The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-05
ENGINEER REPLIES TO CROKER
HIGH PRESSURE MAINS WILL DE
BUILT AS PLANNED.
Chiefs Objections Described ms Untenabls
and Trivial. and II Is state That when
the water Department Sought TO Com
suit Him He Declined 10 lie Consult ed.

Fire Chief Crokor's objections to the plans
for installing a high pressure water main
system In the business sections OF the city
for fire protection purposes will not delay
the work OF laying the mains. Bids for
the establishment Of the system, which
will cost about S., 800, 900, will be opened on
Wednesday by Commissioner Oakley OF the
Department Of Water Supply.
1t was learned yesterday that Chief
Cookers objections are entirely OF tech
nical character He finds fault with the
hydrants and nozzles it is proposed to use,
urges that tests should be made of tho
pumping system TO be adopted before
the contract is awarded, and insists that
the mains will not stand the pressure ex-
peoted from them
|. NJ. De Varona, chief engineer OF the
Water Supply Department in long report
to Commissioner Oakley, which was made
public Yesterday, replies in detail to the
objections OF Mr.. CT e4sr, which be says arc
untenable and trivial, and asserts that Mr..
Croker has apparently not understood tho
depi ment's plans.
Mr.. De varona states that in February
last, when he was anxious to obtain the
benefit OF any suggest ms Mr. Croker mi ght
have he sent Assistant Eng neer Ward to
consult with the fire chief says Mr.. De
Varona:
Mr.. Ward succeeded at last in finding
Mr.. Croker, but the latter positively and
enphatically expressed his disinclination
to have anything TO do with the matter
hastily glanced over not more than the first
ten lines of the letter, returned the letter
to Assistant Engineer Ward and dismissed
him in short time and with more than
scant courtesy. Mr., Ward by many years
Mr.. Cookers 81 Nor. and whose competence
and professional and personal standing
entitled him to much better treatment,
vainly endeavoNd TO bring the subject
matter Of the letter to MIR. Cookers atten-
ton. The latter granted him no hearing,
and on the subject OF using the freboats
for testing the hydrants, which Assistant
Engineer Ward "a a last resort tried to dis
clss, MIR. Croker stated that the fireboats
were not for the purposes Of test and CURLY
added that no agreement made with any
other employees Of the Fire Department
than him deserved consideration. The
letter unread by Mr. Croker, was returned
Croker 10 even read the letter addressed
10 him and 10 hear Assistant Engineer
Ward In explanation Of any points that
might not be clear to him, are due many Of
the errors Of fact and inference contained
In Mr. Croker's letter.
In closing his report Mr.. de Narona wrote:
After u year of conscientious and diligent
study Of the question. could hardly admit,
even ii Mr.. Cookers report did not show
the extreme clrelessaess with which il
has been prepared. that in the few days
that have transpired since my communi-
cation was referred to him he could make
the thorough and complete study that he
claims 10 have made OF our plans and be
prepared 10 pass upon and almost wholly
condemn the same. as well as TO substitute
a more advanta geOus one in pursuance
OF his own ideas | am firmly Of the opinion
that tho plans submitted to you for the
high pressure fire system in the Borough
OF Manhattan have been properly designed
In every particular and will yield the results
we q nect therefrom-