There were many plans for supplying the city of New York with fresh
water, previous to the adoption of the Croton Aqueduct scheme, but we
have not the space to present them here. They were all inadequate to the
necessities of the city, and all in turn were thrown aside. The most
important was one for obtaining the water supply from the Bronx River.
It was believed that a daily supply of 3,000,000 gallons could be
obtained from this stream, but nothing was done in the matter, and it was
not until the prevalence of Asiatic Cholera in 1832 had impressed upon
the people the necessity of a supply of pure water, nor until the great
fire of 1837 had convinced them that they must have an abundance of
water, that the scheme for supplying the city from the sources of the
Croton River was definitely resolved upon. De Witt Clinton gave his
powerful support to the scheme, and the citizens at the municipal
elections expressed themselves unqualifiedly in favor of a full supply of
fresh water. It was decided to obtain the supply from the Croton River,
and in May, 1837, the work on the aqueduct which was to convey it to the
city was actually begun, and on the 4th of July, 1842, the Croton water
was distributed through the city.
The first step was to throw a massive dam across the Croton River, by
means of which the Croton Lake was formed, the water being raised to a
depth of forty feet by the obstruction. From this dam an aqueduct,
constructed of brick, stone, and cement, conveys the water to the city, a
distance of nearly forty miles. It is arched above and below, and is
seven and a half feet wide, and eight and a half feet high, with an
inclination of thirteen inches to the mile. It rests on the ground for a
portion of its course, and in other parts is supported by a series of
stone arches. It crosses twenty-five streams in Westchester County,
besides numerous brooks, which flow under it through culverts. It is
conveyed across the Harlem River by means of the High Bridge. The water
flows through vast iron pipes, which rest upon the bridge. The bridge is
a magnificent stone structure, 1450 feet long, with fifteen arches, the
highest of which is one hundred feet above high water mark. Its great
height prevents it from interfering with the navigation of the stream.
The High Bridge is one of the principal resorts in the suburbs of New
York. The structure itself is well worth seeing, and the scenery is
famed for its surpassing loveliness.
[Picture: THE HIGH BRIDGE.]
There are two large reservoirs at the city end of the bridge, the
"Storage Reservoir," and the "High Service," the latter of which is
designed for supplying the elevated section of Washington Heights. From
here to the distributing reservoirs in the Central Park, which have
already been described, the distance is two and a quarter miles. The
distributing reservoir for the principal part of the city is on Fifth
Avenue, between Fortieth and Forty-second streets. It covers about four
acres of ground, and is built of granite. It is forty feet above the
street, is divided into two parts, and will hold 20,000,000 gallons of
water. It is exactly forty-one miles from the Croton Lake.
[Picture: THE FIFTH AVENUE RESERVOIR.]
The daily flow of water through the aqueduct is 60,000,000 gallons, its
full capacity. The reservoirs hold over 2,000,000,000 gallons, or about
fifteen days, supply. Nearly four hundred miles of main pipes distribute
the water through the city, and supply it to 67,000 dwelling houses and
stores, 1624 manufactories, 290 hospitals, prisons, schools, and public
buildings, 307 churches, and 14 markets. There are 72 drinking hydrants,
and a number of ornamental fountains in the city. The lakes and
fountains in the Central Park are all formed by the Croton water, which
is also supplied to the State Prison at Sing Sing, and the Institutions
on Blackwell's, Randall's, and Ward's islands. The Croton River is one
of the purest streams in the world. The water is bright and sparkling,
and there is no sediment perceptible to the naked eye. Actual analysis
has shown that the amount of impurity during an entire summer was but
4.45 grains in a gallon, or 7.63 parts in 100,000 parts.
The original cost of the aqueduct and reservoirs was about $9,000,000.
Since then the increased supply, the new reservoirs, pipes, etc., have
made the total amount upward of $40,000,000. The total receipts from the
water tax since the opening of the aqueduct have amounted to about
$22,000,000. The tax at present amounts to about $1,232,000 annually.