time in that for generations its citi-
zens have not suffered severely from scarcity.
Moreover. the supply on Manhattan Island has
almost invariably been excellent In quality, as
well as generous In quantity Croton is pure
enough and ralatabe enough almost every day
in the year, and at no time since High Bridge
was constructed has this community been af-
ficted with an alarming death rate due TO an
insufficient or impure supply. Philadelphia is to
be ptied in comparison with NewYork. 1t can
not be doubted that the water which is used In
the city OF William Penn Is often tainted TO
deplorable degree and often dangerously I'M
wholesome 1t will be indispensable that Phla-
delphia shall secure for herself a more satisfac-
tory system. Some Of the cities in New-Jersey
have had grave cause for complaint because
their supplies have been tainted with sewage
In every country people hive together in such
masses in the principal cities that the water
supply becomes matter Of momentous munich
pal concern.
After the completion Of the new aqueduct
this city has poured out many gallons per
capita for the population of Manhattan Island
that there has been no just reason for fault
finding so far as the personal uses Of New
Workers are concerned, although it would be n
benefit to the community If a higher pressure
could be obtained for dealing with fires Never
theloss, the consolidation which has taken in
Kings County and the bulk of Queens County
imposes tremendous responsibility upon the
city government. The water supply of Brook
lyn is by no means liberal in quantity and 1t is
frequently unpalatable. Brooklyn must have
more water--a great deal more water-and it
must have it within few years. When the
big dam in the lower part Of the Croton Valley
and the new reservoir at Jerome Park are COM
pleted the available resources Of the entire Gro
ton watershed will be drawn upon. Tens Of
millions Of dollars Of public funds have already
been expended in drawing upon the springs and
ponds the lakes and the rivers Of the CrOton
region and the region of The Bronx Tens Of
In the next fifty years, and probably within the
next twenty years, to deliver to every borough
In this far-stretching city n copious supply Of
pure water. Massachusetts IS providing lber-
ally for the future demands of Boston and the
towns which cluster in the neighbOrhoOd OF BOs-
ton. In the valley of the Nashua In the towns
OF Clinton. West BoylstOn and Oakdale. and
In other places in that part Of the State. reser-
vor Is TO he constructed which will he one OF
the costliest and biggest in either hemisphere.
The State Of Massachusetts has taken up this
work and is responsible for the bonds to be
issued in payment. This reservoir will provide
lavishy for the EXTREMIST wants OF Boston and
neighboring cities for scores OF years.
1t is the duty OF NewYork to be not only
bountiful. but even prodigal in furnishing
plenty of water for IT'S people It is not advis-
able however that the city should allow water
to be wasted on a spendthrift scale in the thou
sands upon thousands Of barrooms within the
various boroughs comprised in New-York; and
the owners Of the principal mills should he per.
suaded, wherever 1t Is possible. to get their sup.