Two of them were tried, in one the jury could not agree in a verdict; and in the other, where the damage laid was $150,000, they awarded $500. A proposition was then made for the discharge of all the claims, and they were finally settled and discontinued by the payment of the sum of $6,678.90, on the part of the City.

Taking into consideration the large amount claimed by the several parties, the uncertainty as to what would be the views which different juries might entertain of the law and evidence in the various suits, and the expense and trouble which would necessarily attend the trial and defence of them, it is very confidently believed that the arrangement which has been made is eminently advantageous to the City. And, in addition, it may be also stated that the City has now the power of disposing of the Compensating Reservoirs in Hopkinton and Marlborough, and Boon and Ramshorn ponds, near the latter, which were originally purchased and improved at an expense of upwards of $72,000, for the purpose of supplying Concord River with water during the dry season, and thereby lessening the damages which it was feared might be occasioned by depriving it of the water of the Lake. It will be the endeavor of the Board to effect a sale of the above property as soon as a purchaser at any reasonable price can be found.

The Water Board confidently trust that the present state and future prospects of the Water Works, as far as they are dependent on the subjects already referred to in this Report, must be the source of satisfaction to all who feel in any way interested in their success. The supply of water in the Lake is ascertained, more especially by our experience during the drought of the past season, to be far greater than was originally calculated; as is also the capacity of the aqueduct; various imperfections which existed in parts of the works from

the beginning have been remedied, and their permanency and durability more certainly ascertained or established; the annual cost of carrying on the works has been much diminished, and there is a probability of its being hereafter still more so; and the income is gradually increasing, the receipts for the past year being $53,407, and the estimate for the next year, under the new water tariff, being upwards of $95,000 greater than those of 1851; and a great variety of claims for compensation and damages, to a vast amount, and quite uncertain as to their results, have been settled and got rid of, and on terms, in the aggregate, far more favorable to the City than had been originally anticipated.

While, however, the Water Board would congratulate the City Council that the experience of the past. year has thus borne its additional testimony to those which have preceded, in confirmation of the most sanguine anticipations which were originally entertained of the sufficiency of the supply of water from the Lake for all the uses of the City, they regret to be obliged to report upon a deterioration in the quality of the water, which has recently been, most unexpectedly, found to be so universally prevalent, as to be not only a source of much annoyance to every water taker, but also of solicitude to all who feel an interest in the welfare of the City. It was first observed in October last, and consisted of a marked and peculiar taste, resembling, in the opinion of some, that of fish, but we believe in that of a great majority of persons, that of cucumbers or some similar vegetable, the taste being sometimes accompanied by a disagreeable smell.

On the presumption that it was local in its origin, and in fact confined to the circulation in the mains and distributing or service pipes, they were all forthwith thoroughly flushed out. This operation, together with

the change of the water produced by the ordinary consumption (by which alone, as the pipes will hold but little more than 3% million of gallons, and the consumption was at the time over 9 millions, the whole body of water in them is discharged oftener than twice in twenty-four hours), it was hoped, would be a sufficient remedy for the trouble; as it certainly would remove all sources of impurity originating in or confined to the pipes themselves. It was, however, not the case; indeed, in most instances the impurity seemed to be actually increased by the operation. There were also other anomalies quite difficult to account for. The water, for instance, in the dead ends,—that is, in the pipes which terminate abruptly, without being connected with others, as those laid in courts, &c.,—was frequently proved to be uninfected; although the circulation in those places, being subject only to the actual draught of residents there, would be necessarily quite sluggish, and the water naturally become stagnant and impure; and, on the other hand, in other larger pipes, where the current was continuous and rapid, it was quite offensive.

It was also satisfactorily ascertained that the water, after being drawn a few days, lost all its repulsive character and became tasteless. There was in no case any appearance of fish or any other foreign matter in the water discharged from the hydrants or stop-cocks, nor any stoppage in any of the service pipes, which must be the case when any fish get into them. It seemed, therefore, requisite to look beyond the limits of the City for the origin of the difficulty, and upon examination it was found that the water in the Brookline Reservoir and the Lake was affected in precisely the same way. For the purpose of a thorough investigation of the subject, it was then deemed expedient to

have the water in the City and the Lake analyzed by scientific chemists, in whom the public would have confidence, and whose opinion as to the nature and origin of the evil, and the prospect and mode of relief from it, would have due weight and authority.

Professor Horsford, of Cambridge, and Dr. C. T. Jackson, of this City, were accordingly appointed for this purpose. They proceeded to the Lake and carefully examined the water in different parts of it, and at different depths; and also some part of the surrounding water-shed; and made a careful analysis of the water at the Lake and also in different parts of the City, without any disclosure being made to either of them of the places whence the several specimens of water had been taken. The result of their inquiries is contained in their respective reports which were made to the Water Board and published by its direction in the public prints, in order to relieve, as soon as possible, the anxiety on the subject which very generally prevailed. The reports were made and the investigation conducted by their respective authors independent of each other, and without mutual consultation, and they did not, indeed, see each others reports until they were printed. The communications contain a great variety of interesting information, and the subject of them is discussed so minutely and elaborately that they are deemed worthy the special consideration of the City Council and a permanent preservation for future reference. The Water Board would therefore beg leave to make them a part of their Report. It will be found that both the Reports came to the same conclusion with that which had been previously suggested in a communication made by order of the Board,-viz., that the impurity complained of is derived from vegetable decomposition existing in the Lake itself,—that it might be attributed

to the unusually long and severe drought of the last summer and to the subsequent rains acting on the peculiar soil of part of the Lake and over the whole water-shed, and that complete relief might be antici pated from the natural agency of the approaching cold and rains.

A brief description of Lake Cochituate, the source of supply of water to the City, may be acceptable to such members of the Council as are not at present familiar with it, as affording them some means of forming a more satisfactory opinion on the subject. The Lake is about 31⁄2 miles in length in a direct line, the contour of the margin being upwards of 12 miles. It is separated almost completely into three nearly equal divisions, connected with each other by quite narrow passages, about 7 or 8 feet deep. The water gradually increases in depth in each division from the shore. At high water, or when it is 8 feet high over the flume at the outlet, the greatest depth in the southern division is about 70 feet, in the central 50 feet, and in the northern 62 feet. The superficial area at high water is esti mated at 684 acres, and at low water, or the level of the flume, 489 acres. Adjoining the southern division. there is a large meadow of about 55 acres, called "Whitney's Meadow," and also a peat meadow of about 65 acres; and adjoining the central division, near Snake Brook, which formerly flowed into the Lake, there is another piece of marsh land, and there are some small bays in other places; and the increase in the surface of the Lake, between high and low water, takes place mostly in these meadows and bays. At high water there are 125 acres which are not covered with more than 5 feet of water. When the water is but 3 feet above the flume, the peat meadow is to a great extent covered, but the Whitney Meadow and