Year: 1876




The large fires which have lately occurred in this
city have distinctly shown the necessity Of plan being
adopted and carried out without delay by which the
deficiency Of water with which to combat the opposing
element may be obviated. The Gre in Broadway and
Howard street clearly demonstrated the fact that the
mains through which the water is conveyed to the
hydrants, whence the FIRE engines alone draw their
supply totally inadequate TO the demand that may
be made upon them in OF large FIRE breaking out
in any Of the downtown districts below Bleecker
street In case OF any such conhagration
occurring similar to those which happened at Chicago
OF Boston tho consequences to both life and property
would in all probability be more disastrous than
was the in those instances In fact the threat
ened danger is imminent that immediate steps
ought to be taken by the authorities TO remedy
the difficulty However, Notwithstanding the lessons
taught and the illustrations afforded at much cost
OF tho necessity for some prompt remedy being pro-
vded the officials TO whom tho people must look for
the initial action, appear to be suprcmcy indifferent to
the exgsnces of the and appear satisfied to let
the existing and inadequate system OF water sup
ply remain in the same condition 1t is and has been
for years past forgetting that time passes and the
population and the buildings increase the demand for
an improved and more efficient water supply also ad-
vances in than duplicate ratio. The difficulty
the present moment far as can be ascertained,
appears not to be much


A SCARCITY WATER,


but tho inefficient in which 1t is distributed
through the city, more particularly lower dis
rlcs already indicated, and where the demand at
any moment is likely TO exceed the supply. In fact,
appears to be the almost universal opinion among those
well acquainted with the subject that the
through which the fire hydrants are supplied lack the
capacity TO sustain any unusual call being made on



small for the necessities of to-day. An instance
furnished in these regards In the Of the Broadway
fire, where the whole of the water used had TO be
drawn from the main pipe in Broadway OF thirty-sx
inches which, in turn, had TO supply the cross and
back streets through twelve and six inch pipes. The
experience in that instance that often the engines
were powerless TO act through their inability TO secure
q supply of water which refused to flow In many cases
IRON the side street hydrants afler the principal
mains had been tapped. The opinion OF many engi-
neers who have been consulted tends TO show beyond
doubt that, had another fire OF large dimensions
broken out further down tOwn-say in the nelghOor-
hood Of Broad Pearl street. or ON Broadway, near
these localitiesthe nremen would have been utterly
poweress act, through the impossibity OF obtain
ing sufficient supply of water with which to make an
attempt TO check the ravages OF The flames. The con
sequences II is apparent, would have, ot necessity
been that any fire then breaking out would have at
Ia ned such headway would make 1t almost impos
sibe OBTAIN control over it by any other means than
the razing OF blocks of buildings to the ground by
means of explosives. An old fireman who took an ac
tive part in the operations OF the old Volunteer De-
and who has watched the workings OF the
Public Works Department tho matter OF the water
supply when questioned yesterday upon the subject of
fires, stated 1t TO be his opinion that today
the lower wards i'll this city are in no better condition
to fight the fire hend than they were during the
time OF


THE GREAT FIRE IN 1S45


He thought that If at any time fire to
occur any OF the large warehouses in the lower dis
trcts the results would, in all probability, be the same
us they were then. In fact SAID he, the quantity of
water obtainable these localities would be found
TO be less in comparison than it was in lS45, when the
size 2? the buildings, the quantity OF merchandise and
tho nlammable nature thereof should be taken into
consideration His opinion agrees with that oil engl-
neers tina. what wanted is additional mains OF large
size to conduct the water from the reservoirs down
through the city. These mains should be laid through
the principal thoroughiarcs and the parallel Streets and
be connected together with pipes Of smaller dnen
sons II such system were adopted not only would
there be less danger from fire. but these
pipes distributed throughout every part of the
city, would form an additional reservoir by which
all possibility OF a water famine occurring through a
breakagc in the Croton Aqueduct would be prevented
II is calculated that these pipes would hold amount
of water equal to the storing capacity OF the present
reservoirs, which only contain reserve sufficient
for ten days. demand The extra quantity contained
in the pipes would give full and ample time in which
repairs could be made The statistics OF the Depart
mcnt OF Public Works 20 10 show that IN tae summer
the supply of water carried through the aqueduct
more than sufficient keep the reservoirs full and
to meet every call made upon II and st leave sur
plus which is allowed to iow TO waste over the dam
Tue lnadequacy of the aqueduct is only felt during the
most severe weather. when the inhabitants OF the city
adopt the wasleu system of allowing faucets to run
u
check be placed upon this wiliul waste there would
exist no fear OF


THE WATER SUPPLY FAILING


for any purposes for which II might DO wanted In
fact there appears to be doubt that the quantity of
Croton brought into New York is fully sufficient
for all legitimate wants, and that the only thing
quired is improved method OF distribution and
in consonancc with the requirements of to-day.
AS il IS however II would seem that with the excep-
ton the uptown districts, the system still remains
about the same as II was when the aqueduct and res
ervoirs were first opened.


NEW AQUEDUcT


All conversant with the subject OF New York's water
supply appear TO agree that eventually a aquoduct
will have TO be built, but that there is no immediate
necessity for its construction. Under any circum-
stances, even should IL be decided to construct
aqueduct such was indicated by the report published
In the HERALD OF Tuesday, IL asserted that order
make the increased supply thereby be obtained avail
able addition would have TO be made the present
system of mains. The building Of the aqueduct and
the reservoirs Jerome Park would necessity take
several years. and IL would become necessity then TO
the number Of mains in the city for the people
TO derive any benefit from the extra supply II Is
therefore asserted that the laying OF the might
be commenced in order that such relief they
would necessarily afford might be secured in the
time and the danger from fire so much ossened-


WATER METERS.


The engineers and other officials in the Croton Water
Department admit the necessity OF some steps being
taken give additional supplies OF water. as
they are well aware the present supply is insufficient
the demand especially ia view OF the that the
number OF manufactures in the city yearly ncreas-
ing thereby creating the drain In they look
upon New York the largest manufacturing city in the





ings used for Offices hotels aud other purposes also
another o the increased demand for now II Is
the custom provide water every floor and al
most every room, while in former years this custom
did not prevail In many of these places they have
placed water meters They DO not, however appear to
place much reliance upon these a OF check
ing water increasing the reserve IN the reservoirs.
They say the meters may answer Tor time, but will
not be found to be oil any practical beueht within
short period The opinion OF these officials Is
qucstonably In favor OF the building OF dam above
The present one and the construction Of an aoueduct
either along the line of the Bronx or the sawm
rivers They also appear TO take favorable view OF
laying mains OF enlarged dmensons as already re-
ferred TO.