New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-29
PART ii.
TEN PAGES.
POLLUTING NETWORKS DRINKING WATER.
14BORERS CAMPS THAT DRAIN INTO THE CROTON-
CONDITIONS RESEMBLE ITH4C1fS And BUTLERS

.-,s N be some reason Cor appre-
80 that. because Of Iaxiry bordering on the
-. Nev-York city is threatened by such
60, Of typhoid fever as oepOpulsted
- PEN. a short time ago. or one like that
-, recently ravaged Ithaca. ~ Y. Those
-. s-,.er.Rin these fears point 20 the eoncition
:, .4slrs existing IN the city's new wafer sup
= hsuin now being constructed az the juno
- -. ~ C,-,ton River with Cross River, one OF
-srcnal tributaries This work, which COW
=, many square miles q territory lies near the
s.--,s or Bedford and Katonah. n y
-. ,,7- hundred italian laborers ere en-
-,,ve5 or the work, ane Tribune reporter ana
p..og-orb.r. who visited their camps last
- saw many things calculated TO make him
- N drink less Croton water than ever.
= s.-,oz-q-.s that the dust covered. cirt be-
- son Of italy may doff his garments ana
-, a, either Ire Croton or Cross River as
- -leeses him. or Z a bath OF the entire
- i AGAINST bis principles the shallow
-.o-s NJ 5i.zer stream are admirably suited
g. a basty hand or foot bath
u. ,re, found TIA; the Croton makes a good
- f7r me Italian camp cook 70 rinse his
- or wash his dirty Jars, and the Cross
D,.- makes tho best kind Of 4 stream il which
70 ua-er horse
Tn -~.vr-s OF nc many dump carts On the
mol .5a -r- s-or ~ lie N--e-li1e- They scorn
nss.. and drive horse and cart right into the
80 " course. the water goes down into the
,,-5-s~ an into CroIon Lake and then into New
Vol CIV mains. People drinking II may be
-afs- sick and die from typhoid fever hut what
~ If -r7 boss don't care" The fact that there
IS a regular vaterinE trough for horses or
little iii shaded by trees short distance away
makes no difference 20 these drivers. and y
certainly doesn't 20 The horses
As WAS he case az Batter. Penn. and again
~ ithaca. X r. t5a principal quarters Of The
alan EMPLOYS are un The steep banks % the
basin they are preparing tar storage % New
York C!ty's water TIE principal camp IS on e
hillside short distance back from the Croton.
Am .ar-D refuse is thrown a- The hillside either
below CT aboJs- The camp. and each rain washes
II down into The C-o-0n Back - the camp
IS stable. and beside ir. reaching almost 10
the root. Is a big pile Of manure Some dis
tance above this camp on bll1. almost d.
rec,ly above the Crotoa River. IS a big tent
stable Drainage from This also flows into
the river below.
Many % the Italians Oh The work Go not
Ike in The main camp. hut occupy huts q
their own construction. scattered here and there
about the basin and its outskirts. What crimes
eraiusr cleanliness and public health are com
rrfrr@s in these cases can easily be agiaed-
This situation is Ell the more exasperating
when II is remembered 20 what expense the city
went q few years ago 10 prevent The pollution
Of cross River the Cro-on's tributary. Indeed.
the main reason for con5euning and removing
The town Of Katonah was given IS the fear that
the presence OF any community so near the
Cross River would oontagnina-e this ciry's water
supply.
TIE fears OF the medical men q the city that
Nsw-Torkers may suffer in health as I result
a. these conditions was expressed TIE other day
IN a medical journal in this language: The ty-
rhaid fever epidemic an Ithaca was attributed 10
JEST such an enCaupuert on a stream from
which the city received rs water supply. II
present conditions continue the water supply OF
New-York uiI be seriously. and even danger
oUsy, contaminated"
IT'S an outrageous state u affairs" declared
one physician. and il must be done away with.
IN The mean zine boil your Croton water"