New-York tribune., 1901-02-24
FOREST PARK AGAIN.


our remark the other day that there might
well be two opinions worthy Of regard on the
question of using a part of Forest Park. in
Brooklyn. for water reservoir purpOses-prO-
vidcd such a reservoir Was needed-has been
practically vindicated by various expressions of
opinion Mr. +. Il. Kennedy, ex-commissioner.
and Mr.. Brewer. the present Commissioner Of
Parks have declared themselves vigorously
against such Of the park. On the other
hand Mr. Alfred +. White-WhOse judgment On
matters affecting the public veal is always 10
be respectfully considered-as emphatically
favors the project. II may also be observed, In
passing, that the bill providing for the con-
struction of reservoir in the park is making
rapid progress at Albany. and seems likely 10
become law in a few days.
We have seen nothing however not even in
Mr. Whites utterances. Ia change our own
opinion that no such reservoir Is needed, or
at any rate that the need of il is Insignificant
compared with that Of a great storage reservoir
Mr. White speaks of the need of having more
water in rhe distributing reservoirs for use i'm
case Of a break In the aQueduc1. IL seems TO
us that that point would he better taken If the
present distributing reservoir were or could he
kept fun. Last summer. snd indeed this winter.
the cry was raised that tho borough WAS In
danger II a water famine. because the Ridge
wood Reservoir was nearly empty. At the
same time there We're millions Of gallons daily
running to waste out on Long Island for lack
Of storage reservoirs or more ample aqueducts.
If with the present system Of storage and
transmission IL is not possible 20 keep the exist
ing reservoir az Ridsewood full, how would il
be possible TO keep still another al Forest Park
fullg And what is the Use Of building another
distributing reservoir while the existing one is
more than equal 10 the demand?
The interests of rhe people of Brooklyn are
best 10 be served no; by increasing facilities
for distribution hut BY securing more water 10
he distributed Before a distributing reservoir
is needed water with which 70 ill IL is needed.
And that water is 10 be obtained by the con
struction Of storage reservoirs and the enlarge
ment Of aaueducts. When that is done-when
the great floods OF fresh water that now run 10
waste are impounded in storage reservoirs. and
aqueducts large enough 10 bring the water 10
the city in sufficient quantities 10 supply the
demand and strong enough 10 he reasonably
free from danger OF breakage are provided-it
viii be time enough 10 determine whether the
Ridgewood Reservoir Is big enough or can be
made big enough for distributing purposes
Then, if the latter question be answered In the
negative, the question Of putting an additional
reservoir in Forest Park may he considered.
Even then we are by no means sure that
Forest Park would be the most desirable site.
Why should Brooklyn put IT'S reservoir away
over in the Borough Of Queens, further away
from the centre OF population than the present
RidgewoOd Reservoir is? There is plenty OF
high land far nearer 20 the heart Of the city.
AT the Eastern Parkway and Bedford-ave. for
example there is vacant and unimproved land
about as high as Forest Park. On Sixth-aye..
al about Forty-fourth-st, there is another site
as elevated the very crest of Forest Park.
/ Why not acquire land and build a reservoir
/ there: Either OF these places would be miles
! Park and would in consequence better answer
the requirement which Mr.. White well sets
forth-namely, that the site Of the new reser-
voir should be the nearest possible TO con-
rlr.nnr