[J. Thomas Scharf (1886)] Phelps, who presented a memorial to the Council, proposing three different sources of supply, — first, to bring the waters of Rye Pond the whole distance through in twenty-eight inch iron pipes; second, to bring the Croton River by open canal or iron pipes; and third, to bring the water of the Passaic River, taken above conclusion was submitted to the people of the city in April, 1835, and adopted by a vote of 17,330 in favor, and 5963 against. In April, 1837, work was com-menced in constructing the dam across the Croton River about five miles above its mouth, and in build-ing the aqueduct. John B. Jcrvis was chief in-gineer. On the 7th of January, 1841, a great freshet oc-curred on Croton River, which carried away the earth embankment forming a portion of the newly constructed dam, and caused the destruction of a great amount of property and the loss of three lives. On YORKTOWN. 163 the 6th of that month the snow lay on the hills sur-