rb T_ Noi^qo^ ~& 0L # ftl^A.zo. /t*+.~ XyiAt- ta I" }i £) T © H A O U £ '£) iy c I Jl C J « E E It E> E FA MT II E fl T ]Sew^¥brk and X4©m«l_©]fx; "Wiley ami FiMtiiaiJti J.N CjiBO»Se a1<° Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Boston Public Library http://www.archive.org/details/illustrationsofcOOtowe PREFACE The views which I have given of the important points on the line of …

- 114 Plan of the Receiving Reservoir, - - - - - 116 Isometrical View of the Distributing Reservoir, - - - 119 9. " The radiant aqueducts Turn their innumerable arches o'er The spacious desert, brightening in the sun, Proud and more proud in the august approach : High oe'r irriguous vales, and woods, and towns, Glide the soft whispering waters in the wind, And here united pour their silver streams…

to adopt the more expensive plan of maintaining the general inclination of the conduit by vast structures of masonry. By substituting inverted syphons instead of maintaining a uniform declivity in the conduit, would not give the requisite discharge of water at the elevation of the terminus of the Aqueduct, and perhaps they preferred, rather than diminish this elevation of the supply of water, to i…

had so augmented, that they were obliged to bring water from distant sources by means of Aqueducts. Appius commenced this scheme of improvement. About 39 years after him, M. Curius Dentatus, who was censor with Papi- rius Cursor, brought water from the neighborhood of the city of Tibur ; and applied towards defraying the expense, part of the sums taken in the spoils of Pyrrhus. After them Lucius P…

The following table is made up of data from that work. 17 The table is arranged to show, First, the name of the water or Aqueduct ; Second, the era of its construction ; Third, the length of each Aqueduct in miles and decimals ; Fourth, the cubic feet discharged in 24 hours, and Fifth, the gallons in wine measure. NAME. ERA. LENGTH. CUBIC FEET. GALLONS. B. C. 312 10,3250 3,706,575 27,724,181 2. Ol…

Gauls. It is composed of three ranges of arches one above another. The first range, under which the Gardon flows, is formed by 6 arches ; the second by 11, and the third by 35, all of which are semicircular ; supported upon piers of greater or less height. 20 The channel in which the water flows is upon the top of the third range of arches, and is 160 feet above the water of the river. The whole l…

this form has suggested the idea that the pipes of 8 inches diameter, when they reached half way down the plane, separated, each one into two of 6 inches diameter which crossed the bridge, and converged into one again half way up the opposite plane. But it may be sup- posed that they continued of the same interior form through- out their length, and that this extra width was made for the purpose o…

vessel had cast anchor in the Rhone, opposite the city, to take some loading ; but when the commander wanted to sail again he could not raise the anchor. This fact attracted much attention, and many people went to witness the singu- lar circumstance. The Captain, unwilling to lose his anchor, sent down a man, to find what was the matter. The diver reported that the anchor was hooked under somethin…

on a continuous line for many miles, with a regular inclina- tion from the source to the city, but are interrupted by re- versed syphons. Instead of crossing deep and wide valleys in the usual manner of stone structures, the Aqueduct termi- nates on one bank in a reservoir or cistern, and a pipe is laid from it down the sloping side of the hill to a stone pier erected at a suitable distance ; the …

This Aqueduct was commenced in 1753. It is twenty- seven miles long, from the sources which supply it to the gardens of Caserta. The sources are at the base of the mountain called Taburno; the principal one is called Sor- gente de la Sfizzo; it is afterwards joined by streams from many other sources, which are in the country called Airola. These waters are all joined in one Aqueduct, crossing the …

Saint-Paul, the ancient Symete. It conducts a pure stream of water to the estate of the prince, and at the same time serves as a public bridge over the valley. This bridge is composed of thirty-one arches, the largest of which, over the river, is 90 feet span. This arch is of Gothic form, while all the others are semi-circular. The bridge has two tiers or ranges of arches ; the roadway is upon the…

of 2400 feet, by means of several bold arches, of which the largest has a height of about 250 feet, by a breadth of 115. The arches being pointed have an interesting aspect, particularly when viewed from below, the interior of the spacious vaults being not only majestic in appearance, but reverberating every sound. The water flows through a stone tunnel, or covered arch-way, about 8 feet wide, for…

and nourished with streams and fountains, and appear to have rivalled those of Asiatic monarchs in splendour. The ruins of the city of Tezcuco, which with its suburbs was even larger than Mexico, and according to Torquemada, contained one hundred and forty thousand houses, still be- token an ancient place of great importance and magnificence. Without the walls, tumuli, the sepulchres of the former…

