New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-02-04
4 CRISIS IN WAPER

NewYorks water supply interests are near
ing a crisis. We do not mean that a water
famine is impending this year. or next We do
mean that, through the establishment of some
vicious precedents, against which we protested
at the time, this city is in imminent danger of
being excluded from its natural sources of sup
ply, and Of being so hampered and delayed in
the work of water supply extension TO incur
grave danger of disastrous scarcity in the not
distant future. The Smith bill, of last year, for
the protection Of Duchess County has been
followed, as We then feared and fOreboded, by
other measures barring this city from other
counties, until there is now a menace that in
few weeks il will be excluded from every
source save those whose remOteness and gen.
eral unftness should really rule them out of
consideration.
Nor is there much promise of relief in, nor
will there he much popular enthusiasm or
gratitude over, the announcement that at last
the foodgates of the new Crot0n dam have
been closed and the accumulation of water in
the new reservoir has begun. No thanks are
due TO the officials in charge of the work for
that achievement. 1t ought to have been done
years ago. To-day the dam should be entirely
finished and the reservoir should be full of
water instead of the being yet year or
two from completion and the other as long a
time from filling. Rather will there, or should
Mayor in his efforts to prod the Aqueduct Com
mission into proper activity for the completion
Of the undertakings which it has so long had in
charge and which it has so ineXcusably delayed
and msmanaged.
Let US recall a few facts and dates 1t was
away back in 1875. under Commissioner Porter
that the need of extension of the Croton works
was first urged. The legislature acted and sur
veys We're made, but nothing more was done
T1so he of
siOner Campbell TO renew the opportunities, but
again nothing practical was done. Finally. after
the dry seasons of 1880 and 1881, Mr. Newton
the chief engineer of the Croton Aqueduct made
q report TO Commissioner Thompson, in April
1881: the Legislature acted again. public meet
ingS were held and committees of citizens were
appointed, and at last, August s, 1888 the
present Aqueduct Commission was organized
1T was not until January, 1885, that the new
aqueduct was begun, and not until June, 1891
that IT was completed. 1t was on August 90
1892, that the contract was made for the new
Croton dam, and on September 20 following
work on it was begun. 1t was estimated that
the dam would be finished in ten years at most
an exceedingly liberal allowance OF time-and
would cost S5,025,0o0. 1t is nowhere near fin
lshed yet. and ii has thus far cost we are in
formed something like 100000
There is, we think, no Injustice In saving that
having let this most essential work drag for
years beyond the time set for its completion
and having let ii cost millions of dollars more
than the allotted price, the Aqueduct Commits
sion as whole is entitled to little credit or
thanks 1t ought to have given us the finished
work years ago. at millions of dollars less cost
II ought, moreover, TO have done this with en-
treiy good feelings between this CITY ana its
northern suburbs, instead of the bitter ontag
onism and distrust which now prevail and
elsewhere
make Ii more difficult for this city TO GET tho
further supply OF water which it needs To
turn, however, TO the more practical present
considerations, the outline of aqueduct and dam
history which we have here presented should
we think, convince every thoughtful man of
two things. One is that not day should be
wasted in getting move on" for extension of