The report of the superintendent of the works, for 1840, will serve to explain their present condition. Satement of the Condition of the Water Works, on the 15th of December, 1840. There are now in the city, Wooden pipes, from 1£ to 2 5 inches in diameter, 19£ miles. Iron pipes, from 4 to 20 inches in diameter, - - •• 4£ " Making in all, - 23J « There have been laid since the purchase of the works by the city, Wooden pipes of 2£ inches diameter, ----- 3,337 feet, Iron pipes of 4 to 10 inches diameter, 3,311 " Making in all 6,648 " being all the pipes laid down in that period, except the ordinary repairs of logs, the expense of which equals the cost of three inch iron pipes ; and in view of this fact, I again respectfully suggest to the committee, the importance of abandoning the putting down the logs entirely, and laying nothing but iron pipes. It is at once seen, that although the original cost of logs is much cheaper than iron, yet the repairs of such logs cost as much as the first cost of iron pipes of double the capacity ; as regards economy, therefore, there can be but one opinion, and that is in favor of good iron pipes. Another disadvantage from the use of logs, which is severely felt in the upper part of the city, is the impossibility of supplying through them, as much water as the wants of the citizens require ; being necessarily of small diameter, and the draft on them constant, the water will not rise in the upper part of the city to within twenty feet of the height of the reservoir. In cities, such as Philadelphia, where the average height of their reservoir is less than in our own city, they have an abundant supply of water, not only for domestic purposes, but in case of fire also, which I deem one of the first objects of well regulated water works. The reason of this abundant supply is obvious, as in Philadelphia they have iron pipes of capacity sufficient for all their wants. They suffered formerly at Philadelphia in the same manner as ourselves, when at one time they had six lines of wooden pipes leading their water to the city, which they finally abandoned, and substi- tuted iron pipes of large diameter. " There have been discontinued since the city came into possession of the water works — of wooden pipes, seven thousand eight hundred and seventy-one feet. Of this amount, three thousand three hundred and eleven feet have been replaced with iron pipes, and four thousand five hundred and sixty feet have been discontinued on streets where the former company had laid down iron pipes, and still continued the use of the logs. The attachments were therefore changed to the iron pipes, and the logs abandoned, by which considerable leakage and many repairs have been avoided. " The consumption of water in the city has averaged for fhe last year, one million and eighty thousand gallons daily, which has been distributed to three thousand tenants, being an average daily supply to each tenant of three hundred and sixty gallons. This large average supply is attributable, partially, to the constant practice throughout the city of families, and other establishments, supplying themselves with water from the hydrants and pipes without authority, which has become a very serious drawback upon the revenue PRELIMINARY ESSAY. 81 of the works. But the large average supply (so greatly beyond the wants of the citizens) is principally owing to the innumerable leaks from the wooden pipes, which it is impossible to discover, as the water descends into the gravel and into the numerous sink holes, so common on the upper plane of the city. "As the iron pipes are substituted, this waste will diminish, and I have no doubt, when the wooden pipes are all abandoned, and some prompt measures enforced against such as take water without authority, that the present amount of fuel consumed by the engines, will supply double the number of tenants. " The average supply of water to each tenant in the city of Philadelphia is one hundred and seventy-seven gallons daily, being less than half the quantity supplied from the works of this city. " The present engines and pumps can supply, by working twelve hours each day, twenty-one million gallons of water, by running both engines at the same time. Respectfully submitted, S. H. DA VIES, Superintendent. In Boston about 1000 families are supplied with water by the Boston Aqueduct Com- pany, at an annual charge of from ten to twelve dollars to each family. The water is conveyed from the Jamaica pond, through wooden logs, and thence into the houses