New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-20


BoontoR. The reservoir extends from Old Boorton
70 Passippany, n J. 1t is more than two miles
long and averages little than a mile In
width the distance around it being eight and
half miles In round numbers It covers 900 acres.
the dam at Old BOoatOn, supplcms nted by q con-
crete and earthen dixie at Parsippany Inclosfng a
maximum supply Of 800 OO00 900 gallons The con-
tract is for supply OF 7.2O0OOoOoO gallons this
quantity % water providing he city supply for
200 days at the present rate Of consumption.
The water is carried 10 Jersey City through con-
crete eonduts and steel pipes, emptytng into the
filtration reservoir ct Jersey City Heights. The
BoOnton dam is 800 feet long which includes 2200
feet Of solid masonry either end Of which is
concrete and earthen dixie 800 feet long. The
masonry has q maximum height OF 1lA feet. At
the base It Is Is feet thick tapering II feet at
the top In the upstream face Of the masonry
there is an area OF four and half acres. The
work is go 600 cubic yards. Il is estimated
that 25,OOo barrels OF cement have been used in
the masonry work The downstream face is ashIar,
the stones OF this wall being Of immense size-up
20 seven tons In weight The reservoir face Of the
wall IS also laid with heavy blocks and
between these two the contractors have
built what they term cyclopean masonry.
Immense stones Of any shape, just they
come from the quarry bedded in a soft con-
crete by being raised from the by derTicks
and dropped directly into their soft beds The
contractors have no doubt that they Will remain
firmly imbedded- as the concrete will rise several
inches on all sides OF the stone.
clare there can be no senblance Of joint running
through the wall for fl is absolutely monoIithic
and bonded by the most impervious qualities Of rock
and cement. This method OF construction has the
merit OF being both rapid and economical. and
from the opinions OF many visiting expert engi-
ueers the character OF the work IS the equal OF
any class Of masonry in the country.
II pIeases alike the engineer and contractors TO
know that in the month OF May 1903 all records IN
laying masonry were broken this work. p 900
cubic yards being put IN place
All the foundations for the dam solid rock
o. first quality. the rock itself certain points
where satisfactory being until the solid
stone found. The excavations for the founda-
lions alone consumed something like years time.
As extra precauUon against leakage a trench
eight feet wide and ten feet deep was excavated
below and close TO the main dam and filed with
masonry.
The supplemental core walls OF 500 feet either
end are built Of concrete four feet eight inches
thick against which both sides there heavy
earth e-ubaukmeuts the concrete giving it sustain
ing power and making it impervoUs to water. These
walls are carried two feet higher than the main
dam thus making Of the latter an overflow wall
IN the event Of the reservoir filling although a
thirty loot section OF the main dam is five feet
lower than the provide for this feature. The
down stream embankments are reinforced by heavy
parapet walls, each OF which is ninety feet long.
The water passing the overflow falls into spill
Wsy. 90 paved channel, seventy feet wide. and
with RAPID all and is discharged into the river.
s
weight OF the current toward the centre and save
the embarkments either side. With the dam
raised 10 fits great height there only one point
n the reservoir where water could escape, and this
was az Parsippany where il would flow over into
the watershed Of Troy Brook. To protect this
point a supplementary dam or dixie has been built.
il Is 500 feet long. 800 feet longer than the
main dam. with a maximum height Of twenty-five
feet Its construction is similar TO that OF the
wings Of the main dam While the main dam
heir hrrfl-
carried beneath il through two tS-inch steel pipes
laid ID heavy masonry.
The outlet pipes 10 convey water TO Jersey City
ere fifty feet higher than these pipes. thus form
ing a sedimentsti0n basin below the outlet pipes.
The probabilities are that these lower sluce pipes
which are provided with gates will not again be
USED Until additional work may be necessary. The
elevation OF the foot Of the dam above level at
SANDY HOOK IS 3l0l4 feet
To provide material for such a huge structure il
was essential that great quantities OF stone should
De secured at the shortest possible distances from
The Work and this found and the property pur-
chased by the contractors in Hook Mountain, near
AoHtVlle. four miles from the dam. The whole
zoe Of this rocky mountain has been torn away TO
provide the material which is Of quality for
the purpose Quick transportation at minimum
COST was also a necessary feature OF this portion
Of the work. and a railroad was built from the
quarry 10 the dam II regularly incorporated
under The laws Of the State the Rockaway River
and Moutville Railroad, and connections made with
the Lackawauna road. 50 that all supplies OF
cement lumber and other material have been car
nec directly 10 the point where they were required
Il Was necessary 10 build a heavy bridge over the
Rockaway River for the railroad. that 1t might
operate all points along the DAM and 10 guard
against delay in the supply OF cement storehouse
Win capacity OF ten thousand barrels vas
erected.
Water Is let through the dam to the conduit be-
yond by 4s-inch steel pipes. 50 arranged with
gates. stop panks and other mechanical devices
thar the water .zsy be admitted from five different
Levels. Rensselaer, gate valves. with S6-inch re-
dulers working il connection with gatehouses at
TIE opening Of the pipes, permit the water 10 no"
into the cement conduit without danger OF DursI-
ing T. even Il BY the accidental opening Of gates
baoky-ater pressure 70 the full csPactty OF the
CONDUIT. 100000 gallons a day, should be put upon
H. The pipe line conduit IS OF two materials
cement and steel There four sections OF the
oeuenI pipe, which is eight feet six inches IN
ealerer. the walls being from six 10 twelve lhches
cicH. Il Is not round, the bottom being oval anu
NE Eides straight and the top segment OF
Circle The FIRST section Of this conduit with
cly capaclty q 100000 gallons Of water. is about
one nile II length. the fan in this distance being
only eight tnchsE Two miles below Hook Noun
tan there IA section 400 feet IN length, at Latte
fGls a stretch mile long, and near Singac an
other one 400 fest IN length
Alternating with this cement conduit is the steel
pipe which Is six feet IN diameter. with capacity
O. 100000 gallons a day. This is the present
amount OF the contract for water supply, and
when II is Increased the fun capacity. 100000
gallons daily an additional pipe line. with a
capacity o. 200oOJ0 gallons. must be laid. The
highest amount OF water pressure 70 the cubic inch
o. the steel pipe viii be 10 pounds. at the point
where II crosses under The HRekensack River
Tne pipe is eleyen-sixtee OF eIs. inch thick
There are three tunnels on the tine The first Is a
nile beyond tina dam. and Is thousand feet LONG.