New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-08
NEW. YORK'S WATER SUPPLY
DIGEST OF THE REPORT OF JOHN r.
FREEMAN TO THE CONTROLLER.

digest has lust been issued of the extended
report upon NETWORKS water supply which was
made Controller Coer recently by John r. Free
man. an hydraulic engineer. He finds that all
, earlier estimates of the quantity of water that
runs to waste the Croton Dam have been at
least per cent too large. that the new aqueduct
requires thorough cleaning and examination, that
the rain gauge at Croton Dam Is old fashioned
and should be replaced by one of more perfect de-
sign, that the safe yield of the Bronx and Byram
combined is from 100000 to 100000 gal
Ions day instead of 2000O,00o as has been com
monty believed that the consumption of water by
the city has not increased largely as the public
has been led to suppose, that the Croton water
shed can be relied furnish 275.0oo0oO gallons
a day. that the consumption of Croton water In
1899 averaged 5000 gallons day, but that hve
years hence it will be greater than the present
sources can be relied upon furnish in series
of dry years.
Mr. Freeman thinks there is occasion for
alarm at this prospect. because. as he says
There is thus safe time to build works, par
Ii is expected that the new Croton Dam VIII be
completed con and the great reservoir partly ned IN
the next two years will not be one of these alb
normally dry periods and in that having knowledge
be carefully watched and rigorous measures
bes of 1ee are needed aed these
cure the present supply is safe until new one can
be built, IL construction is promptly begun.
He then gives suggestions for economizing the
water consumption by means of meters and other
devices. should dry weather make this necessary,
and also discusses increasing the Croton water
supply by constructing more storage reservoirs.
The greatest cause of waste. he says is leaky
pipes. both In the and in the houses. Among
the best sources to which New-York may look for
its future water supply. the report declares the
Adirondacks, the Hudson above Poughkeepsie
Though this would all have to be htered) and the
upper Housatonic, combined with the Ten Mile
River. From this last source $50 100000 of gal
be delivered limits
at elevation of 800 feet above the for
original outlay Of about s47,GOoo0 OF this outlay
the report says:
The cost of this water delivered the city limits
at 800 feet elevation proposed by the Ramapo COM
pany, if all divided upon the 75O,000o00 gallons of
new water. would be less than $40 million gallons
including in this all interest and maintenance
annual contribution TO sinking fund which at the
end of forty years would pay off all the bonds and
turn the works to the city in excellent con-
dition fully paid for.
It that NEWCOMERS were nearer to
water famine in 1891 than most of them knew. The
report, In speaking of the danger which lies in a
too rapid depletion of the reservoir supply, says:
1t would be an act beyond excuse for those in
trusted with the management of the water supply
out the knowledge of the public at large, were
taken the year 1891, by drawing upon the storage
November l5 with nothing left visible between the
city and water famine but little water In the
Central Park reservoirs and the natural drainage
of the stream, largely from the East Branch
swamps Providence was very kind in 1891 and sent
rains just the limit was reached. Had the fal
rains been delayed in 1884, In the year 1893 New
Of water cut down to possibly less than 5O0oo'O0o
gallons day for one or two months