skill, patience and ingenuity, and were boldly carried along the most precipitous mountains, fre- 11 42 quently to the distance of fifteen or twenty leagues. Many of them consisted of two conduits, a short distance apart ; the larger of these was for general use ; the other and smaller, to supply the inhabitants and water the fields, while the first was cleansing ; a circumstance in which they bea…

they were excellent, as is ap- parent by their works, which remain to this day ; and also they were (then) very ingenious in making Aqueducts for carrying water into dry and scorched lands, such as the greatest part of that country is ; they always made con- trivances and inventions to bring their water. These Aqueducts, though they were ruined after the Spaniards came in, yet several reliques and…

some ruins and appearances of them." In describing the temple and gardens at Cusco. Garci- lasso observes, " there were five fountains of water, which ran from divers places through pipes of gold. The cisterns were some of stone, and others of gold and silver in which they washed their sacrifices, as the solemnity of the festival required." Fountains. Artificial fountains and jets d'eau are of ext…

the highest part of the 13 50 Janiculum hill, and Dominica Fontana, and Carlo Mederno, furnished the designs for its construction. The front is adorned with six Ionic columns of red granite, on which an attic has a tablet containing an inscription with the pontiff's arms placed above it. Between the columns the spaces are open, and from these arcades the currents of water flow with a loud noise, a…

about 14 feet ; and on its summit stands an Egyptian obelisk formed of red granite, 55 feet in height, and covered with hieroglyphics. At the four sides of the rock are colossal marble statues, which designate the four great rivers in dif- ferent quarters of the world : viz. the Danube, the Nile, the Ganges, and the Plata : and from these statues the water flows in copious streams to the spacious …

; While murmurs sooth each awful interval Of ever-falling waters ; shrouded Nile, Eridanus, and Tiber with his twins, And palmy Euphrates ; they with dropping locks Hang o'er their urns, and mournfully among The plantive echoing ruins, pour their streams.' " Ruins of Rome. HISTORY OF THE PBOGBESSIYE MEASURES EOE SUPPLYING THE CITY OF NEW-YORK WITH WATER. As early as 1774, when the population of th…

summer of 1822, and shortly after the termination of the epidemic, on the 25th of November, the Mayor, in a communication to the Common Council, on subjects relative to the preser- vation of the public health, stated that a very important subject connected with the health of the city, was a sufficient supply of good water ; and that on this subject all had been done that it was practicable, under …

of the project and the ability of the Corporation to meet the expense ; and prefaced that report as follows : — " That they approach the subject as one of vast magnitude and import- ance to an already numerous and dense population, re- quiring our municipal authorities no longer to satisfy them- selves with speeches, reports and surveys, but actually to raise the means and strike the spade into th…

together with his personal observation, for the subject matter of his report. In a report made to the Board of Aldermen in January, 1833, it was suggested that the failure of the law asked for the year previous, was in consequence of a want of suffi- cient information to warrant the opinion of the feasibility of the project, and it recommended that immediate application should be made to the Legis…

into a Law, and is the one under which, as its main foundation, the work has been constructed. 67 It was further provided, that " in case the plan adopted by the Commissioners shall be approved by the Common Coun- cil, they shall submit it to the electors to express their assent or refusal to allow the Common Council, to instruct the Commissioners to proceed in the work." The Commissioners who wer…

much importance to the city that the supply should be such as not only to answer the present purposes, but be adequate to the future increased demands, and that the quality of the water should be unquestionable, that it became necessary to extend the examinations over every watered district in the vicinity, in order to judge of the comparative merits of different sources. The Engineers who were em…

Legislature of New-Jersey as well as that of New- York, and it was also questionable whether such obstructions could be placed in navigable rivers without in- terfering with the powers of Congress to regulate the com- merce of the nation. It was feared that in locking vessels 72 through, the salt water would become mingled with the fresh above the dam where a supply would be taken for the city, to…

to be interrupted thereby, and lastly, that there would be a loss by evaporation. It was supposed that these objections might be obviated by certain precautions ; for example, the wash could be avoided by making sufficient side drains ; and the interruption liable to occur from frost and snow, and the evaporation, to a certain extent, could be prevented by closing the channel entirely with a roof …

the natural flow of water at that place, and sets the water back about six miles, forming the Fountain Reservoir which covers an area of about four hundred acres. The country forming the valley of the River was such as to give bold shores to this reservoir generally, and in cases where there was a * For some general remarks on Water, its economical and dietetical uses, an analysis of the Croton an…

