3: The Hudson River above Poughkeepsie, free from salt water pollution.

4: The Esopus, Catskill and other neighboring creeks.

5: The Wallkill and neighboring creeks.

6: The Long Island sources.

7: The Staten Island sources.

The committee did not investigate the upper Delaware River, on account of the probable use of such water by cities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, of the greater cost than other available sources, and of serious legal questions involved.

Nor did the Committee require further information regarding a supply from the Housatonic River and its tributary, the Ten Mile River, nor of the Ramapo River, because these had been carefully examined and reported on by Mr. W. E. Worthen for the City of Brooklyn in 1896, and were being again and more fully examined by Mr. John R. Freeman for the City Controller, Mr. Bird S. Coler. Nor was it necessary to do more than collect existing information regarding the Long Island and Staten Island sources, as this information was deemed sufficient for present purposes.

It was proposed by the Committee that this investigation should indicate the best sources for an additional water supply of both 250,000,000 and 500,000,000 gallons per day, properly apportioned to the needs of the several boroughs, and the quality of the water recommended was to be at least equal to that of the present water supply of New York in its best condition; and in case water was to be taken from the Hudson above Poughkeepsie, or other sources exposed to pollution, such water to be so filtered as to equal in purity the best water anywhere provided for municipal use.

The height at which water was to be delivered at the city should be that found most practicable in the case of a high-level supply from the respective territories, or found most advisable in case the water must be pumped.

With the result of these studies, combined with the examina

tion of such other matter as should in the course of his surveys be found proper for investigation, Mr. Fuertes was to submit approximate estimates covering the required investment and the probable cost of annual operation, maintenance, interest, etc.

For the State of New York and for the U. S. Geological Survey, Mr. George W. Rafter, M. Am. Soc. C. E., had made a series of investigations and reports bearing upon the watershed of the upper Hudson, or the Adirondack region. To avail itself of the knowledge and experience of Mr. Rafter, the Engineering Sub-Committee recommended that The Merchants' Association obtain from him a report covering the subject of an additional water supply for New York from that section of the State. In accordance with this recommendation, Mr. Rafter made a report covering the following main heads: A supply of 500,000,000 gallons per day from a single large reservoir on Schroon River; the supply of an equal volume from Lake George and Schroon River combined, and projects for storage and compensating reservoirs; the latter to be used for restoring to the Hudson River any water abstracted for the supply of Greater New York.

In addition to these special examinations and reports, this Committee has availed itself of all useful published reports, maps, etc., bearing upon the subjects investigated. As part of the information thus utilized should be mentioned, the reports presented in 1896 by Mr. I. M. de Varona upon the several projects for increasing the water supply of Brooklyn, from the Ramapo and Wallkill Rivers, in Rockland and Orange Counties, N. Y., from the Ten Mile and Housatonic Rivers in New York and Connecticut, and from the streams and underground sources in Suffolk County, Long Island.

Mr. Crowell was directed to take up the subject of an auxiliary supply of salt water within the limits of New York. This investigation was to cover the needs of fire-protection, street washing and flushing to reduce the street temperature on very hot days, sewer-cleaning, the possible application of salt-water to water-closet and urinal service in large office buildings, and any other purpose for which salt-water could be economically

used. He was to investigate and include in his report an account of results accomplished in establishing a separate salt-water fireservice in Boston, and the results of a separate fire-service in Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee, together with any recorded results available setting forth the experience of European cities operating a similar service. Mr. Crowell's report was, further, to state the probable extent of the reduction of fresh water consumption per capita, by reason of such auxiliary supply, and the estimated total amount of such reduction. Special subjects of investigation were included under the following heads: The relative injurious and beneficial effects arising from the use of salt-water; possible injury to the plant and consequent increase in the cost of maintenance; the sanitary effects of the use of salt-water in cooling streets, flushing sewers, etc.; the possible harm to stocks of merchandise in case of fire, and the effect of salt-water upon asphalt pavements.

With this investigation Mr. Crowell was to submit approximate estimates giving the cost and the data upon which estimates were made for supplementing the present system of piping, in specified districts of the city, with a salt-water system; these estimates to include pumping plant and the probable cost of operation, maintenance, interest, etc.

For the use of the Sub-Committee Mr. Alfred T. White, late Commissioner of Public Works of the City of Brooklyn, presented a statement of water conditions in that borough based upon his own experience and the investigations made while he was in office.

A valuable report has been recently prepared by Mr. John R. Freeman, M. Am. Soc. C. E., for the Controller of New York City, discussing questions very similar and partly identical with those submitted to the Engineering Sub-Committee. Most of this report has been available to the Sub-Committee, in manuscript, and the information contained in it has greatly aided in the work of the Sub-Committee. Its revision of the recorded yield of the Croton watershed is of great importance: and its full discussion of a supply obtained from the Housatonic

watershed, and of many other allied questions, has enabled the Sub-Committee to employ the brief time at its disposal in other directions, and has made it possible for the Sub-Committee to draw its conclusions from data gathered from a larger area.

Much information was furnished to this committee by the Engineers of the Department of Water Supply, for which we have to make acknowledgment.

We have to thank the Engineers above named, who have made the reports hereto annexed, for the care and fidelity with which they have carried out their instructions. This has resulted in bringing together much valuable information never before published.

Finally, our thanks are due to President W. F. King and the other officers of the Merchants' Association for the liberal and thorough manner in which they have met all our requests, and furnished all the assistance that we asked for.