pond ; showing that, during the time ob- served, the supplies of the pond, from whatever quarter they come, were in quantity about 7,000 gallons per day less than the evaporation. By damming the valley, about three-fourths of a mile below the small pond, so as to back up the water to three feet above the ordinary level of the upper pond, a reservoir of 360 acres will be formed ; and by deepening the outlet of the upper pond, so as to command a draught of five feet in all, we shall obtain a volume of 705,672,000 gallons, or 3,920,400 gallons daily, for 180 days of drought. Deducting from this the daily loss by evaporation = 1,633,500 gallons, which is the lowest admissible calculation for the six warm months, we obtain a disposable surplus of 2,286,900 gallons per day. This is believed to be the maximum which should be calculated upon from the storage of the Rye ponds ; and the writer is not aware of any source from which it might be advisedly augmented. A small additional supply is doubtless obtainable from Byram river, if it were not necessary, in availing of it, to resort to the territory as well as the waters of an- other State. The running supply of the Bronx was ascertained on the 4th and 5th of September. It was necessary to repeat the guaging several times in order to separate the accidental flow of the mills from the regular discharge of the river. The latter, however, was at length satisfactorily ascertained, viz. 4,331,880 gallons ; and reducing this in the ratio of one-fifth, for the reason heretofore mentioned, we get 3,465,504 gallons as the daily sum- mer flow in seasons of extreme drought. Add to this, the quantity above estimated from the Rye Pond reservoir, = 2,286,900 gallons, and we have the aggregate of 5,752,404 as the amount of all that can safely be depended upon from this quarter." Tn communicating the Report to the Common Council, the Commissioners strongly urge the importance to the health, security, and comfort of the city, of an adequate supply of pure water. " The utility," say they, " of the undertaking being acknowledged, as the Commis- sioners believe it is, by a large majority of the citizens, the only questions of importance which can arise on the subject, are, first, the source from which the water is to be brought ; second, the manner of bringing it ; and third, the difficulties to be encountered, and the expense of the project. With the information in the possession of the Corporation, should they decide to carry the project into effect, the first and second considerations may safely be left to the judge- ment of those who shall be selected to superintend and direct the operations. The difficulties to be encountered, are much less in the opinion of the Commission- ers, than those which have been overcome, both in this county and in Europe. 120 MEMOIR OF THE As to the cost, necessarily large, owing to the situation and construction of the island on which the city is built, and the distance from which the water is to be brought, there cannot be a doubt, in the opinion of the Commissioners, but that the operation will prove a saving concern if properly and judiciously conducted, and eventually, when the population of the city shall have reached its maximum, result in great profit to the pro- prietors." Thus encouraged and stimulated, the Common Council resolved to proceed in earn- est, and the Manhattan Company joining in the general impulse, made a proposition to the Common Council for the sale to it, of all their immunities, rights and privileges of every kind, relative to supplying the city with pure water, and of all the property, steam engines, pipes and hydraulic works, of every sort employed therein. This proposition was frankly met by the Common Council, who, on 6th February, 1834, adopted a resolution accepting the proposal of the Manhattan Company, to enter into negotiation, for the aforesaid purpose. On the same day, 6th February, 1834, the Common Council resolved to apply to the Legislature for a law authorising a loan of two and a half millions of dollars, by the creation of a stock to be called " The Water Stock of the city of New York-," at five per cent., interest. The law of the preceding year, authorising the appointment of Commissioners having expired, it became necessary to renew it, and accordingly on the 2nd May, the Legisla- ture passed an act embracing this object, and that of the Common Council, for authori- ty to raise money. As this act lies at the foundation of the noble enterprise of which we are recording the progress and. accomplishment, it is