New-York tribune., 1903-01-02
TO SAVE CR0T0N TREES.
PROTEST ON NEW PLAN.
Engineers Say Thai Destruction Is
Not Necessary.


legged reason that the water may be saved from
&C contamination by falling leaves. Botanists and
engineers are OF the opinion that any accumu-
lation OF leaves in the streams could easily
be removed by a sufficient force OF men or by
the construction of catch basins and traps where
the streams enter the reservoir, and the trees
which contribute so much TO the beauty of the
Croton Valley could be saved.
Colonel John Y. Culyer. civil engineer and
landscape architect and for twenty years as
seciated with Frederick Law olmsted, when
asked by a Tribune reporter Yesterday for an
expression of opinion regarding the wisdom OF
desirability os cutting away the vegetation
along the banks of the Croton River ano It's
ailments said he thought il was most unfortu-
nate that any such decision should nave oeeh
reached by the officials under the present ad-
Eninistration Colonel Culyer went on TO say;
eff after all these years. any serious contami-
,tation Of the water of the streams of the Croton
Valley has been found to result from an ac-
curnuIation of leaves shed from the trees ana
underwood along these water courses It is
most remarkable :hing. II it is really serious
rather than destroy the trees there might read
ilv be substituted some simple appliances Tor
disposing of leaves at certain seasons OF the
year Most of the streams are small. and couid
easily he cleaned out. AS there is always EN-
Moved a considerable force of men, any exten-
eix-s accumulation of leaves could be prevented
ANYWAY / do not believe the condltlon re-
sultine from the leaves is serious enough 10
Justify the destruction of such beaut1ul
natural feature as these streams, hneo on el'her
side with the indigenous material OF the country
NOW fast disappearing. had always thought as
the city has come into possession OF hunoreos ol
acres of land bordering these streams that 1t
might be justified some day in adding to the at
fractions of these areas by planting trees ana
shrubs as a matter of ornamentation as we'll as
for purposes of utility. They would AFFORD at
the same time a source of valuable instruction
TO people who should be interested in the cuiu-
walton of trees and shrubs, either for pleasure or
profit.
WATER NOT SERIOUSLY IMPREGNATED.
Another thing. We have been deplorlng on
every hand the destruction Of just such CROWNS
of vegetation the haunts of our natVe nlroS'
whose numbers are. unfortunately. growing less
every wear. largely because no provision is ilaue
articially for their subsistence, such as eAls'eo
Formerly throughout these country districts
These streams are exceptionally free from
the intrusion of undesirable matter, since 1he
CITY now owns the land on either SIDE anu Can
absolutely control to q large extent, the surface
water which flows into these streams IN All
the wears of nv experience and familiarity with
running water through fields and WOODS nave
never known the water to be seriously impres-
,otad or affected to the point of undesirabi bility
as drinking water by such adventitious conoi-
lions as it is implied result from the accunlula-
ton of leaves. It seems TO me a decision suoue"'
resolved upon as the result of some me idoold
tory work and that the engineering sloe OF lnie
ouestion has been too readily suoonolhateu ~
the decision of health officials
..+ all events I think it is great mistake,
.,a if Colonel Monroe will look over the matter
carefully he will come TO the conclusion tha'
.bera are no conditions at the present time SO
serious as TO suggest the necessity of contln-
nance of this work. Elms. naples "llio"S'
locusts alders and wild briers are being cut
down 1t is especially undesirable TO oesIoy
such beauty which it should be the speclaI op-
4ect Of the city TO preserve but Win one s"oop
of the official pen. men who are 1ntelnsent anu
well meaning are doing more damage than they
can recover TO the city in fifty years They may
80 over fifty miles cutting down trees. through
bpte of westchester County and, maybe, TO the
lower end OF Putnam County 1t hasnt oc-
CURED to them how, by simple process 'he
leaves may be removed and the trees saved
Most Of the complaints against the leaves could
be offset by the employment or men at certain
seasons to remove them
Colonel Cornelius B. Mitchell, president OF the
Tree Planting Association, said he knew now I'M
nortant if was where there water supply
.hat there should be trees. The streams should
be kept as pure possible, but IL Woulo De d
great mistake to destroy the trees along the
t-roton River The work Of removing the leaves
from the streams would extend over period
of only a month or six weeks in the fall. at the
utmost and it was perfectly practicanle 10 pre-
vent them from getting into the reservoir.
Colonel Mitchell thought the cutting away Oh
the trees was d great mistake
II was not necessary, however, TO MAINTAIN d
forest there ny which he meant trees could ne
1hinned out where necessary and the GROUNDS
cleared of underbrush so as to make q properly
nd
dome in a seutlemans public park Ii the
same care were taken of the talien leaNes ol
the line of the Croton Valley that was taken IN IN
the care Of Central Park, or other Wen kept
PARKS the quality of the water would not be
injured by any drainage from decaying leaves
WOULD LESSEN SUPPLY OF WATER
Charles w. Leavitt jr, civil engineer and
landscape architect, said:
There are two sides to the question. 1t is
true that if a country is denuded of Its forests
tt is likely lose large percentage Of Its ram
falls for several reasons. In the first place.
nature probably does not provide as much rain
when it is not needed, and in the second place,
when the rain does fall in arid country 1t
,uns off quickly and is not retarded by the
vegetation, which might otherwise retain it and
act in q measure a reservoir and allow the
y,,n-ofY TO take place more slowly
ION the other hand, if these reservoirs were
constructed in the valleys they would no ooupl
he filled up to d certain extent by leaves which
foat down the streams. gradually decay in the
Tcarer and may give il taste, and perhaps a
slight smell 1t VIII is not t conlainiha'e II Sefi-
.:TTbie is a well established fact. as you viii
And that the mill owners throughout the coun-
1rv are required to drain OF their mlllponos ia
order 70 clean out the sediments coming from
leaves etc which gradually accumulate ana
take up valuable space
s1KEhile in waterworks engineering IL is
,,,s1tv firmly established rule that as mucn
vegetation. such stumps. leaf mould SOD