Year: 1873

deemed unadysable by the engineers to arrange the


dam 80 that the water should the solid masonry,
as 1t would the effect Of undermining the founda-


tion; accordingly, large well-hole was made just


in tho wall of the conduct the water which does


not run of through towers underneath tho dam to


the Croton River. Thus tho waste which was until re-
Gently difficulty TO be has been made to con-


tribute the daily supply OF the city and materially
aided carrying the city through its trying season OF
drouth without this storage reservoir and its over
flowing water serious inconvenience would probably
result TO the citizens But the necessities Of the future
require additional storage reservoirs.


The water supply Of the great Croton Watershed is
contributed by three branches OF the Croton River,
called respectively tho West Branch East Branch and
Middle Branch, each of these fed by the numerous
ponds and lakes which lie amid the hills OF Weschester
Putnam. and portion OF Dutchess Counties The
storage reservoir at Boyds Corners is situated on the
West Branch OF the CrOton RIVER about 40 miles above
the Croton DAM and the wants OF the future metropolis
require that storage reservoirs shall be built on the
other two branches OF the Cro0n River In such posi-
tons that all the contents Of the various ponds can be
made to empty themselves into these huge basins OF
supply. The wants Of the next few years seem 10
require that the first Of these should be located in the
Middle Branch and after surveys had been made Of the
different localities site purchased for the building
OF the masonry work OF the proposed dam,
Brewsers and negotiations for the purchase OF adoin
ing property in progress. The plan OF the
reservoir will be substantially the same that at
Boyds Corners although such changes will be made IN
the details OF the work the engineers experience has
shown to be desirable.


The plan OF tower and overflow, which has been
found to work successfully at Bryds Corners, will be
adhered 70, and the reservoir will be large enough to
contain 37OOOO0,0OO gallons OF water. With this in
creased capacity OF storage enough water will be held


in reserve to supply the city with water for three
months If rain should fall; but if the waste should


dIrnf tba awf uvpV in fha prnnO
ton during the five years this storage reservoir
will be needed tomeet the waste and such drouth
present exists Sufficient water can be collected in the
Croton district to supply twice the present population
Of the city by OF these storage reservoirs, and


the difficulty heretofore has been that from the of


these storage places the quantities collected have been
very irregular at different OF the year, and
in the dry the daily supply has been less than
onehrd of the quantity consumed 1t is believed that
the reservoir will be equal to any emergency in the
future The average daily consumption from April
1, 1871 to April l. 1872 SO 100000 gallons and from
April 1872 to April 1873, about 92OOOOO0 gallons and
IL is noticeable fact that while the population
Of the city has little than doubled since Isls
the quantity Of water used is fully Ave times as great
This indicates that it is continually applied to pur
pOses that manufactures increasing and that there
Is general and increasing waste This at
many points that entirely concealed from the view
inspectors The inspectors who have been appointed
10 not TO have been able 10 prevent this great
waste and when the present Commissioner assumed the
iuties Of his Office he found Croton water policemen
we're paid by the city for osensiby doing work which
s at present performed by six persons The cost OF
hese "a officials to the city annually was ss9OOo as
against % 900 paid present for the same purpose


The rainfall during the 6i months OF the present year
las been less during the same period for many
ears and Engineer Campbell has just made the follow
ng report 10 this Department:


AVERAGE ANNUAL RAISFALLs COMPARED.


From records my possession OF the rainfall In the
roon basn from 1880 to 1874 both years inclusive lex
ept the years 1885, 1887 1882 1884, 1861 1882 1862 1864
nd Is65-n all yearsl-makng "a out Of 4S years. the
yerage rain fall was for