New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-30
Permanent Structures Unlm-
paired and Reports OF Loss OF
S5O.OOO.000 UnWarranted,
Says State Engineer.
THIRST AFFLICTS ALBANY
Water Supply Black with Muck
and Saloons and Soda Water
Fountains Are Doing a
Rushing Business
Gov. Sulzer Acts.
3, relesraph b ~ rrbune.

Albany. March 19--Whcn asked
about the report that the flood add
caused Il loss of S10.OOp.000 10 tho
barge canal. state Engineer Bensel
said to-day that the promulgatorS "t
such news have absolutely no facts.
and that while he is still unable To give
an accurate estimate az the damage h2
did not believe it would he much in en-
cess of what usually occurs in the
spring freshcls every year,
"In fact" he said. lit is with SOM
qualification that the news is received
from various sections of the state,
showing the stability of the structures
which tho state has created along Tn"
barge canal and tic manner in which
they have weathcrcd thc unprcccdcnt-
cd high water in The last few days.
From all of the information whicI
can be derived at present it may hc
stated positively that no contractor
has been ruined: that no permanent
work of The barge canal has been lam
aged to any extent: that all lock walls,
bridges dams and other permaner,
structures are i'm as good condition u
. day as they were before the flood
Mohawk the Highest Ever.
Speaking Of the information he had
received concerning the food conditions
on the canal the state Engineer said:
along the Mohawk River records
show tina, the food has reached maxi
mum stage of about TWO and Il half
feet above any previously recorded Gle
walton. vt this section of the work the
river is still too high TO make il pos
sibie TO estimate the damage which
may have been done TO the old canal
banks.
AT Albany the water rose 10 an ele-
walton Of two feet above the highest
record. that of 1851.
Along the Oswego River the food
did not reach the record of the 1910
flood
THE highway bridge at Amsterdam
and another one at Herkimer have gone
down. and the railroad bridge recently
built to cross the canal in the vicinity
Of Fort Edward is damaged, but prob
ably will be saved.
I'm the vicinity Of Palmyra the bank
of the new barge canal has suffered
some damage. An accurate estimate OF
the cost 10 repair or renew it is not
possible at present
This city is suffering from a drinking
water famine as a result OF tho river
rising above tho top Of the filtration
plant banks. The water supply is black
with muck and while it began To I'M
prove this mornine after the flood had
receded. it will be three or four days
before it will he again fit to drink. The
engineers succeeded in keeping the
water out of the plants pump houses,
or 1t would be much longer.
The demand on spring waters Of all
kinds became so great Yesterday that
the supply is practically exhausted to-
day. To make matters worse Il dozen
OF more cars filed with bottled spring
water. which were to have been un-
loaded yesterday, are marooned OH the
flooded tracks of the Delaware e. Hud-
son Company in North Albany.
Several springs in and surrounding
the city are Mcccas for the thirsty ana
the saloons and soda water fountains
are doing a rushing business. The city
officials are doing everything in their
power 10 meet the situation. Warn
ings have been sent out to all people
who find il necessary TO use the water
from their faucets 10 boil it for twenty
minutes. in order TO prevent an cpl
demic of typhoid fever. The janitors
in the schools have been directed 10
boil and filter large quantities OF water
Tomorrow for use Of the school emil
dren OH Monday.
Breweries Supply Water.
The city officials have arranged 10