New-York tribune., 1905-04-12
u.n.rIv seems to impart, they might find en-
lIghtenment.
CPoTOy DAM.


-,..-,,,.4 tales about CrotOn Dam are
--4o-,ta4i,-oIv ronndiated 1t was foregone
oo,,oI,sioD that they would be. provided any one
t.1,+ - worth while to dignity them with any
eo.,o7,. attention. Why any one should ever
-. ,,,,on+ad such stuff and put 1t into clrcula'
49,, .. 6ificult to determine, unless IL was
tl.o,,ab curiosity to see how many people could
- lila into believing it. or through a mallg-
80 dosira 70 cause as much anxiety ana rear
a. -,oSsibla In either case, the result proDaDly
nrovod disappointing We have hearo Oh no
+bo,,obtfuI and informed persons giving tue
SLIGHTEST credence to either the carrier ot tHe
lsteA 'screamers," and we doubt II even une
,,aoa+ 4borobtIess and nervous of people have
lost any sleep over the case. mat tne vast plle
of masonry at Cornell could be washed away
or blown over was simply a preposterous no
+ion That any harm could come to the city
through the submergence Of the old dam was
sin1nIv imbecile-seeng that such suDmerSence
has from the outset been specifically INTENDED.
No the Croton Dam is secure. There can De
M reasonable question of that 1t is bearing no
more strain than it was intended to BEAR ana
fits margin of safety is enormous. AS Tor the
old dam. which has served the city so well for
so many years, it is now far below the surface
Of Croton Lake, and is likely to remain thefe'
Grateful as we are for its good work. ana oIten
as its sturdy lines and picturesque setting nave
been admired. it is to be hoped it will never
again he seen. save as the tabled round tower
is seen at the bottom of Lough Neagh. That the
new dam will prove as trustworthy as the old
we have all confidence The city has waited
long and weary time for it, and has paid far
too high price for it, but it has 1t at last ana
will get the good of it. Strange to say 1t is get
ting the good of it far sooner than it expected
The reckoning has been that a year or two
would be required to fill the new reservoir. A
few weeks have done the work. So much better
does nature serve us than we serve ourselves.
For, ungracious as it may seem to some to
say it, the city has not been we'll served IN this
matter, and if now it is rejoicing in the new,
supply Of water and in the integrity and Sc
curity Of the dam, 1t Is doing so not because OF
good management but in spite Of bad manage
ment The dam ought to have been finished
years ago instead Of not until this year, and 1t
would have been had it been dam across the
Nile, or in India or almost anywhere in the world
save in this most "easy," negligent and happy
go-lucky Of communities. 1t ought to have been
constructed and completed In such a way and
in such time as to have afforded not even the
slightest opportunity for even the most reckless
OF sensadonaliSts to raise doubt Of its stabil-
ity. AS piece of engineering construction it is
probably worthy to stand as model for the
world. AS an episode in municipal administra-
ton, the whole story Of it is to be regarded as
a horrible example" to be assiduously Stunned.
We notice that the Assembly yesterday passed
the Mayors water bill. That is well, and we
trust the measure will speedily reach complete
enactment Then we shall hope that under 1t
works as solid as the Croton Dam will be con-
structed, but that the manner of their construc-
ton will be Of a far different and more credit
able character.