Croton River where a dam could be constructed that would turn the water into a channel having a gradual descent to the required elevation at the city. So that it may easily be conceived, it is only diverting the water into another channel where it will flow on unob- structed. The manner in which water is conducted from its natural channel, for the purpose of propelling the machinery of manufacturi…

under the whole length of the Aqueduct like one continuous stone. It attains a degree of hardness which gives it the appearance of the conglome- rate bearing the name of Pudding-stone, and is an article of the greatest importance in forming foundations for walls of 21 82 great weight ; superseding in many instances, where the soil is soft, the use of piles or other timber foundation. Though we hav…

proportions of the mortar for the brick work, are two parts of sand to one of hydraulic lime. The inverted arch of brick, as well as the brick facing on the sides, is four inches thick, and the roofing arch of brick is eight inches thick. After the masonry is finished the excavation which was done to receive it, is filled up around it, and over the top of the roofing arch generally to the height o…

by using large stones laid in positions to give proper bond, and to allow small broken stone to be closely packed in, filling up all the interstices so as to form a compact and uniform mass. The wall is generally allowed to stand some months after it is completed, before the masonry of the Aqueduct is commenced upon it, lest by this weight being placed upon it before it has found its bearing, it s…

from the door and gain an entrance to the channel- way by an opening in the side of the roofing arch. The sill of the door is about 12 feet above the bottom of the channel-way. Those not intended for an entrance stand directly over the top of the Aqueduct and are groined into the roofing arch. Besides these Ventilators, there are openings 2 feet square in the top of the roofing arch, every quarter…

water ; any floating substance cannot enter it, and during the winter season when the water is frozen over no obstruction can take place to the flow into the Aqueduct, and during the summer season the water will be drawn from a level where it is cooler than at the surface. The gate chamber has two ranges, or sets of gates ; one called regulating gates, and the other guard gates : the regulating ga…

width is 7 feet 5 inches. The sec- tional area of the interior is 53.34 square feet. On the first plane, the Aqueduct is larger ; being 2.05 feet higher at the gate chamber, 2.31 feet higher at 2244. feet from the cham- ber, and then diminishing, to the head of the second plane, where it assumes the size above mentioned and continues of that size throughout the remainder except in tunnels, where i…

water are the richly cultivated slopes with the 96 neat farm houses overlooking the lake, or the hills crowned with forest trees, while at intervals a valley or ravine opens and empties in its tribituary stream. Plate IX. is a view taken above the dam showing the position of the entrance to the tunnel which leads from the Reservoir to the gate chamber at the head of the Aqueduct. The entablature w…

of water flowing on such occasions. With such opportunities to become acquainted with the changes of the stream they could not fail to know the quantity of water flowing at periods of the highest freshets, and know- ing it, to adapt an overfall of sufficient capacity for its dis- charge. For this purpose it was thought ample provision was made ; yet at the time when the work was nearly completed s…

dam, an em- bankment of earth is filled in, extending 275 feet from the masonry at the base, and extending from the masonry with a slope of 1 foot in 5 on the top. The whole work about the dam possesses great interest, and though it be distant from the city and somewhat difficult of access, will not fail to please those who may take time to visit it. Just above the place where the dam is construct…

over the roadway and rising high up above the old mill, and what adds much to this boldness, is the narrowness of the arch, or small distance from one end of it to the other ; being only 23 \ feet long at the springing line while the span is nearly four times this length. The length of the arch dimin- ishes towards the crown, the ends being in planes not verti- cal, but inclining towards each othe…

mile. Plate XVI. is a view of the work at Jewell's Brook. The culvert for the stream is 6 feet span and 148 feet long. The larger culvert for a private road is 14 feet span and 141 feet long. The wall which supports the Aqueduct at this valley is 50 feet high. In this case, as in many others, the slope wall which covers the face of the embankment has an arch turned in it over the top of the culver…

