New-York tribune., 1917-07-15
City Celebrated
Building Of First
Aqueduct in 1912
Construction Was Regarded as a
Difficult Task for Engi-
neers Then
BY WILLIAM r, COOK

ne completion or the aqueduct from
the Catskills to New York recalls to
my mind incidents connected with the
first introduction of water into the
city. These facts may be Of interest to
your readers.
was born January 8, 1841, just one
year before water was introduced in
the city. / witnessed the procession
given to celebrate the event. I was
taken to view the procession by my
nurse. Another member of the party
took much pleasure in later years to
show me the exact spot where we stood,
Broadway and Fulton Street, and be-
held the greatest demonstration which
had been held up to that time in the
City of New York.
In later years it was great privi-
lege to be conducted by my father in
his gig for outings into the country
by the Boston Post Road to an unfre-
quented lane leading TO Cato's, well
known roadhouse. 1t was a quaint old
cottage, and had a garden with box
borders and old-fashioned flowers, al
ways a delight to visit. Our other
Country rides" were on the "Bloom-
ingdale Road" leaving the cobblestone
pavement at Twenty-third Street and
Broadway. One of the favorite resorts
Of such trip was the abbey" near
Carmansville and Stryker's Bay, the
latter known at the present day as the
foot of Ninety-ninth Street OF course,
there were other places of interest on
the road, but not open to the public.
The "trip" which took precedence
over all others was that TO the High
Bridge, it being particularly interest
ing, as we were able to observe its
progress of construction. I can well
remember this, for the two centre
arches were not finished, and the OBJ
servation of the construction of the
same to complete the bridge was in
tensely interesting, and ! always feared
that I would be too late to see the
last stone In place, but was not disap-
pointed.
Came Over High Bridge in 1s45
Although water was introduced as
early as 1S42, II did not pass over High
Bridge until 1s45, or later, judging that
am correct in this from the fact that
the gate house on the Manhattan side
of the Harlem River was not finished
until the date named. Before the
bridge was used as part of the aque-
duct, water was conveyed over the Har-
lem River in pipe. resting on Golfer
dam, which, of course. completely
closed the river to navigation. At or
near the centre of the river was placed
a nozzle, which, on every afternoon,
was opened for a short period, produc-
ing a fountain that threw water higher
than the bridge. This was claimed, at
the time, as the most wonderful jet in
existence. There was an oil painting
in IN. Office Of the Water Department,
in the rotunda, in the City Hall Park,
giving a view Of High Bridge with the
fountain In action. presume this
picture exists to-day.
Mr.. Stephen Allen. one OF the COM
missioners Of the aqueduct, who was a
frequent guest at my fathers house.
gave me the following narrative, whicn
ia of special interest, as 1t describes
the very first account Of the passage
~ water through the aqueduct, proba-
blv months before it reached the city
Mr.. Allen stated TO me that 1t was
grave question among scientific men
vbether water could be carried from
Croton River to New York City, dis
tance of forty-one miles, through an
aoueduct. The aqueduct commissioner
cited the fact that water was conveyed
at longer distances to ancient Rome
which was admitted, but, at the same
time, attention was called 10 the iac'
that the Roman aqueducts were open
at the top, differing from the New YORK
aoueduct, which was virtually tube
from one end to the other. When the
aoueduct was finished from Croton
River to the Westchester side OF the
Harlem a day was appointed to make
the test to prove its success or failure.
Mr.. Allen was assigned to the New
York end, and, according to. agreement
the water gates at the Croton Dam were
70 be opened at 10 o'clock in the morn
inc As this was before the days OF
the telegraph. there was absolutely no
means of communication from ei'ner
end.
Mr. Allen stated that the engineers
calculated that it would be at least D
o'clock in the afternoon when water
,bould appear. Mr.. Allen took his sta
,;on in due time and had goodly num-
her of interested parties on hand TO
witness the success or failure OF one OF
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