for the dam. By direction of the Commissioners, who were anxious to place some of the work under contract for the opening of the working season, shafts were sunk at the site of the dam, and along the line of the Aqueduct as far as Sing Sing, eight miles, in order to exhibit the nature of the ground to be excavated, for the information of all parties ; this, as well as examinations on the same line for stone fit to be quarried and used in the construction, was successfully accomplished. The number of acres required for a Croton Reservoir and Aqueduct from river to river is stated by the Commissioners at 813. Just previously to this period, some dissatisfaction had been expressed in the Board of Assistant Aldermen, at what seemed to be the irresponsibility of the Commissioners to the Common Council. This topic is thus adverted to at the close of this Report : 144 MEMOIR OF THE "It has appeared by the proceedings of one of your honorable Boards, as published in the newspapers some time since, that, censure has been cast upon the Commissioners for some unknown cause, and that, in debate, it had been stated they were under no account- ability, either to the public, or the Common Council, and that a resolution had been pro- posed, to apply to the Legislature for an act compelling them to make quarterly reports to the Common Council. There seems to be some mistake in this matter, as the fact is, the Commissioners consider themselves both accountable to the public and the Common Council. To the public, they are accountable for an honest and upright discharge of their duty, and to the Common Council, they are accountable for a vigilant superintend- ence over those employed under them, and for the strictest economy in the expenditure of the funds placed in their hands. In order that your honorable body might see that their funds were properly disbursed, the Commissioners have uniformly, as has been before ob- served, reported to the Comptroller a detailed account of their receipts and expenditures at the end of every six months since the commencement of their operations. The Com- missioners, have, in addition, always left their books open to the inspection of any member of the Common Council who might choose to examine them, and they have uniformly expressed to the Comptroller, a readiness to appear before the finance Committee, or any other Committee of your honorable body, and produce their vouchers for the expenditure incurred." The Commissioners, in conclusion, after stating that they are not conscious of ever having withheld information sought by any member of the Common Council, arid ex- pressing their surprise that any doubt should exist of their willingness to report quar- terly, if desired, to the Common Council, instead of semi-annually, to the Comptroller, express the hope that no misunderstanding between the co-operating parties may mar the object all have in view. The result of this little discussion was, that in a bill asked for by the Common Council and passed by the Legislature, for the purpose of authorising the water Commis- sioners to take possession upon agreement or due appraisement, of lands or roads over- flowed by the construction of the dam, and to make new roads and bridges in lieu of those rendered useless, the following clause is inserted : § 11. The said Water Commissioners shall, semi-annually, or at any time, if required by the Common Council, report to the Corporation of the city of New York, a general ex- hibition of the state of the work, including a full detail of the amount expended, and of the progress made by them in the furtherance of the contemplated object. In their next semi-annual Report of July, 1837, the Commissioners courteously refer to this section and say, " in complying with this provision of the act of May, 1837, which we do with great cheerfulness, we shall only be carrying out an arrangement previously decided on, as a matter of propriety and duty." It was in the spring of this year, 1837, that the work fairly began ; the maps, draw- ings, and working plans having been completed during the winter, advertisements were, CROTON AdUEDUCT. 145 on 28th February, published in the newspapers of New York, Albany, Utica, Hartford, Ct., and Philadelphia, inviting proposals until 26th April, "for furnishing the materials and completing the construction of twenty-three sections of the Croton Aqueduct, including the dam in the Croton, the aqueduct bridge over Sing Sing Kill, and the necessary exca- vations and tunnelling on the line of about S£ miles from the Croton to Sing Sing village." On the day appointed, abundant offers were opened for all the sections, but owing to the condition of monetary affairs, only