RW a P H e 107 the Aqueduct, would support iron pipes. The design was a bold one, yet instances where such bridges have been con- structed for road-ways afford examples of the feasibility and permanency of the structures, and prove that the application of that principle for this purpose was riot a visionary project. The plan which was adopted as the most suitable under all the considerations of ec…

of an Aqueduct bridge of masonry was adopted as the proper one for crossing the River ; but in establishing its altitude they complied only with the requisitions of the law, and made the soffit or under side of the arches at the crown, 100 feet above common high water level. This would not carry the work up to the level of the Aqueduct, and would render it necessary to connect the Aqueduct on each…

reared upon the foundations formed by the people of that day. The water is now conveyed across this valley by an iron pipe of 3 feet interior diameter. In the progress of pre- paring foundations for the piers of the bridge, an embank- ment has been formed across the River and the pipe leaving the Aqueduct on the north side of the valley follows down the slope of the hill, and crossing over the Riv…

miles from the Croton Dam. This valley is 1900 feet across, and the Aqueduct is supported upon a foundation wall of dry stone work having the face laid in mortar, except over three streets where bridges are built, having an arch of 30 feet span for the carriage-way and one on each side of 10i feet span for the side walks. These bridges are over 98th, 99th, and 100th streets. Plate XXI. is a view o…

stone wall 4 feet thick having the face laid in mortar : the inside face is protected by a slope wall of stone laid without mortar, If foot thick. The top of the bank is 4 feet above top water line, and the inside slope wall terminates at 2 feet above top water line, leaving the remainder of the face to be covered 116 with grass, so as to present a belt of green above the water on the bank entirel…

draws from the southern division at G, and a branch of it passing along within the vault draws from the northern division at H. Provision has been made on the east side of the Reser- voir for supplying that part of the city when it becomes necessary. At present there are two pipes leading from this to the Distributing Reservoir, each 3 feet interior diameter, and they are arranged that both may dr…

The height of the walls is 45 feet above the streets around, and about 50 feet above the foundations. The water is 36 feet deep when it reaches the level de- signed for its surface (which is 4 feet below the top of the walls) and the surplus, when the Reservoir is full, passes into a well in the division wall and is conducted by a sewer in 42nd street to the Hudson River, which is one mile distant…

of the water into the city : and it was an occasion of unrestrained enthusiasm and joy. Multitudes came in from the country around, and from sister cities : — all business was laid aside for the pleasing ceremonies of the day, and the Croton water, with the beauty and grandeur of its fountains, met with a welcome which showed that its value was appreciated. * This includes, besides the actual cost…

ments of Van Helmont and Mr. Boyle, who maintained that it could be changed into all vegetable substances, as well as into earth ; but it was substantially held until the middle of the last century, (1781,) when Mr. Cavendish proved that this liquid was a compound of oxygen and hydrogen. Natural History. In the inorganized kingdom. Water is very generally diffused over the surface of the globe, fo…

life. Water, therefore, which is transparent, colorless, inodorous, and tasteless, is called good and pure, and none other can be called such ; though some medical writers are of opinion, that it is not necessary it should be in this pure state for common use. Such opinion however is undoubtedly erroneous — II. In the organized kingdom. Water enters largely into the composition of 127 organic subs…

and one of oxygen, 8 = 9; and in volume, of one volume of hydrogen, and half a volume of oxygen, condensed into aqueous vapor or steam we can easily calculate the specific gravity of steam, for its density will be, .0689 (Sp. gr. of hydrogen) + .5512 (half the Sp. gr. of oxygen)=.6201. Water as affected by the laws of Heat. As the extensive and important functions which water discharges in the eco…

freeze and remain, exposed to the warmth of the sun-beams and the air, to be speedily dissolved upon the return of spring ! This is owing to the well known fact, that in the act of freezing a still further expansion takes place, so that the specific gravity of ice is less than water of any temperature, and conse- quently floats upon the surface. We thus see that by the contraction of water by cold…

in early spring. The expansion of water during its congelation, at which time its volume increases one twelfth, and its contraction in bulk during a thaw, tend to pulverize the soil, to separate its parts from each other, and to make it more permeable to the influence of the air. When ice changes to water, or water to steam, although at an invariable degree of temperature, yet the change is not su…

properties of rain water. It is indeed to the presence of the two elastic gases, that rain water owes the taste which renders it palatable to animals and useful to vegetables. Ice water, being destitute of these gases is extremely vapid ; fish cannot live in it ; and it does not seem either to quench thirst or to be so complete a solvent in the stomach as rain water. Carbonate of ammonia is also a…

obstacle, when it pushes upwards, and welling out upon the surface, forms springs ; the water is therefore merely a modification of rain water. During its passage, however, it almost always takes up some soluble matters, which of course vary according to the nature of the soil. It is purest when it passes through sand or gravel; in a limestone region, it always contains more or less of the sulphat…

