New-York tribune., 1903-04-26

Until recently there has been no sanitary
na-rol Of the watersheds from which the supply
for Manhattan and The Bronx is drawn. and the
meteorological examinations Of samples taken
from the various sources of supply have been
made al the Mount Prospect laboratory in
Frooklyn the water being expressed TO that
rojn1 for the purpose Besides there have never
bee1 sr-y sanitary maps Of the watersheds
showing the possible sources of pollution and in
6icatine those which a proper consideration OF
she health Of the city requires inspection OF at
stated intervals. No records have been kept OF
ruissnces known TO exist or Of the measures
taken for their abatement.
Commissioner Robert Cirier Monroe. when he
tsg7u the reorganization OF the Department Of
Wafer supply at the beginning of this year, un-
derrook 10 provide for these palpable deficien-
lies He is having constructed at katonah a
laboratory for the analysis Of water taken from
the various streams and ponds in the Croton
Valley. This laboratory is almost finished and
viii soon be in use
Assistant Engineer T X. Belts has opened
readouarters at katonah for force of four
sanitary inspectors who viii thoroughly patrol
The watershed and report for record and for
s-tion. If necessary, the existence Of any nui-
ssnces These reports viii be carefully noted
and maps made by Mr.. Belts and his assistants
win facilitate the abatement Of the nuisances-
. -re~faI study of the effect on the stored sup
rIy Of aquatic vegetation viii also be made
Tn the Brooklyn supply. where the ponds have
l,een patroIed for several years, the analysis OF
samples has always been conducted at the
Mount Prospect laboratory.
The efficiency of the present administration in
dealing with water supply problems is, perhaps.
most apparert in the determination 10 clear OF
--1issnoes At the earliest possible moment the
.ra,e-sbed Of the Wampus River. which has
r.eeu contributing water to the kensIco reser-
,c57- for about nine years This riddtng of the
,.a.ersbed Of ru:sances will involve an e1pen-
d5ture Of from S1.oo00o0 TO Sl.5eaodo
More than fifteen years ago the city of New
York began the construction OF ii dam across
tbe zEanpus River. in Westchester County
near the Connecticut boundary The manu-
facturers along the Ryram River, IN Connect-
ut into which thc WamDus flowed. secured an
ir5uuctjon against the city. and the work was
delayed III November. 1891. this injunction
was dissolved. and the work was resumed. The
dam and tunnel under the hill to convey its
r., aters 10 the conduit in the valley Of the
S-,rlx- and thence 10 kensico Lake. the storage
.-za---o5r were completed about 1894. and since
then the water from the Wampus has mingled
with that Of the upper Bronx in the Harlem
sguaducr and has been served to the people Of
Bronx Borough. The city had appropriated
money however. for various purposes, until
tho debt limit was reached. and nothing was
available to clear the watershed Of the Wampus
r. various buildings. burial grounds and other
rss-7,res Of the valley which menace the health
y the portions of the city TO which this water
is sent
y-itF7i,, = few rods OF the stream in many
cases. and within a few feet in others. are barns
and barnyards. hotels poultry yards and
yl77,rcEvards In the village OF Armonk, hard
f,- The river. is an old ehurchyard where
f- sixty years most Of the dead OF the
scfuitv have been buried. There have been
several hnrials there within the last year,
and there is as yet nothing to prevent others
n The future. This cemetery is situated
IN ground beneath which flowed formerly the
waters Of half a dozen copious springs that
t-7rtied directly into the river These springs
were filed with earth within the last Few years
ls .he old coIored sexton. who died a year ago
and is himself buried within forty feet OF the
bank lut It is asserted that their waters still
if-e from The gravel beneath the river bed
The HfIIsdrs and the slope at their foot are Gov
erc5 with the houses OF the village. which is
o.. ~ the oldest in Westchester and abounds
ia -e-spools and surface drains,
The stakes Tor the original survey Of zone
along the Wampus and its tributaries for the
purpose of abolshing nuisances had rotted away
when money for carrying the plan into execu-
ton lately became available. The people, Chief
T. rarmers. whose lands are within this zone
had almost forgotten the old survey when ne"
surveying party came along They ran the line
closer 10 the stream than the original surveyors
lad laid H. Then the valley farmers and VII
layers were told that it was time to move
Notiee was formally given that an application
ff- -oa,,,,.atic,, Of their holdings was pending
in the courts. and that they must give up their
homes Later they heard that commission had
been .rreipted TO .sppraise their buildings and
lands The commissioners, Maurice Dillon. OF
Port Chester: NJ J. Tierney, Of New-Rochelle'