lots of the Sailors' Snug Harbor estate, or near there. The elevation of the surface there, say Broadway and Fourteenth-street above the levels of the rivers, is 39 feet. The highest part of the city below Fourteenth-street, does not exceed 42 feet. A rise, or additional head at Fourteenth-street, (as a starting point,) of three feet, would give the necessary head to make the water flow over the surface of the highest streets in the city, and would give an excess of head over four-fifths of the section of the city referred to, of at least fifteen feet. But as a reservoir would be necessary to hold the supply of water, an additional head of 20 feet is proposed to be in this manner obtained for 2,000 hogsheads (equal to twenty cisterns,) which will be contained in a reservoir. This quantity of water, with that held in the tubes, would give an ample supply for any fire. Your Committee propose to lay one line of tubes from about Fourteenth-street, through the Bowery to its termination at Chatham-street, a distance of about 6500 feet ; and also a line of tubes commencing at the same place, through Broadway to Canal-street, 27 106 MEMOIR OF THE a distance of 5500 feet. The diameter of the tubes to be 12 inches. The cost of the tubes will be $1 14 cents per foot, or 6.020 per mile. The expense of. laying down will be eighty-six cents per foot, or $4640 per mile. The distance of these two lines will be about 12,000 feet, or 2£ miles ; and the aggregate expense of tubes, laying down, and $500 for plugs or hydrants, will amount to $24,500. The expense of a wooden reservoir containing 2000 hogsheads, (equal to twenty cisterns,) it is estimated would not exceed $1500, making in all $26,000. -It is believed that the power of a single horse will be sufficient to pump the water into the reservoir, and the annual expense of a horse and a man ought not to exceed $700. The Committee did not omit to urge as an additional motive for laying down iron pipes, that whenever the long desired object of supplying the city with water for domestic purposes, should be carried into effect, these same pipes would serve. A reluctant assent was wrung from the Common Council to these recommendations, and a Committee was empowered to provide the necessary site for the reservoir, and to contract for the iron pipes. From this feeble and economical beginning, sprang our noble Croton Aqueduct ; for the immense and immediate advantages in cases of fire derived from this reservoir, impressed more vividly upon the public mind the far greater advantages that would result from having a river at command. Early in 1830, we find a motion made in the Common Council, to apply to the Legislature for all needful power to supply^he city with water, and to create two millions of stock to defray the cost thereof; this did not prevail — but attention was earnestly aroused to the subject, and all sorts of schemes were suggested. A memorial from Francis B. Phelps, on May 17th., proposed four different sources of supply : 1st. To bring the water from Rye Pond, the whole distance through, in 28 inch iron pipes — estimated cost $2,600,000. 2d. To bring in the Croton river by an open canal, to cost $1,834,000 ; or by iron pipes, at an expense of $3,060,000. Of course no regular survey had been made. 3d. To bring the water of the Passaic, taken above the falls at Paterson, New Jersey — and to cross the Hudson by iron pipes laid on the bottom of the river — to cost $1,932,000. 4th. A plan of his own, of which the particulars are not given, but which seems to look to wells and springs, on Manhattan Island — the cost $792,000. A communication was received, in September, from Benjamin Wright, having the same object in view ; while a report made to the Board, concerning the supply by the CROTON AdUEDUCT. 107 Manhattan Company, showed how inadequate that was in quantity, and how impure in quality. The subject continued to be agitated during the year without any decisive action. Early in the ensuing year, January, 1831, Alderman Stevens, who seems to have followed up systematically, and perseveringly, the purpose of procuring a supply for the city, proposed the following resolution : Resolved, That the Counsel of the Board, prepare a memorial to the Legislature, set- ting forth the wants of the city, in relation to a full and ample supply of water, as neces- sary for the safety of the city against fire, and to be of a pure and wholesome quality, as necessary for the preservation of the