rb T_ Noi^qo^ ~& 0L # ftl^A.zo. /t*+.~ XyiAt- ta I" }i £) T © H A O U £ '£) iy c I Jl C J « E E It E> E FA MT II E fl T ]Sew^¥brk and X4©m«l_©]fx; "Wiley ami FiMtiiaiJti J.N CjiBO»Se a1<° Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Boston Public Library http://www.archive.org/details/illustrationsofcOOtowe PREFACE The views which I have given of the important points on the line of the Croton Aqueduct, are from sketches taken for my own satisfaction ; but the interest so generally taken in the work, has suggested to me the propriety of presenting them to the public in this form. Having been engaged in the Engineer Department during the whole of the con- struction of the Aqueduct, my acquaintance with it would enable me to present more of its details ; but I have given those of the construction of the Aqueduct, and a general outline of the structures connected with it, trusting that a more detailed description may emanate from John B. Jervis, Esquire, who, as Chief Engineer, gave Plans and Specifi- cations for the work during its construction. A description from such source, accompanied with detail- ed plans of all the appurtenances of the Aqueduct, with the results of experiments on the flow of water in the Aqueduct, would be a useful contribution to the cause of science, a valuable work to Engineers generally, and particularly so to younger members of the profession. The history which I have given of the preliminary measures leading to the accomplishment of this work, has been obtained, mainly, from printed documents of the Common Council. I have also had conversations with per- VI sons who were intimately concerned in some of those mea- sures, and trust that I have made the history sufficiently full to embrace the leading steps which were taken. The accounts of the Aqueducts of ancient Rome, and those built by the ancient Romans in other parts of Europe, also that of the Aqueducts of modern Rome, of Italy, France, &c, have been mostly obtained from the French work of J. Rondolet, in which the aecount of the Aqueducts of ancient Rome is translated from the Latin of Frontinus. For the account of the Aqueducts of Mexico and South America, I am indebted, in a great degree, to " Bradford's Antiquities of America" and " Ewbank's Hydraulics." F. B. Tower. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page. Aqueducts of Ancient Rome, ------ 13 Principal Aqueducts constructed by the Ancient Romans in other parts of Europe, ------- 18 Aqueducts of Modern Rome, ------ 28 Principal Modern Aqueducts of Italy, France, etc., - - 30 Aqueducts of Mexico and the adjacent States, 37 Aqueducts of South America, ... - 40 Fountains, ........ 47 History of the Progressive Measures for Supplying the City of New- York with Water, ----- 57 Of Plans Proposed for furnishing the City with Water and of the Plan adopted, ------- 69 Sources of the Croton River, ... 75 FlowofWater in theCroton River, Capacity of the Fountain Reservoir, &c, 76 General Design of the Channel-way and Reservoirs, 78 General Construction of the Aqueduct, ... - 81 Description of the Line of Aqueduct, ----- 95 Appendix, - - - - - - - 125 PLATES. Aqueduct of Spoleto, Italy, .... - 3'^ Sections of the Croton Aqueduct, - - - - 84 & 86 Entrance Ventilator, .'.-■-- 88 Isometrical View of Culvert, ------ 90 Tunnel and Gate Chamber at the head of the Aqueduct, - - 92 View above the Croton Dam, ------ 95 Entablature over the entrance to the Aqueduct, - 96 View below the Croton Dam, ------ 98 Croton Aqueduct at Sing-Sing, - - - - - 101 Aqueduct Bridge at Sing-Sing, ----- 10: Aqueduct Bridge for Road-way, ----- 103 Croton Aqueduct at Mill-River, ... - 104 Croton Aqueduct at Jewell's Brook, - - - 105 Croton Aqueduct at Hastings, ... - - 106 Croton Aqueduct at Yonkers, ----- 108 Croton Aqueduct at Harlem River, - - - - - 110 View of the Jet at Harlem River, - - - - - 112 Croton Aqueduct at Clendinning Valley, - -' 113 Aqueduct Bridge at Clendinning Valley, - 114 Plan of the Receiving Reservoir, - - - - - 116 Isometrical View of the Distributing Reservoir, - - - 119 9. " The radiant aqueducts Turn their innumerable arches o'er The spacious desert, brightening in the sun, Proud and more proud in the august approach : High oe'r irriguous vales, and woods, and towns, Glide the soft whispering waters in the wind, And here united pour their silver streams, Among the figured rocks, in murmuring Falls, Musical ever." The Ruins of Rome. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. A supply of pure and wholesome water is an object so essential to