Carbonate of Lime,. ----„- Sulphate of Lime, > Chloride of Sodium, J Oxide of Iron, 1 Silica, 1 Magnesia, Carbonaceous Matter, J Chloride of Magnesium, ) Chloride of Calcium, / Carbonate of Magnesia, - - - - - Solid matter held in solution, -'-'--' Total solid matter, Grains. 16-000 3-400 very minute portions. Grains. 16-500 2-900 Ditto. Grains. 1-42 •00 •34 •86 •70 Grains. 1-52 •44 •46 •90 •84 19…

There are many instances on record where troops have sickened and many died of putrid fever and dysentery, from drinking the water of stagnant pools and ditches or of rivers, as of the river Lee, near Cork, (Ireland,) which, in passing through the city, receives the contents of the sewers from the houses, and is otherwise unwholesome. 137 The organic matter contained in river water consists chiefl…

water is owing to the air, and carbonic acid mixed with it. The air contained in water, has a larger proportion of oxygen than atmospheric air, and hence it is better adapted for the respiration of animals. The water procured from wells in the city of New- York, has gradually been growing more and more impure, as the city has increased in size, until a very large proportion of it, is entirely unfi…

law, no great confidence can be placed in the returns, — those carried out of the city for burial, not having been included. From a " Report on the subject of introducing pure and wholesome water into the city of Boston, by L. Baldwin, Esq., Civil Engineer," it appears that the whole number of wells in that city in 1835, was 2,767. The water from 2,085 of these wells was drinkable, though brackish…

the state of carbonate ; if after, as well as before, in that of sulphate. Tea may be sub- stituted for galls, to which its effects and indications are similar. Fcrro cyanide of potassium yields, with solutions of the sesqui-salts of iron, a blue precipitate, 141 and with the proto-salts a white precipitate, which becomes blue by exposure to the air. 10. Hydrosulphuric Acid. (Sulphuretted Hydrogen…

| In the Frith of Forth, - - - 312 " I At Ritzebuttle, - - - 312 " At Apemalle, in Sleswick, - 216 " At Kiel, in Holstein, - - - 200 " Baltic Sea At Doberan, in Mecklenbergh, - - 168 " At Travemunse, .... 167 " At Zoppot, in Mecklenbergh, - - 76 " At Carshamm, - - - - - 66 " The average quantity of saline matter in sea-water is 3| per cent., and its specific gravity about 1.0274. The composition o…

Of acetate of soda a 100th part of the water is a prese: Of arseniate of soda 12,000th " Of phosphate of soda 30,000th " Of hydriodate of potash 30,000th " Of muriate of soda 2,000th Of sulphate of lime 4,000th " Of nitrate of potash 100th rvative. 144 The sulphates of soda, magnesia, lime, and the triple sulphate of alumina and potash, possess about the same preservative power ; which appears to …

the city of Lowell. The first examination was made from a sample of water taken from the source or spring-head before it had entered the leaden pipes, when the specific gravity was found to be 1,000,18. The pint, on evaporation to dryness, yielded 2.37 grains of solid matter. The solid contents of an imperial pint were found to be, Grains. Chloride of Sodium, - 1.54 Chloride of Magnesia, - - - 0.7…

oxidation of the lead. These * Containing 4.05 grains of solid matter to the gallon, or about one 18,000 part. 147 pipes have been highly recommended by our first chemists, and other men of sci- ence, as furnishing an effectual safeguard against the corroding effects of pure water This highly ingenious process, strengthens the pipe, without diminishing its elas- ticity, and although some small por…

may be momentarily assuaged by wetting the mouth, or holding a thin fluid in it — yet it can only be effectually relieved by conveying into the stomach a quantity of fluid sufficient to supply the deficiency. This supply is termed dilution, from the fact that the fluid is absorbed and carried into the blood, which it renders thin, and the fluids themselves are called diluents. Thirst, however, doe…

of the country, is to be found in the impure water, with which the former are so generally supplied, and we may confidently predict, that in consequence mainly of the introduction of the Croton River into the City of New-York, no city in the world of equal size, will surpass it in salubrity. To the operation of the same cause, we may doubtless look with confidence for a decided improvement in pers…

we shall not consider its intro- duction purchased at too dear a rate, even were the expenses attending it increased to double the actual amount. We need not attempt to specify in detail the benefits which are likely to accrue to the city of New-York from the introduction of an abundance of pure water. Its * " It has been computed that the Boston people have drank sufficient lime, were it all coll…