Year: 1876

The following interesting Communication was yest
terday transmitted to Mayor Wickham by Comnis-
sioner Porter as to surveys, plans and estimates for
the construction OF a aqueduct to supply addi-
tonal water facilities -


DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
NEW YORK, JANUARY H. 1876. J
Hon WILLIAM Fl. WIcKHAM Mayor OF the City OF Now
sIR-Under resolution adopted by the Board Of
Aldermen July 10Th, and approved py you August 7th
last have caused careful surveys % be made of the
ground lying between the Harlem River and the uppeE
portion OF the basin OF the Croton River for the pur
pose OF ascertainng the practicability of another
aqueduc the most feasible route for such structure
and its probable cost


The necessity of aqueduct arises from the fact
hat the projectors OF the present aqueduc underes
mated the future consumption OF water In this cys
They estimated that thirty gallons per day each n
haoitant would be liberal supply, and they placed
the limit OF the population at Oc0 COO On this esti
mate was based the size and capacity Of the aqueduct5
but while its capacity far exceeds the calculations OF
It's builders, delivering daily $4,000 OCo gallons I'M
place Of CO., 00O it is frequently taxed to ita
utmost though the population is yet far froms
Island is htil unoccupod According to the census OF
1875 the population of the city is 1C50 000 to which
must be added as consumers Of water the large noatn
population and the people from the neghboring ciueS
and villages, who carry on their business in New York;
Placing these at the low estimate Of 100000 hav6
in this city l. $50 900 consumers of CrotonEwater AA
far back as 1858 the Croton Aqueduct Board
reported TO the Common Council that the consumptio
OF Croton water hen nearly ninety gallons daily to-
each inhabitant II is not greater per capita IL
make due allowance for the quantity used In the





lie drinking hydrants street cleaning and other use
that have grown up since that tmo, and which, thoug
yielding no revenue, contribute to the health comforts
and pleasure of the population. Although numerous
authorities may be quoted TO show that thirty TO ort
gallons per day s ample supply of water for each
dividual, including all the uses to which water ia
applied 70 sustain civilized life IL would be great
TO attribute the additional City sixty gallons pes
head used In this city to waste and nothing eses
While cannot denied that great waste does occurH
even that which may, in an ordinary sense, be conr
n
carried OH into the sewers and the afford
to lot run through private and public sewers and:
drains the effective render sewerage eyRs
tenn


HOW THE oRoros IS USED


Various elements combine to create the large CON-
sumption OF Croton water, Its own excellence and
purity pyite its liberal The latest statistics show
that from purely commercial city have grown to
the greatest manufacturing centre this coDtnent
The value OF articles manufactured In the county Of
New York exceeds that OF any other county in the
established here for no other reason than tho
purity of the water which is to their exist
ence Tho city has grown not only in horizontal ext
ent-it has also grown into the earth and the airy
Whore twenty-five years ago had buildings Of two
or three stories, occupying half the area Of tho
building lot we now see the entire ground covereda
with three stories underground and five or six
above, with steam heaters elevators and other moderE
appiances-all requiring water to feed them
IL has been suggested that by the application OF
water meters throughout the city the waste or COM
viate the necessity Of increasing the supply for many
years Most of these suggestions be traced TO peo





patent and while it may be admitted that the OF
meters would greatly reduce the consumption, the dis
advantages OF the system should not be ignored. The
vexations and disputes arising rom tho Of water
meters may be estimated by our experience In tho use
Of gas meters The expense would be enormous and
eral times that OF gas meter and would be uch bet.
applied in building the new a9ueduc and increasing
the supply 70 opviae for all time the necessity of
meters. II the water measured out and sold by
the large portion Of our people would prac.
tise economy In Tvs use to such extent become
absolutely Injurious to the public health The injury
that such economy IN the use of water may in9ict
densely populated city is incacuabe. While we have
the opportunity TO obtain abundant supply Of pure
water at reasonable expense, commensurate 10 ts
benefits, we would never be justified in curtalng ta

