New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-11
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
WATER SUPPLY FROM GREAT LAKES
Where the City Should Look for a Perma-
nent Source

Ia the Editor OF The Tribune.
sir. The outcry In certain quarters because Of
.,e massage OF The bin protecting Dutchess County
arsinst invasion ostensbly for water supply pur-
poses. but really fer ring speculation. may vel
te dropped
Greater New-TorIK viii need water but should
not seek the added supply by appropriating the
drainage OF rural barnyards covet the streams
reesed by the localities IN which they arise Those
-egtons ere constantly decreasing In population
,rSioh fact should adrnouish US that temporary
aid At great for procuring therein would
soon be Een6ers6 useless by tnevitsbls contamina-
don
TIE z1taI question now ana for some time TO
come for this borough and, In fact. all OF Greater
Neyg-Eork is how TO obtain q permanent supply
Of pure wRten The came question 10 Of more or
less Importance 10 all the cities OF the State
with the rapidly Increasing population greater
supply becomes necessary, while contiguous water
sheds become lessened IN area and their surfaces
impaired by unhealthful encroachments, until they
are rendered unsafe TO draw supply from Vast
sums OF money are constantly expended IN at
terlpts 10 obtain wholesome water 70 meet the in
creasing consumption, when after al the efforts
and expense dire failure IS result at no
very Distant time We wasting time and
money n attempting TO DO the Impossible TEN
2oEary relief be had from tine TO time. but In
the END we shall squander more money for made
cuate supply and useless experiment than the
adoption az once OF practical and surely efficient
course VIII have 70 be adopted. and all the former
expenditure go 70 waste. with the exception per-
haps o. the present reservoirs and pipes
TIE Great Creator has furnished vast lakes q
chain OF them. flowing eastward from Lake Su-
perior 10 the St Lawrence River, with the sweet
est purest water on the face Of the globe, an un-
limited supply that FOR al time viii be inexhausti-
bic
Either Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. could be drawn
upon for SUPPLYING the entire State of NewIYork.
The geological trend OF the land from either lake
Is toward the sea- and water could be easily
Ing skill would sUrmount all intervening Difficult
ties OF grades, and We could have the water prob
lem forever settled.
Al first glance this proposition may seem bold
Undertaking Tor the State OF New-hork OF to-day
than the Erie Canal at the time OF its con-
Etrgcton by the then much smaller State OF New
York, IL population and wealth.
Following generally the line OF the New ork
lake 70 this city, supplying al cities and towns
en route, while each place supplied could pay
and, and even nearby New-Jersey cities could be
supplied by pipes under the rivers, If necessary,
e-ssct Ts,er eroy, TsrTay SSevry1o-I1 ts+s 10,
ION 42eA :. ~ ~ sS1ue Illlel
very valuable consideration and become part OF
Il would take some years 20 consummats the
Undertaking above outlined and In the present
moment we must adopt feasible method 10 pro-
vide against water faTnines by such means as are
readily at command. Large standpipes should be
the East and North rivers. into which salt water
should be pumped constantly, with pipes from
throughout the city. more especially close IN the
crygOods district and other sections where extern
OF these pipes would give an abundant force Of
Waler llI eIIti6elties- re MIGRANTS suppl
ing cutters and sewers daily, thus adding 20 the
cleanliness and healthfulness Of our city. Grad
ually cur cluzens could nave satt water supplied
n pipes for bathroom and sanitary uses. Thus
water now wasted and as there would be no fear OF
g salt water famine, citizens might use salt water