New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-25
WATER SUPPLY PROBLEM.
Frank Moss Urges Solution Without
Going to the CatskiUs.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: think the grounds of opposition IN the
plan for getting new supply OF water from the
Catsktlls are not understood This IL 40 large and
important a matter that feel at liberty TO ask
for a little space 10 state them.
The plan is awfully expensive II cannot cost
less than s200Ooo0Oo
The delay will be great. for the engineering and
constructing problems are very serious
The supply obtainable from the Catskiils In com
parauvely small. and IL the city becomes COM
mitted to that plan 1t cannot afford to get the
Adirondack supply. which may be developed TO the
extent Of thousand million gallons a day 1t is
not generally known that IN 1900 Engineer Frse-
man gave detailed estimate to the Controller for
supply from the Adirondacks equal TO 100
Vo"o gallons day at a cost OF 100000.
Allowing for the increased cost of material II
would seem that even now Adirondack supply
would cost less than Catskll supply because
there is no Hudson River TO cross) and the posi-
oiities OF supply would be almost limitless Other
cities could be allowed to participate in It on
proper terms
The report Of Mr.. Freeman and the other engi-
neers of the City Water Board in favor of the
Catskil plan is based upon the assumption that
the city is determined to go outside OF the Croton
watershed and that IT cannot take water from
Duchess and Suffolk counties because of certain
acts Of the legislature. But there reason to be-
leve that those laws unconstitutional and
there is good reason TO believe also that they can
be repealed We do not know of any earnest effort
being made by the city authorities repeal
laws or for testing their constitutionaIity.
We know from the report OF Mr. Freeman that
the watersheds north Of the Croton watershed and
partly in Duchess County would supply 100000
gallons q day
We know also from his report that there could
be obtained from the Ten Mile River and East
Branch still further north and east 10000
600 gallons a day, and that by drawing on the
upper Housatonic, within New-York State. that
amount could be increased to 75O.OO0O0O gall
Ions. which could be obtained for an outlay
OF SHWo,oe. and could all be delivered through
our Croton system. To secure this last men,
toned supply, there would have to be soma
negotiations with the State of Connecticut because
these waters now run partly into that State. but 1t
has been we'll understood that the authorities of
that stats are willing TO negotiate and would not
demand excessive compensation.
The Catskill plan. immensely expensive, involving
great delay and OF limited value, presents the
greatest opportunities for profitable contracts The
delay and detail Of trying TO get into Duchess
County or OF negotiating with Connecticut are not
to be compared with the delays necessarily In
volved IN going into the Catskills
And there is present need for this hurried
committal TO dubious a scheme.
The present Croton water supply IL properly con-
served. will supply bountifuly for many years
to come
The reports of the Water Department FOR the
last fifteen years show that while 77OO1OOOoO gal
Ions a year have been delivered into the city, ST.
In other words. more than one-haIf OF the natural
supply of our Croton system was not used.
put In use. Will catch all this waste. and there
fore our argument In opposition Is fiat and foOlish
How blind we must be II We cannot see that if the
new Cornell dam will soon catch and store that
double the water supply of the city
hope this claim may be true. though I doubt It.
Tor the Cornell reservoir will hold than
Of saS@s SRS ga iRns ER will IN n6t al
long before the Cornell dam is splitting. II that be
catch the entire flow and pipe lines enough to bring
1t all to the city.
The Tribune has already shown its knowledge Of
Mr. Freeman reported to Mr. Coer his expert;
Park. from which he coSScdsd tbat sxtvefaSt
gallons day for each resident and nonresident
Manhattan.
His evidence is in line with that heretofore given
Py esn S4nner' H5eneraI GoiS; colonel Warng.
age may be located easily by the Deacon system
is done it viii be found that Without essening the
real use of water the actual consumption will be
reuGeG 70 the ngyres Preyang IN other cities
etc, which is less than one-half OF New-York's
@ use ana wasfags within the city limits
ing more than one-haf OF it's water at the dam,
and fully one-half OF the remainder in the streets
The stopping of leaks IN the city will double the
amount OF aTailabIe water under the old condi-
to be built will then double the available water
supply at the fountain head. These measures would
dispose OF every ground for a scare. and would
enable the city TO take proper measures looking
into the far future either for getting rid of bad
tiatng with Connecticut. or for entering the Adj
rondack region. or even for using the Hudson
TO commit ourselves now, for two generations 10
the most expensive and time consuming plan IN
sight for moderate volume of water.
New-York. Feb, "a 1906.