New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-25
admiration of mankind and win the favor OF
an overriding Providence.
RPOOELYN WATER.

Orr influential contemporary, Tine brooki!n
Standard Union" is naturally solicitous Tor
the reputation Of the borough in when IL N
published. but II is unduy sensitive In It's loyal
~. A recent article In The Tribune which
commented on the somewhat unsatistactor!
state of the Brooklyn water supply, arouses 1t
70 protests which seem 10 suggest more con-
Germ for the real estate market than the water
supply by itself considered. for II says;
There never was day since Brooklyn had
water supply that consumers here were not
furnished with better water ana AT ue,lsi
pressure than the Manhattanese ever enjoyed
II The Tribunes water expert were certain
versatile politician and promoter VINO one
made startling proposition On the supJect Vi
a water supply for Manhattan In tne PIesen ne,
OF n Supreme Court Judge the propositions put
forth and reflections cast would be less difncult
to understand. AS II is, the attempt 10 hJure
real estate on this side of the East RIVER ana
Indirectly to retard progress on the WORK OF
opening up by means OF new bridges ana tuh-
nels Brookyns vast and magnificent territory
to the crowded home seekers of Manhattan VIII
meet with the failure IL deserves
We do not quite understand the significance
of the politician and promoter reference ana
we beg TO assure 1.-THE Standard Union that
we have no wish to injure real estate specuia-
ton on the other side of the East River. We
wish there was as little disposition on the part
of the Democratic politicians who control the
Brooklyn water supply to boom real cstate-a
favorite road of Democratic politicians to
wealth-by refusing to face frankly present and
prospective water conditions on Long Island
II has been matter of common talk and
public record for DAYS that the Brooklyn water
supply was taxed TO its limit, and that certain
ponds which were much needed were shut on
because the water was unfit to drink. The prob
lem has been so serious that anxious ofhcials
have been giving II their most earnest attention.
1t has also been matter of common complaint
-mong Brooklyn househOdcrs that the quality
of the water was not mp to the standard
Copious rains would doubtless meet immediate
emergencies. and careful attention TO danger
spots might give the city the use of all its
present sources OF supply. Nevertheless. as
Brooklyn grows-and 1t is bound to grow-its
water problem must have attention II Is a
mistake for the sake of promoting present real
estate interests to say that everything is perfect
and shut our eyes to subsequent real estate in
terests and the necessities Of the population.
The area from which Brooklyn can take surface
water on Long Island IS much restricted by
legislation; the possibility Of largali extending
the supply by wells is limit d by y, dar0er of
diminishing the flow of wells already in ex-
istence The rural population Of Long -'land Is
growing and II must be increasingly difficult to
guard the present sources from contamination,
much more TO extend them safely.
When the present supply is scarcely adequate
for the existing population, and the officials
talk, of famine 1t is proper to face the situation
frankly, not TO create scare, but to plan for
the future Perhaps connection between the
/ ,ioht wis no ms
case of need such ms has existed this summer
the Croton water could bc turned in to make
up for a scarcity on Long Island Even the
Croton supply must in time be inadequate for
the vast city growing up about this harbor. and
more distant sources must be sought Mean
while Brooklyn real estate will be a good deal
safer as an investment II the laudable desire to
maintain reasonable confidence in Brooklyn
water does not give an excuse for overconfi-
dence and neglect to provide for future that
! Is not far off