300
[Book III.
to assist Mm and to supermtend the works, and several contracts weremade for materials. To meet the expense =£2500 in treasury notes wereordered to be issued, and subsequently further amounts were printed andissued. One of the small notes is now in the possession of John Lozier,Esq., Superintendent of the Manhattan water-works, and is in these words:
NEW-YOEK WATER-WORKS.
No. 3842.
This note shall entitle the bearer to the mm of TWO SHILLINGS,current money of the colony of New-York, payable on demand, ly theMayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the city of New- York, at the oß,ceof chamberlain of the said city, pursuant to a vote of the said Mayor, Al-dermen and Commonalty of this date. Dated the second day of August, theyear cf our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-fve.
By Order of the Corporation, Wm. Waddell,
ii«. J. H. Crdger.
It appears that the well (near White Street) was enlarged, and a reser-voir built, but no pipes were laid nor machinery to raise water erectedbefore the war broke out and put a stop to the work. The project wasnot again revived tili 1797, when the Manhattan Company was incorpo-rated : the present wells were then made and the water raised by threeor four common forcing pumps, worked by horses. These pumps raisedthe water by atmosphenc pressure twenty-five feet, and forced it fortyfeet higher, into a reservoir in the Park where the post office is now (1840)located. In 1804 the pumps were replaced by two double acting ones(No. 122) fifteen inches in diameter and with a stroke of four feet. Theywere and still are worked by one ofWatt’s steam-engines. The wateris raised to the same elevation as before. These works will probablybe discontinued as soon as the Croton aqueduct, now being constructed,is finished.
The first water-works of Philadelphia were commenced in 1799, andconsisted of forcing pumps, worked by steam-engines which raised waterfrom the SchuylkilT into a reservoir constructed, at an elevation of 50 feet,on the banks of that river ; and from which it was conveyed to the cityin pipes of bored logs. In 1811 the “ city councils” appointed a Com-mittee to devise means for procuring a more perfect supply than theseworks afforded : and sbortly after it was determined to erect two steam-engines and pumps on another location, viz : at Fair Mount, two milesand a half from the city, and near the upper bridge that crosses the Schuyl-kill. A reservoir 318 feet in length, 167 in width, and 10 in depth, wasmade at an elevation of 98 feet, into which the pumps forced water fromthe river.
The great expense attending the employment of steam-engines led tothe adoption (in 1819) of water as the moving power. A dam was erected,and in 1822 three water wheels were put in Operation; these, by crankson their axles imparted motion through a connecting rod to the pistons ofthe pumps. In addition to the water consumed in turning these wheels,a surplus remained to work five additional ones, whenever the wants ofthe city might require them. An additional reservoir was also made,which contains four millions of gallons. The water in both is 102 feetabove low tide, and 56 above the highest ground in the city. Iron pipeswere also substituted for the old wooden ones. The whole was executedunder the directions of P. Graff, Esq.
We took the opportunity while at Philadelphia in October of the pre-