New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-07
WATER IN NETWORK AND BROOKLYN


WATER IN NETWORK AND BROOKLYN.
THE QUESTION OF CONNECTING THE TWO BoR
oUGHs-FuTURE NEEDS OF MANHATTAN.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In your editorial OF Sunday last on Brook
! lyn Water" appears the following statement:
Perhaps connection between the two boroughs
might wisely be made. that in case OF need such
as has existed this summer the Croton water Gould
be turned In to make up for a scarcity on Long
Island
Is IL possible that The Tribune does not know that
the highest engineering authority in Manhattan on
this subject stated in writing more than two years
ago that the CrotOn system did not then and could
not in future furnish water enough to justify the
old city OF New-York in attempting TO supply any
water to Brooklyn?
This is n matter of such vital consequence TO both
cities that believe you will cheerfuy correct the
erroneous impression made by your editorial just
quoted The following official letter was read AT
public hearing before the Committee on Water Sup
ply in Brooklyn. January 49, 1891 II was addressed
by Mr. Alphonse Fteley. chief engineer Of the
Croton Aqueduct Commission to Chief Engineer
Milne Of the Department of Water supply Of Brook
Ign:
New-York, January %, 1891
Peter Milne. Esq. Chief Engineer City WORKS
Dear Sir: In reply to your Inquiries as to the
present condition Of the water supply Of New fork,
dam. Cornelrs. Is built. thereby completing ne
storage system OF the Croton River watershed 1t is
erage $4,000 90 gallons per day in dry year The
new Croton dam will require five years for us com
enough to meet the present consumption HC Pom n
me present present e IS :IeS Wheeled that the
opening of the new mains being laid from the
viii cause a5N daily ally increase I Of 100000 gallons
At the rate that the consumption has been in
@ %hen nff the the Of w a
daily. New-York will require all the water that the
AT the time of its completion New sources of sup
ply will consequently be needed In the near future
and investigation should now be begun In that d.
recton.
For the reasons above given. It is clear that
NewYork could not supply Brooklyn WIN any
amount OF water in five years from now: Yours
truly, A: FIELk1
This letter was published at that time and
embodied in the report of that committee to the
Board OF Aldermen December 81. 1891
Your editorial also contained the following
Even the Croton supply must In time be made
quate for the vast city growing up ABOUT TINS mar
Dor and distant sources must be sought.
Is II possible that In writing the above you had
forgotten that In his first message to the Munich
pal Assembly in January 1898 Mayor Van Wyck.
calling attention to the questions with which his
administration was then confronted, wrote as fol-
lows:
most serious pubc necessity e; gnS Is presented c by
be accommodated with a sufficient water supply.
Would you now say that In view Of the recent
statement OF Engineer Birdsail that the city Of
New-York. constituted, is now consuming
400 10000 gallons daily. your editorial sets forth
the situation as quantity OF supply from the
present sources as II should be understood by your
readers?
And is II not n fact that in 1895 when the aver
age daily consumption in Manhattan and Bronx
boroughs was at least 100000 gallons per day
less than it is this year. the old city was, when
the fall rains came not only on the verge OF water
shortage but as Chief Engineer Fteley has since
told the fire insurance underwriters, within two
days Of no water at all?
Your editorial further says
Meanwhile Brooklyn real estate will be good
deal safer az investment II the laudaoIe desire
TO maintain reasonable confidence In Brooklyn
wa ter does not give excuse for overconndence
and neglect to provide for future that Is not
far off.
Do you not think that IN all candor. you should
apply the same doctrine to the boroughs supplied
by the Croton system. and urge some provision Tor
the future covering the entire city?
In your columns of this morning find the follow
ing statement attributed to Deputy Commissioners
Mofatt. of Brooklyn:
We need good long rain. but there is no mme-
dlate fear OF a water famine long as the wells
belonging to the water supply yield 10000 gall
Ions a day.
Is II not plain from this that in such a season
as that OF 1895 land the present year now bids fair
to be as dry that was> the Borough OF Brooklyn
is far safer I'm extremity than the other Dor
oughs because the pumps on Long Island can al
ways raise water even If on famine OASIS
while Manhattan depends absolutely upon stortu
water which when exhausted. leaves nothing but
fostering mudbanks? l.. II. l..
Brooklyn June q. 1899.