New-York tribune., 1906-04-26
FOWLER BILL SIGNED.
BOARDS FIRST REPORT.
REPORT.
York on Cjty's Ne1C Water System
4drancing RGpdM.

Governor Higgins yesterday signed the Fow-
Ter Water bill. making the city Of New York
sponsbe for incidental damages to land owners
on the construction of the city's new water sys-
tenn Mayor Mcclellan says that the state COM
mission probably will consent TO the citys plan
to acquire additional water supply in the
CatskiIls but he does not expect any definite
action until after the adjournment of the Legis-
lature.
The Board of Water Supply. of which ]. Ed
ward Simmons is president, yesterday sent to
Mayor Mcclellan preliminary report outlining
the progress of the work This report says in
part
Whether or not the State Water Supply Com
mission grants the city's present request for the
C6tskilI Mountain sources il is imperative that
a large and competent engineering staff be fully
organized and ready TO begin construction on
the aQueduct and reservoirs now being surveyed.
or. in the state commissions report should
be unfavorable, to undertake Immediately the
necessary studies for a second application I'm
der the provisions of Chapter 124 the board has
full authority to proceed as it has with the
ganlzauon OF It's forces in advance of the de
cision of the state commission, and it believes
that any less vigorous prosecution of its work
would have been dereliCtion of duty
The staff comprises a total now on duty of
about ninety engineers assistant engineers de-
axemen and labOrers, thirty-dve auditors book
keepers. stenographers and clerks and twelve
gaugekeepers who have charge of rain and
watersheds
Many survey parties are busy along the lines
of the Catskill aqueduct and in the basin of the
great Ashokan Reservoir. to be constructed on
Esopus Creek, near Kingston. A force in the
New York office is engaged upon the designs
and upon procuring necessary equipment and
men.
Test borings with both wash drills and diamond
drills are In progress at many points for in
order TO drive tunnels and dig trenches for q
great aqueouct and TO build dams for the largest
water supply reservoir yet undertaken II is
quite as important 10 know about the rock and
earth beneath the surface as to have SURVEYS
made of the topography. The principsl points
of investigation are the site of the main dam
for the Ashokan Reservoir and the crossing Of
the Hudson River for the Catskin aqueduct
These Investigations being directed under
the advice or two Of the foremost expert aeolo-
gists Of the country. Many holes were sunk
into the bed Of the Hudson River by working
from lighter Several diamond drill holes have
been driven at the margin of the river to a depth
OF about 500 feet There is much difference i'm
the character OF the rock on the opposite sides
of the river and complete information must he
had In order 10 design and construct the crossing
safely and economically.
Many miles of aqueduct lines have baen sur
Veyed and mapped. Scores Of test borings have
been drilled. Many rain and stream gauges have
been established. laboratory for testing ma
terials is being equipped. Available sand gravel
stone and cement for building adueducts and
dams are being prospected and tested. Samples
OF sol are being collected from the bottom of
the Ashokan Reservoir and will be analyzed 10
determine the necessity for stripping the reser-
Yoir to remove organic matter in order 10 main
tain the excellent quality OF the water TO be
stored in it. Many temporary field offices al
convenient points have been leased, and designs
for the necessary permanent offices are being
studied Triangulation stations for the survey
of the reservoir site have been planted on the
tops of the surrounding mountains and good
progress has been made the survey Much
necessary information has been collected Field
and office methods have been systematfzed
While prosecuting its work with vigor the
Board of Water Supply has had the best uti-
mate economy constantly in View. Cp 10 April
l. 1906 of the Sl6O2.06O appropriated for its
work for the six months of 9O5 and the current
year the board had actually expended only
1929 27I. Unpaid liabilities actually incurred a re
only $4,000. besides which there is in force one
contract for test borings. under which no money
has yet been earned by the contractor owing
to delay caused by a taxpayers Injunction which
the court recently vacated. II is estimated that
the total expenditures under this contract will
not exceed $4,000.