New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-28
BIG ASHOKAN BASIN
SLOWLY FILLING UP
About Three Square Miles A.
ready Under Water, and
Area Is Daily Increasing.
DAM FAR FROM COMPLETED
None of the Water Now I'M
pounded Can Be Sent to New
York, as 1t Will Be
Contaminated.
I BY Telegraph to The Tribune

lBy Telegraph to The Tribunel
Kingston, y. Y. Sept 27.-The great
Ashokan Dam q the New York City
water supply system at Ashokan. Ulster
County, has burst the bounds of the
Esopus Gorge and is slowly OVERLOOKING
the great basin. Bishop Falls. one of the
most picturesque cataracts In New YORK
State. has been submerged and blotted
out forever.
The average rise OF the waters has
been about FIVE feet day since the great
gate in the dam was closed. This has
run from about fifteen feet for the frst
day until the rise has diminished 10 about
three feet or less a day The rise VIII
diminish daily 10 few inches. as the
overflow is beginning TO cover the nat
ground in the basin and each day Will
spread over wider areas and be more and
more subject TO evaporation. About three
square miles OF the area OF the great
basin arc now under water. It is be
lieved that the rise OF the waters VIII De
I checked when It reaches one hundred
feet.
A few small seepage leaks have been
discovered, but as they occur In all new
dams and gradually close up as the ma
terlal OF which the dam Is built absorbs
the water they have caused no alarm.
The escape OF water through these leaks
is less than per cent OF the water pour
ing into the dam and is diminishing daily.
Much work remains 10 be done on the
dam The great wings or side bikes OF
the dam have not been completed as Tar
as the earth and rip-rap backing Is con-
cerned. These must be finished before the
water can be raised to the spillway OF the
main dam. when the water VIII be over
two hundred feet In depth. The water II
deeper behind the dam now than IL ever
was in INV reservoir ever owned by New
York City.
Must Be Drawn OF.
The water now being gathered behind
the great dam viii not be sent to New
York. but will be used in the washing
out process. being allowed 10 stand long
enough TO saturate thoroughly the swamp
seepage and the hurtful deposits OF the
great basin. and then II VIII be drawn OH
into Esopus Creek through what is known
as the west channel When the deforest-
ing is completed the basin VIII contain
thousands OF wagonloads Of wood ashes,
which will be transformed into I've by the
Joachim, " the waters. and this must be
got rid OF before any water Is used Dy
No,r york CITY for drinking purposes.
Work OF burning the trees and brush In
the great basin on the eastern end OF the
basin from Browns Station to west HUT
lev is going on night and day. and AT
night the country Is Illuminated by nun
dreds of fires. Scattered here and there
orc farm houses which will have the
torch applied TO them. and soon there WI"
he no evidence left that this great VaIIey
had ever been inhabited.
Tvnhoid fever has appeared In the VII
loo. ~, Olive where the Ashokan station
&c located but II has been ascribed TO
contaminated milk. and is not serious
The village has no connection win the
reservoir. There have been several ieVer
coses I'm Kingston. and II Is likely that
,bev came from similar causes. 30 Tar
there have been no known deaths from
the fever. The county and city boards
of health have the matter well IN manu.
and the cold weather will. no doubt soon
stamp out the typhoid
Crock Now a Sink Hole.
Esopus Creek. from the dam al
Browns Station TO where the Plattekih
Creek empties into II at Glenerie. Is only
d ,rickling brook. There Is no water
Aowinp through II for miles. Wherever
,bere is a natural dam or rock rift tho
water has backed up and filled depres-
sions and holes The fish with when
the creek abounded have taken refuBe
in these holes. which are gradually dry
ing up or becoming contaminated with
seware. and along at least fifteen miles
NJ the creek the fish are drying.
From Kingston TO Glenerie the creek
60 becoming a sink hole with the sewage
from Kingston. as the city or Nc"
York. which built the great Washington
avenue trunk sewer in Kingston 10 carry
the sewage formerly dumped into the
Esopus. has not provided yet for its
discharge into the Rondout. and few or
IN. ward sewers have yet been connected
with the new sewer.
Ia the water reservation there will be
much land that will not be overfiowed.
In some places this will reach LOCO feet
| from the shores Of the lake. This land
| e. not being deforested. but will be cleared
OF underbrush. New trees will be planted
and the land will be turned into parks
bordered by the great forty-mile boule-
| ward TO be built entirely around the great
reservoir and across the head OF the
great dam.
II is calculated that the actual work OF
filing the great basin will take at least
one year. as water will be drawn OF
several times to sweeten and purify the
4 ba