LIST OF PLATES.

PLATE I.-Map of New York City, showing areas supplied with water by gravity, by high-service pumping stations, and by private companies.

PLATE II.-Map of New York City, showing areas which cannot be supplied without additional pumping.

PLATE III.-Diagram showing the depletion of the Croton reservoirs for a daily draft of 280,cco.coo gallons and 350,000,000 gallons, respectively.

PLATE IV.—Diagram showing growth of miles of pipe, of population, water consumption, and number of taps in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx.

PLATE V.-Diagram showing record of twenty-five water meters on residences in Manhattan.

PLATE VI.-Diagram showing record of twelve water meters on residences in Brooklyn.

PLATE VII.-Diagram showing hourly rate of consumption of water.

PLATE VIII.-Diagram showing past and estimated future rate of increase of population, number of taps, and miles of pipe in Man hattan and the Bronx.

THE HISTORY, CONDITION AND NEEDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY WATER SUPPLY AND RESTRICTION OF WASTE OF

WATER.

BY J. JAMES R. CROES, C. E.

To the Engineering Committee of the Merchants' Association of New York, Thomas C. Clarke, Past Pres. Am. Soc. C. E., Chairman:

GENTLEMEN:

I have the honor to submit, in compliance with your request, the result of my investigations on the history, condition and needs of the New York City water supply and restriction of waste of

water:

INTRODUCTORY.

The City of New York comprises a territory of 196,800 acres area on the east side of the Hudson River and its outlets to the ocean; 35 miles long, 7 miles wide at its northern boundary, widening to 15 miles at the New York City Hall, and then tapering to a point at the south end of Staten Island. Deep tidal channels, studded with islands, intersect it, dividing it into two large islands and two sections of mainland, to which there is a deep-water frontage of 120 miles, of which 40 miles are available for wharfage of sea-going vessels; 15 miles on which the waves of the ocean break, giving opportunity for resorts for popular recreation, and 20 miles, looking out upon the Lower Bay, guarded from the Atlantic's swells by the long, low spit of Sandy Hook, suitable for surburban residences. (Plate No. 1.)

Topographically, this territory is generally less than 100 feet above the sea-level. Along the upper third of the western front a ridge of 150 feet in height runs parallel to the Hudson River. From the centre of the westerly front another ridge runs off in a

northeasterly direction on Long Island, and on Staten Island, in the lower third, another ridge, a little east of north, rises to 413 feet above the sea, the highest elevation in the City. The whole area, more than 100 feet above tide-level, is 30,000 acres. (Plate No. II.).

In the entire area of 196,800 acres there is a population of about 3,600,000, occupying 250,000 buildings on 2,712 miles of streets. The plans for the complete laying out of the territory, which have been prepared by the Topographical Bureau of the Board of Public Improvements, anticipate that there will in the future be 3,356 miles of streets within the City limits.

The population of the City is increasing at the rate of about 3 per cent. annually, and the problem to be now considered is how the present population, and its increment during the next half-century can be best supplied with water for domestic and business needs.

The present supply is derived from four general sources:

(1) The watershed of the Croton River, 33 miles north of the City.

(2) The watershed of the Bronx and Byram rivers, 15 miles north of the City.

(3) The watershed of a series of streams on the southern shore of Long Island, east of the City.

(4) The ground-water which is found underlying a stratum of clay on Long Island and on Staten Island.

The present condition is the product of one hundred years of progress.

I.

THE MANHATTAN WATER SYSTEM.

I.-Summary of History, Management, Etc.

In 1799, the population of Manhattan being 60,000, the City subscribed for two thousand shares of the stock of The Manhattan Company, a corporation organized for banking and supplying water. This company constructed a well, 25 feet in diameter and 30 feet deep, in Centre street, between Reade and Duane streets, and pumped the water to a tank on Chambers

street, from which it was distributed through pipes of bored logs. By 1823 the population had increased to 150,000, and the company pumped daily 691,200 gallons, furnishing a supply to 2,000 houses and several manufactories.

In 1830 the City constructed a well at Thirteenth street, near Broadway, 16 feet in diameter and 112 feet deep, 97 feet being through rock. At 100 feet below the surface two lateral galleries were tunneled out from the main well, each 75 feet long. This well furnished 10,400 gallons a day of very hard water, which was conveyed in cast iron pipes down Third avenue and the Bowery to William street, with branches in the cross-streets. The Manhattan Company also sank a well at Broadway and Bleecker street, 442 feet deep, through rock, which yielded 44,000 gallons a day. In 1834 the City drilled down 100 feet in the Thirteenth street well, increasing the supply from this source to 21,000 gallons a day; and, about the same time, a well was dug near Jefferson Market, 30 feet deep, from which some water was derived. The supply of water from these various sources was so limited that 600 hogsheads of water were brought in daily from wells in the country, and sold at an average price of $1.25; and 415 hogsheads of water were daily imported from wells in Brooklyn, to supply shipping.

The inadequacy of the supply, from both The Manhattan Company and the Municipal Fire Service, led the Common Council to have examinations made for the introduction of water from other sources, and on March 11, 1835, a plan for procuring water from the Croton River was adopted by the Common Council, and afterwards ratified by the popular vote of 17,330 to 5,963. The work of construction was begun at once, and water was introduced into the City through the Croton Aqueduct on June 27, 1842, the population of the City being then about 375,000. The Aqueduct then constructed is still available for use, and its carrying capacity, after 57 years of service, is 90 million gallons per day.

By the year 1875 the consumption of water in New York City had so nearly approached the limit of capacity of delivery of the Aqueduct that it was necessary to take steps for increasing the supply. The discussions and examinations looking towards this end occupied eight years, and it was not until 1883 that the Legislature created an independent Aqueduct Commission to

construct a new Aqueduct and additional storage reservoirs. The plans were matured, and work was begun on December 30, 1884, on the new Aqueduct, which has a capacity of delivery of 290 million gallons a day, and which began the delivery of water to New York in June, 1890.

The Aqueduct Commission was reorganized in 1891 and has been engaged in constructing storage reservoirs. At present they have one in progress at the upper terminus of the Aqueduct and one at Jerome Park, in Bronx Borough. Their official existence will terminate when these reservoirs are finished; and when they are completed, which will probably be in 1903, the entire practicable yield of the Croton Watershed will be available for use in New York City.

The duties of the Commission are confined to the construction of new works.

Management.

The management of constructed works and the distribution of the water to the citizens has always been under a separate organization.

For seven years after the introduction of water in 1842, the management was vested in a Commission appointed by the Common Council.

In 1849 the Croton Aqueduct Board was instituted, consisting of three members, one of whom was required to be a civil engineer. For twenty-one years this organization, with Alfred W. Craven, C. E., as its engineering member, succeeded by General George S. Greene, C. E., conducted the affairs of the Water Department.

The Charter of 1870 gave the duties of this Board to the Commissioner of Public Works. This organization controlled the water distribution for twenty-seven years. The first Commissioner was William M. Tweed. Of his eleven successors three have been Civil Engineers of high standing in their profession. The others have been selected rather for their efficiency as business managers, than as possessing any technical knowledge. The Chief Engineer is appointed by the Commissioner, and holds office at his pleasure. Since 1884 this position has been