plying the water, would overpay the interest on the cost of the work. " These," say the Joint Committee of the Corporation, "are the great facts upon which the Common Council are now called upon to act, and in the first place to pronounce the judgment, whether the work shall or shall not proceed. The Commissioners have most fully discharged their duty, and with great ability. It remains for the Common Council to do theirs. The Commissioners have examined and canvassed every plan, and even every proposition, which has been suggested for supplying the city with pure and whole- some water ; and after the most mature consideration, recommend that the Croton be brought to the city in a covered aqueduct of masonry, and that the water be taken from the river at Halman's or Garritson's mill, near its mouth. THIS COMMITTEE CONCUR IN THE RECOMMENDATION." After presenting at length and with ability, the motive of public health and public safety, which should influence the community to undertake the work, the report concludes with the following resolutions : Resolved, That the plan adopted by the Water Commissioners for the city of New York, for supplying the city of New York with a sufficient quantity of pure and whole- some water for the use of its inhabitants, and described in the their report, made to the Board of Aldermen, the 16th day of February last, be, and the same is hereby approved. Resolved, That a poll be, and hereby is appointed to be opened on the days upon which the next annual election for charter officers for this city, is by law appointed to be held, to the end that the electors may express their assent or refusal to allow the Common Council to proceed in raising the money necessary to construct the work as aforesaid, by depositing their ballots in a box to be provided for that purpose, in their respective wards, according to the provision of the act, " To provide for supplying the city of New York with pure and wholesome water." 35 MEMOIR OF THE These resolutions were immediately adopted by the Board, 2nd March, on the llth approved by the Mayor— and in conformity with the second, a poll was ordered to be held on the 14th, 15th, and 16th, of the ensuing month of April. No provision having been made, however, for printing the tickets, by which the voters were to signify their pleasure — this at political elections being always done by the respective political parties — and party having nothing to do with this great question — there was danger that the actual sense of the people might not at the polls find the means of expression. The moment this was hinted, several hundred dollars were contributed by some eight or ten individuals, mostly of large landed estates, to ensure a full and regular supply of tickets at each poll, favorable to an affirmative vote ; thus exhibiting another fijie incident in the progress of this great work, that they whose property would, in all probability, be most largely taxed to defray its cost, were most solicitous to ensure its accomplishment. This precaution was crowned with complete success, as the following returns, taken from the County Clerk's office, will show. I, Nathaniel Jarvis, Clerk of the City and County of New York, do hereby certify, that the votes given at a General Election held on the 14th, 15th, and 16th days of April, 1835, in the respective wards of said City, in pursuance of " An act to provide for supply- ing the City of New York with pure and wholesome water," passed 2d May, 1834, the inspectors' returns of which, are on file in my office, were as follows, viz : Wards. Yes. No. 1 1417 27 2 1248 25 3 1456 42 4 1794 51 5 1675 152 6 1305 103 7 1303 561 8 1511 703 9 631 1015 10 966 1030 11 880 873 12 545 136 13 654 739 14 1233 209 15 712 297 17,330 5,963 From which it appears that " Yes" received 17,330 votes, and " No" 5963 votes. In CROTON AQ.UEDUCT. 139 pursuance of said Act, the Board of Canvassers of the votes taken at said Election, adjudged and determined that a majority of the Electors of the City and County of New York, were found to be in favor of the measure. In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name, and affixed my Seal of Office, [L.S.] this 28th day of March, 1843r^' NATHANIEL JARVIS, Clerk. To complete this view, and to show that the wards which contributed the largest amount of taxes, gave also the largest vote in favor of the Croton project, a list is an- nexed, from the books