New-York tribune., 1900-08-11

ALLEGED WATER FAMINE
ENGINEERS DENY THAT ONLY PART OF
SUPPLY is PUMPED.
SAY THAT IF THERE is RAMAPO IN THE
FAILURE TO BUILD THE NEEDED
FILTERS, IT is IN MANHATTAN.

Robert Van Burcn. the chief engineer and I.
NJ De Varona engineer of the supply ex-
tension were both much worked up yesterday by
an article published in a morning paper to the ef-
feet that the officers of the Department were in the
Ramapo deal and for that reason crying
water famine whereas as a matter of fact they
would not allow the pumps on the watershed to
pump the full supply.
Mr. De Varona was so disgusted that at first he
would rot discuss the article at all, which, he
said had been written from a malicious spirit and
by some one who ignorant of the fact. To a
Tribune reporter he said
There is one that can be given TO the
entire article and 1t is that we cannot pump any
time. We have been in this Department quarter
more about the situation than a mere reporter.
We have no interest in the Ramapo schemes. and
II IS malicious to say
The article in question gave long list of pump
ing station and stated that in each instance millions
of gallons less water being pumped than could
be pumped. Mr. Van Buren, said:
You see they have confused pumping capacity
larger figures in each instance about what the
pumps could do II they had the water They are
not pumping their full capacity because the water
Is not there. OF course might pump the full
drv In that way we would SPOIL ie g0od ws Wes wGd f
otner instances If we forced the wells. would be
getting salt water soon. That has been tried.
EXPERIMENTS IN FORMER YEARS
Mr. De Varona and others have in former years
made experiments which enable them to know lust
how much water can be pumped from given well
at different times of the year and under various
conditions. The engineers vigorously deny that
they give hard and rigid orders their foremen at
the various stations about pumping certain
amount of water, which in The article was alleged
to be much less than could be procured
Mr.. Van Buren added:
II Is most unfortunate at this time, when are
WORKING as hard as we can to reduce the daily con-
storage that articles of that nature should be
has been if the people are led at to b
e neye that the talk Of famine is all a scheme to
relieve the situation, and have for a long time
far back as 1895 Mr.. De Varona made some caicuIa-
tlons and estimates of the yearly increase in popu-
lation and consumption of water. AS a result he
stated positively then that unless facilities
this year
These additional facilities for which Messrs. Van
Buren, and De Varona have been pleading for for
more than year are filters for the Springfield and
BaiSley ponds and a new 4s-nch conduit from the
Miliburn watershed Letters and appeals in behalf
sioner Dalton two or three times a week since the
first of the year. but il only after repeated
Everything has now been done toward procuring
the ftering plants with the exception of awarding
the contracts. II is said that the construction of
these improvements will begin within short time
for the proposed Mburn pipe line
LIES WITH MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY
Asked whether he thought Commissioner Dalton
alleged interest in the Ramapo company had
caused the delay in getting the Brooklyn improve
ments Mr. Van Buren said that he thought the
trouble lay with the Municipal Assembly
If there is any RamapO In it, said Mr.. Van
Buren, lit is in Manhattan, and not here
a Tribune reporter made strenuous efforts TO
find Deputy Commissioner Monett. There seemed
to be considerable mystery expressed at his office
as 10 his Whereabouts It afterward learned
that he was keeping cool at his summer home. at
Huntington, Long Island, and probably would not
return to Brooklyn before Monday Henry l.
Hawkes.. superintendent of water distribution was
also out of town. Mr.. Hawkes. has cut the water
supply out from about fifty public schools, but the
vacation schools still have water. Deputy Com
missioner MOffett has called conference of the
public ,hoo officials, to be held in his office, on
Monday. at noon. when the question OF supplying
water to the schools will be discussed Charles f.
Robertson president, and the members of the
Building Committee of the School Board will prob
ably attend the meeting.