New-York tribune., 1907-08-29
CROTON WATER
TO FILL BIG RESERTOIR.
DR.. Darlington Thinks Conditions
at Watershed 4re Good.

The great Croton reservoir, with a capacity
of - 27oDOGOOOOO gallons of water will soon be
full to the brim. At present 1t has only lloIV-
100000 gallons. and last June. when as fuii as
it has ever been. the quantity was 2o,S4ooooV-
This filling process is now under way ana VIII
be put in full force as the result OF WISH vi
inspection made by Dr. Thomas Darlington the
Health Commissioner, yesterday Dr- baIllHS
ton went over the watershed and visited each
reservoir TO determine whether from q heai'h
point of view It would be safe 10 deplete the
other storage places to make the great Croton do
its complete measure OF work. He decided that
it would be safe, and the impounding or the
father of all the water containers Will be the
order of the day.
The Department Of Water. Gas and Electri-
city has been intending to do this for some time
| 1t was begun in a small way several days ago
but when the Health Commissioner confers with
the Water Commissioner the flood gates OF 'he
upper watershed reservoirs will be opened Chief
Engineer De Varona made an inspection week
ago His report was favorable. He. toe. saw
the danger Of permitting the Croton container
to remain in such depleted state ana opeheu
the gates of the Amawalk reservoir to begin the
filling process. DR.. Darlington also visited heh-
sico but only whether the shores were
stagnating. The danger to the city hfe->ff i'oS
in the filling of reservoirs after they nave beeh
depleted for long time. The shores ex-
tended. are likely to be covered with scam.
yeoa+ation will rot in the sum- and. when flushed.
tho accumulation of germs be swept into the
city's water supply.
RESERVOIR DOWN THREE FEET.
The hills that surround Kensico are abrupt IN
places but In the main slope gently 10 the
waters edge. The reservoir was down about
three feet but the exposed shore was clean
free from decaying vegetation or scum FROM
Kensco the inspection OF the watershed was
begun Muscoot reservoir, really a part or the
Croton, divided by the great dam west OF ha-
,onah was brimful and running over. The
gates we're closed there about six weeks ago.
that the fats at katonah might be Hooded Inc
result is that where Cross River and hatohah
Brook used to murmur over glistening pepbies
and powders of stone, there is now proad
reach of water from to ten feet deep right
up to Cross River dam. The dam is all nearly
compIeted The great blocks of concrete are
all in place. and men are engaged in pointing
the face of the wall The ends will soon
p. finished and 1t Is expected that in September
the great basin will be ready for its water sup
DIV This will be opportune time, as the
solsticial rains will swell the streams and MI
the reservoir, thus adding a vast quantity or
water to the citys available supply.
Titicus which draws part of its water from
Connecticut was down two and one-half feet'
having In storage about GOO thousand millions
of gallons. There were no stagnant mats. Inc
East Branch and Bog Brook were down eight
feet and there were stretches OF lowland COW
cred with scum. These reservoirs contain at
,resent 300 100000 gallons. The West Branch
was down four feet. with S,7~,O0OW gallons
There was little stagnation On the uncovered
flats and the same was true of Boyds Corner
which has . 27OO,OOO.OOO gallons Amawalk had
some stagnaton in one corner. but not enough
N he a menace should 1t be filled. II was down
six feet. but had fully 5.60O,0O0O0o gallons.
Middle Branch was down two and one-half feet.
with 2 600 thousand millions of gallons.
CROTON CONDITIONS BAD.
II wa. at croton that the conditions were not
desirable There many acres OF mats green
with scum stagnating in the sun. The doctor
,s +bo+ these flats could not be covered too
o, The reservoir supply is down twenty-five
ct ,p5 whereas it contained 25.S54. 100000 gal
Ions about June 15 it has now only ll'5lZooo'ooo'
or loss than half. In June the water was only
five and one-half feet below the spiilway' a dit-
ference of nearly twenty feet This is the CON
tanning reservoir from which the citys supply Is
drawn When full 1t will hold 100000 gal
Ions of water
The water In all the reservoirs was clear
There was surface stagnauon' even d' 'ho
chores They looked like great lakes, ana re-
facted the hills with the clarity OF an Adiron-
dack body Of water. The streams including the
,-roton River were clear as crystal and hur-
ried in their usual businesslike way TO the large
or,ai,ers There were evidences of drouth
r,antv but in the main the fields were green
ard tha trees had none OF the sere ana yellow
about them 1t different week ago "hen
,,b;.f Engineer De varona visited the watershed
,rha, the landscape chrome yellow In gen
:, esect Trees seemed to be ready TO shed
.ho,r leaves and the grass had the late OCTOBER
aarance 1t was the heavy rain OF last sat
,,rdav that wrought the change
Dr Darlington and Mr. De Varona both said
.,r. was no danger of a water famine.
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