The advantages in retaining his services, and also of his present assistants, must be obvious ; as the information they possess, relative to the man- ner in which the contracts are to be fulfilled and executed, of the materials to be used, of the plans and specifications in explanation of the several parts of the work to be performed, and of numerous other matters connected with it, will be, in our opinion, of the first impor- tance to those who are to have the supervision of its progress, and an efficient aid in the substantial construction of the work. This information cannot be possessed by any, be their abilities what they may, without the practical knowledge which is only acquired by years of attention and familiarity with the subject. The Commissioners claim no further merit for themselves, in conducting this impor- 45 178 MEMOIR OF THE tant concern thus far, than what is fairly due for a devotion to the duties enjoined on them by the tenor of their office, and for the faithful disbursement of the large sums placed in their hands by the Corporation officer charged with that duty. Respectfully submitted, STEPHEN ALLEN, WILLIAM W. FOX, w . CHARLES DUSENBERRY, . n.ater SAUL ALLEY, Commissioners. THOMAS T. WOODRUFF, New York, March 25, 1840. It would be eminently unjust, in parting with these Commissioners, to withhold from them the praise of having faithfully, intelligently, and assiduously fulfilled the trust which they had held for so many years. The Chairman of the Board in particular, Stephen Allen, has left upon the work, from its commencement to the advanced stage in which he relinquished it to his successor, the stamp of his energetic character and strong and inquiring mind. The new Commissioners, Messrs. Samuel Stevens, Benj. Birdsall, John D. Ward and Samuel B. Childs, immediately entered upon their duty, and with great fitness, Mr. Stevens, who from so early, and through so long a period had labored for the introduc- tion of pure and wholesome water into the city, was named the Chairman. Their first want was money, which, upon application to the Legislature by the Common Council, that body was, by law of 27th April, authorised to raise to the extent of three million dol- lars, at an interest not exceeding six per cent., and for a period not exceeding thirty years. The following provisions of the law restrict the use of the funds thus to be raised, and looked well to the security of the lender. § 4. All the provisions of the laws heretofore passed on the subject of the Croton Water Works, pledging the faith of the city of New York, providing a sinking fund for the redemption of the stock issued by virtue thereof, are hereby made applicable to the stock issued in pursuance of this act. § 5. No part of the fund created by this act, or any other fund raised for the pur- pose of constructing or completing- the Croton Aqueduct, and the works connected there- with, and distributing the water throughout the city, shall be diverted from such object ; and no item of expenditure hereafter to be made by the Corporation of the city of New York, and not approved by the Water Commissioners and Comptroller of said city, shall be charged by the Corporation of the said city to the debit of the said fund ; but this pro- vision shall not apply to the refunding of advances heretofore made by the said Corpora- tion, for or on account of the said aqueduct, or the water pipes connected therewith. At the same session the Legislature remedied the injustice which had been attempted in some of the towns of Westchester, through which the aqueduct passed, of taxing it CROTON AQ.UEDUCT. 179 as personal property. The law of 7th May, restricted the assessors to taxing the lands in Westchester county occupied or used for the aqueduct, only upon their value, exclusive of the works. The Common Council lost no time in passing an ordinance authorising the Comp- troller to issue stock for this new loan, and on 21st May they constituted, by resolution, a Committee on the Croton Aqueduct, to be composed of a joint special committee of both Boards. To this Committee were to be referred all matters relating to the aqueduct, except the sale and disposal of stock and other duties ordinarily belonging to the Finance Committee. The new Commissioners retained the corps of engineers as they found it, with the very capable chief at its head, and the work made rapid progress during the year. The first report in January, 1841, and embracing the period from 20th March, to December 31st, gives this summary of what was done. Present state of the Work. It will be recollected that the