New-York tribune., 1907-06-21

outlined the history of the water supply board
since its formation two years ago. he conpdIeu
tie work In hand with the pyramids or Egypt
and the aGueducts of Rome. The water supply
construction he said. was far greater in every
way than anything the past could show he de,
scribed the problem of water supply as Nl'dl
10 the life OF the city, and said that future gen
e-ations might well appreciate the work that
about 20 be begun
MAYOR MCCLELLAN Is CHEERED.
4. ba rssorrad N the efforts of the Mayor.
"Tohnny'' oliver and a few others cheered, but
S5r Simmons went on TO pay his respects to all
those connected with the work. Mayor McClei-
ian then arose. and was cheeTed three times
Then Johnny called for tiger. the Mayor
srniled and started his speech. He SAID that
-rben he took Office in January. 1904 he found
7I,e civ in danger of water famine. Contln-
ming he said in part:
NJ sdn,inistration found il necessary do three
-hinxs before new water supply system could be
sc,nellz undertaken. First II necessary to
1,rovidc an additional borrowing capacity to meet
the expenses Of the undertaking. by means or a
constitutional amendment which had passed the
legislature but had not been submitted to the peo-
ME second Il was necessary TO enact legislation
so IS to make the powers of the local authorities
certain And third. and most important. II was
necessary TO public opinion so tnat the frst
two obstacles could be removed When pupnc
cDinion was once aroused. the rest was easy. DO
beAve that IN would have been possible for me to
have accomplished anything but for the constant
and unswerving loyalty and help or those anout
me especially Of my office staff, of the present
Water Commissioner Of the force Of the Corpora
ton Counsers office and Of the then chief engineer
Of the aaueduct board. Nor could we have aroused
public opinion without the help of the public
enirtted civic ORGANIZATIONS first and foremost
among which was the Manufacturers Association
Of Brooklyn. under the nsistent. consistent and
persistent direction Of our commissioner, MI Cnad-
wick.
Public spirit aroused, the constitution amended
and the necessary legislation enacted. was fortu-
nate enough to obtain the services OF .ne present I
commission. As has been told you. because Of
pledee / had given. my selection was limited To
nine names. submitted by the Chamber Of Com
rnerce the Board Of Fire Underwriters and me
Manufacturers Association. But. had my choice
been unlimited. could not have done better than
did in obtaining Mr Simmons. MIR Shaw and MT
Chadwick
Commissioner Chadwick next arose. and with
a brief speech presented to Mr.. Mcclellan a
silver and steel spade with which 10 break the
soil The Mayor advanced 10 a small square
OF land that had been roped off. and with the
three members of the Board of Water Supply
standing about him, cut out a small piece of
turf. AS he lifted il out he turned and said to
the spectators:
of the city of New YorB do declare this work
begun"
SILVER SPADE GIVEN TO MAYOR.
The spade was then given 10 the Mayor by
the board a souvenir of the occasion. It is
half the size of regular tool, with its blade Of
steel inlaid with silver and etched with in
scription The handle is of mahogany. and the
grip is q model of cross section of the aque-
duct.
After the benediction the crowd returned to
the boat, while the Mayor with Mrs. Mcclellan.
went by automobile to the home of Stuyvesant
Fish. Before the Albany started for New York
II was taken up the river far as the dredges
between Storm King and Breakneck Mountain.
where could be seen those that have al
ready dug TO a depth of eight hundred feet in
attempt TO strike bedrock. so that the in
verted sphon may be cut Most of the crowd
had heard much about engineering on the
trip that they cheered while the glee club sang:
We've been working the
Nanly searching the bottom
Only found II at the shore
But stil keep a-drilng
And we'll find II spring
Then you'u there's something doing
Up at Old Storm King