Although the application Of meters to dwelling houscs
is Objectionable for the here stated
templatcd to apply them TO all large manufacturing
tabshmcnts This measure is rendered necessary in
order TO keep the consumption within the capacity OF
the present aqueduct until be built Tho
now aqueduct is not even yet determined upon or aur
thorizcd and Its construction, after all the prelmi-
narles Of legislation plans purchase Of land &C. shall
have been passed. will occupy period OF at least threo
years No better illustration OF tho nadequacy OF the
present aqueduc could be had than s found the fact
that while the area of cross section OF the aqueduct
is So 3i100 square feet the OF all the taps the
city through which water is drawn is 1a9 410 feet At
this very date the consumption OF exceeds the
supply coming through the aqueduct. At the slightest
indications OF cold weather the people let the water
run from tho faucets continually, especially
and damage incurred by the freezing of pipes
during last winter which was unusually severe. Thus





several Inches and If this reprehensble practice for
which the temperature has as yet furnished no occa-
son continues the consequences Will be severely felt
In the falling OF Of the supply and pressure Of water.


AN ARGUMENT OF eAFRTY


Another advantage OF incalculable value presented
by an additional aqucduct consists in the safety cer-
tainty and constancy of the water supply. The city
reservoirs contain supply for ten days only, and in
OF an accident TO the present aqucduct which
would require repairs occupying than ten days,
the supply would entirely cease II Is appalling 10
contemplate the consequences OF contingency.
Even the Rqueduct requires repairs which post
poned because the water cannot be shut OF long enough
TO make them With two aqucducts all necessary re-
pairs the could be thoroughly made while tho
other would be sufficient to supply the immediate de-
mands


II would be useless TO speak OF new aqueduct had
abundant evidence of the capacity Of the Croon
basin furnish the water which IL would carry. The
Croton River drains area OF about $50 square miles
From careful observations by the engineers OF this
department. extending over period OF many years, ID
is ascertained that an average daily quantity Of
800 600 900 gallons OF water flows the Croton dam
nearly al Of which could be brought TO this city II wc
had sufficient storage and aqucduct facilities The
plans presented the details Of which will be found
in the reports of Mr.. Campbell chief engineer, and
MI Emmett assistant engineer, hereto attached, con-
template the building OF dam the Croton River
about onefourth OF O mile above the head OF Croton
Lake elevation OF thirty feet above the top OF tho
present dam, forming a settling basin OF about 500
In extent and capacity OF $1,000 600 gallons
From thence tunnel is to be cut 'nl1ush M 'ne % mn.
will be conveyed 10 the head Of the aqueducI The
aqueduct is TO be built on one OF The Two TWO routes
described in Mr.. Emmetts report--ihe Bronx RIVER
route &c siOO miles in length, the Saw Mill RiveS
| route 80 52-1O0 miles In lcngth-to High Bridgo =.
The masonry aqueduct will not be continued beyond


pont In the vicinity of Jerome Park, the newly
nexod territory where IL proposed TO build recev-
ing reservoir OF capacity Of $50 to 600 600
gallons The level Of this reservoir wiu ne Iortytwo
feet above that OF the Central Park Reservoirs and
from there the water be carried IN iron ppesths
ground falling or abruptly toward the Harlem River
and rendering masonry aqueiuct impraccablc. These
mines NAV cross the Harlem River either on High
bridge which can readily be arranged for that purpose,
or under the sidewalks Of tunnels which the Depart
ment OF Parks proposes TO build under the Harlem
River In either the expense would be compara-
tivelv small and the pipes could be laid from time to
,ime as necessity demands The aqueduct Is 10
nave capacity deliver $50 600 gallons Of wae1
daily thus increasing the supply by the two aqueducts
10 $50 900 600 gallons poT day with the additional and
ncstimabie advantage Of the elevation head Of the
new supply OF fortytw feet above that Of the Park
reservoirs furnishing abundant water TO the highest