DOCUMENT No. 15.

BOARD OF ALDERMEN,

JANUARY 22, 1851.

The following report of the Croton Aqueduct Board, with ordinance modifying the water rates, was received, laid on the table and ordered to be printed.

D. T. VALENTINE, Clerk.

To the Honorable the Common Council

of the City of New York.

The Croton Aqueduct Department in reply to a resolution of the Board of Aldermen, "That it be referred to the Croton Aqueduct Department, to report to this Board such modifications and amendments to the present Croton water rates as may be deemed advisable, to still further equalize the burthens of such taxation, as soon as convenient,"

RESPECTFULLY PRESENT

The accompanying ordinance reducing the rates charged for Croton water.

In the changes and modifications submitted, the department has sought to remedy such objections to the existing scale, as their short experience of its operation has most prominently disclosed;-this has shown that dwelling houses have hitherto borne the heaviest part of the burthen, and on these a reduction has been made throughout,bringing the charges down to a point lower than at any previous period since the introduction of the water, and as low as the average of rates in Boston, notwithstanding the cost of the works there has been but one-third of the sum paid here to introduce our supply.

A reduction has also been made in the charge for horses at omnibus, livery, and private stables; this has been done in consequence of a prohibition issued by the department, forbidding the use of a hose in washing off carriages, and playing on horses' legs, heretofore one of the most annoying and striking sources of waste; leaving the proprietors to use as much water as they please, in the old mode of washing with brooms and sponges.

The charge for persons beyond fifteen, as a family occupying a house, has also been reduced one-half, bringing it down to twenty-five cents each, for the persons composing the additional families,--the effect of which will be to relieve the poorer classes essentially. The department would gladly have mitigated even this charge, were it not that it would offer a direct premium to the cupidity of land

lords by inducing them to crowd into a single house, or upon one lot, an amount of population seriously endangering the public health, as well as that of the inmates,--a practice which has heretofore been carried to an extent almost incredible.

In the other items of miscellaneous rates it is not deemed expedient at present to make any changes. By the existing ordinance the department is clothed with such discretionary powers in regard to these rates, as enables it to make a satisfactory adjustment in all cases of doubt, nor is it believed that these rates are now higher than the actual cost of delivering the water renders necessary.

The various reductions herein proposed, if adopted by the Common Council, will lessen the annual income from Croton water about forty-five thousand dollars,-but with the increase of buildings during the past year, now chargeable with the rates, and other new sources of revenue from manufactories, steam engines, &c., added, it is thought that the aggregate amount collected for 1851, will still reach the sum furnished to the Comptroller, and upon which his estimates for the year has been made up, to wit, five hundred thousand dollars :-any reduction below this, would necessarily embarrass the treasury, and leave a deficiency of taxes to be charged over to the following

year.

All which is respectfully submitted,

NICHOLAS DEAN, President.

CROTON AQUEDUCT DEPARTMENT,

January 21st, 1851.

AN ORDINANCE

ESTABLISHING A SCALE OF WATER RENTS FOR THE CROTON

AQUEDUCT DEPARTMENT.

The Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the city of New York, in Common Council convened, do ordain:

That the annual regular rents to be collected by the Croton Aqueduct Department, shall be as follows, to wit:

On all tenements coming within the provisions of the law of April 11, 1849, having a front width of sixteen feet and under, and of not more than one story high, the sum of four dollars; of not more than two stories high, the Sum of five dollars; of not more than three stories high, the sum of six dollars; of not more than four stories high, the sum of seven dollars; and of five stories high and over, the sum of eight dollars.

On all tenements having a front width of not more than eighteen feet, and over sixteen, and of not more than one story high, the sum of five dollars; of not more than two stories high, the sum of six dollars; of not more than three stories high, the sum of seven dollars; of not more than four stories high, the sum of eight dollars; and of five stories high and over, the sum of nine dollars.

On all tenements having a front width of not more than twenty feet, and over eighteen, and of not more than one

story high, the sum of six dollars; of not more than two stories high, the sum of seven dollars; of not more than three stories high, the sum of eight dollars; of not more than four stories high, the sum of nine dollars; and of five stories high and over, the sum of ten dollars.

On all tenements having a front width of not more than twenty-two feet six inches, and over twenty feet, and of not more than one story high, the sum of seven dollars; of not more than two stories high, the sum of eight dollars; of not more than three stories high, the sum of nine dollars; of not more than four stories high, the sum of ten dollars; and of five stories high and over, the sum of eleven dollars.

On all tenements having a front width of not more than twenty-five feet, and over twenty-two feet and six inches, and of not more than one story high, the sum of eight dollars; of not more than two stories high, the sum of nine dollars; of not more than three stories high, the sum of ten dollars; of not more than four stories high, the sum of eleven dollars; and of five stories high and over, the sum of twelve dollars.

On all tenements having a front width of not more than thirty feet, and over twenty-five feet, and of not more than one story high, the sum of ten dollars; of not more than two stories high, the sum of eleven dollars; of not more than three stories high, the sum of twelve dollars; of not more than four stories high, the sum of thirteen dollars; and of five stories high and over, the sum of fourteen dollars.

On all tenements having a front width of not more than thirty-seven feet six inches, and over thirty feet, and not