New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-11
BROOKLYN NEWS.
ALMOST A WATER FAMINE.
THREE CIRCULARS ISSUED. AND MORE
DRASTIC STEPS MAY BE TAKEN.
SOME DISTRICTS MAY sE CIT OFF. As a LAST RE
SORT TO STOP wAsTE-So MORE WATER
FOR SHIPPING.


James Moffett. Deputy Commissioner OF Water
Supply for the Borough Of Brooklyn is sending out
lhree notices il order to reduce the consumption
OF "atar- One, addressed to citizens states that
since the last circular to householders issued on
december 3. lack Of rain and colder weather have
combined gravely 10 increase the danger Of seri-
GUS shortage. and that the success OF the Depart
nents efforts tide over the present critical situa
ton must largely depend on the cooperation Of t
Izeas The most pressing need is a reduction in The
consumption, and this can be best securei without
injury to public private interests by stopping
waste
The circular continues:
=, Waste Of water under the present circumstance
- aLn1osL criminal act al detective plumbing
snoud be put in proper order, and any leaks Of
mans or waste from neglect or parsimony should
water IN the pipes should be kept from freezing
not oy letting the faucets ruo all night but by cut
h f5gs Be saved at tine when every gallon is
livery stable keepers were informed that the use
Of hose for washing of coaches or other vehicles,
or horses, is prohibited and any violation Of the
order viii result in = dtscontinuance Of the water,
or q fine, or both.
Another notice prohibited the taking Of water
from fire hydrants in Brooklyn by steamboats,, tugs
and other shipping, which would henceforth have
70 take water from fire hydrants the river front
in Manhattan.
Deputy Commissioning 1Ionett said yesterday thai
had the drinking fountains cut of from the mains,
and would further economic by cutting of the
automatic flush tanks in the public schools. he
proposed soon reduce the pressure in every sec
ton Of Brooklyn. and Il necessary. he would shut
the supply of entirely in some neIghbOrhOods- De
would shortly issue another ci-cu to the citizens
asking them 10 use water sparingly and not 70
waste water for bathing purposes
. There q conference Yesterday between Dep
uty Commissions A0ffe-t and Engineers Van
Buren, and De Na-0na- ~ which 4 was agreed that
the situation the worst that Brooklyn has ever
encountered and that unless there is rain a
or ter days drastic measures must be resorred TO-
While every method would be used TO induce peo-
PIE not TO waste water IN the mean time II Il
should be necessary some DeghoOrhoods would be
LETT without Il altogether One suggestion, 70 be
adopted only IS q last resort was To allow People
70 get supply during one hour n The morning
and another hour in the afternoon or evening.
Later Mr. MOfett said that the notice TO steam
boat men would not inconvenience shipping in the
ply As 70 the livery stables. the Of the hose
prohibited all times by law. except under
special permit Buckets could be used for the pres
ent Mr.. Moffett thought that citizens could have
all the luxUries and still consume less than 5000
oG0 gallons day He wished people could real
lie that the limit OF supply had passed, and that
they should do what they could 70 help the Depart
meut.
CHIEF Engineer Van Buren, said II was too early
TO tell what the effect OF cutting OF the fountains
had been, az II was done only late Tuesday. The
consumption Tuesday amounted 81 35. 800 gal
Ions, against about g 600 the day before. The
total storage at O'Clock yesterday 153 O51, 800
gallons