New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-21
Pollution of Croton Reservoir
Feared by Health Commits
Si0ner Porter.
BROOKS NEAR SITE MENACE
Protests Against Westchester's
tuberculosis Sanatorium
at Yorktown Avail
in Albany.
rBy Telegraph to The Tribune. !

Albany. Nov D.--Dr. Eugene II. Por-
| ter. State Health Commissioner. to-day
denied the application of the Westches-
ter County Board of Supervisors, TO es-
tablish a hospital for the treatment OF
| tuberculosis in the town Of Yorktown, be-
cause of the danger of polluting the New
York City water supply. The site for
the proposed hospital Is i,90 feet from
the Croton reservoir, and through the
property flow two streams, running into
the reservoir, one $50 feet from the pro-
posed hospital site and the other $50
feet.
Dr. Porter. in his opinion, said that the
most serious objection to the proposed
site Is the danger OF pollution TO the New
York City water supply, which Is drawn
from the Croton reservoir, but he did not
deem of much weight the contention that
the proposed hospital would damage prop
erty values. Continuing, the Health Com
missioner stated:
II Is proposed TO locate this hospital on
farm OF 81 acres through which now
two brooks emptying In the Croton reser-
voir According to the testimony OF the
engineer for the Department of Water
Supply, Gas and Electricity OF the Guy
Of New York. the water from the aque-
duct now being constructed by the city
from the Catskill region will first be in
PRODUCED into the Croton reservoir. When
II is realized that the great population OF
New York City are dependent upon this
supply for potable water, the RESPONSE
blity involved In passing upon this appll
cation appears TO be Of the utmost I'm
pOrtance.
The evidence on the part OF the petit
TONERS, given by prominent engineers and
experts. is to the effect that the sewage
from this institution can be treated by
means OF a sewage disposal plant or
otherwise, so as to be innocuous and to
prevent any danger OF pollution to the
water supply OF the city.
The evidence of the experts for the
city and the engineers in charge OF the
work Of preventing the pollution OF the
present supply Is 10 the effect that II is
not possible to entirely prevent such pollu-
tion and safeguard the water supply. and
that such a sewage disposal plant would
not AT all times he efficient In operation.
and that there would he danger OF pollu-
ton of the water supply. and their testi-
mony as to the experience OF the city
with other plants on the watershed would
seem TO confirm this view.
In view OF the possibilities OF danger,
We must proceed with great caution. and
I'm face Of the serious protests OF those
charged with the protection of the water
supply 81 the City Of New York from con
tamiuation. ! cannot accept the respon-
sibility OF granting my approval OF this
site
Protests against the location Of the hos
rital I'm Yorktown were made by the Mer-
chants Association OF New York City,
the Board OF Water Supply OF the city
and various other organizations. while
the Site was favored by Homer Folks.
secretary OF the State Charities Aid As
ISOLATION. and DR.. Thomas s. Caring
ton. assistant secretary Of the National
Association for the Study and Prevention
u tuberculosis and others.
Commissioner Porter approved an APP
plication OF the Board OF Supervisors Of
Saratoga County for permission to es-
tabllsh tuberculosis hospital in the
town Of Providence. The application was
opposed by the State Charities Aid As
ISOLATION on the ground that the proposed
site was inaccessible.