set. A capacious and well-built vault, arched, and laid in cement, with a convenient man-hole inserted, was made to enclose them, furnishing perfect facilities for all future repairs, as well as to open and shut them. Originally, in laying down these large mains of twenty, twenty-four, thirty and thirty-six inches diameter, all the stop-cocks, with perhaps two or three exceptions, were made to open and shut vertically. The great danger of this arrangement will be apparent, when it is stated that the valves are attached to the piston which elevates them, either by an ordinary screw-thread, or by rivets and bolts, which are acted upon with great rapidity by oxydation, rendering it certain that in a few years, more or less, this frail support will be eaten away by rust, and the valves suddenly fall. The effect of an instantaneous stoppage of a column of water thirty-six inches in diameter, a mile or more in length, and moving at the rate of four miles an hour, can scarcely be conceived! No pipe ever constructed would sustain the tremendous reaction; a rupture would inevitable ensue, which, if happening in the night, would probably produce incalculable damage before the water could be shut off; indeed, it is not too much to suppose that in pursuing its course to either river, it would cut a ravine down to the rock, and sweep away every thing opposing an obstacle to its exit.

The department intends, during the next working season, to substitute horizontal stop-cocks in place of these vertical ones, on the principal lines, as early and as rapidly as the means at its disposal will permit.

The proving yard has been removed to the plot of ground assigned by the Common Council, at the foot of Twentyfourth street (East river), which has been filled in, fenced,

and extensive sheds erected, for the storage and protection of the very large amount of public property necessarily kept on hand, to repair and replace pipes, curves, branches, sleeves, stop-cocks, hydrants, and all other fixtures and machinery connected with the administration of the department.

The application of the Governors of the Alms House, for a supply of Croton water to the public institutions on Blackwell's Island, and which, by a resolution of the Common Council of the 11th of September last, was referred to this Board with power, has received all the attention which the magnitude and character of the work demand.

A copy of that portion of the survey of the East river, lying between this island and Blackwell's island, with its soundings, was procured from the Hydrographical Bureau, at Washington; but upon examination, it was found not to be sufficiently minute to meet the objects of this department. Other soundings of the strait were carefully taken, which resulted in showing that the river at the foot of Seventy-ninth street, offered the fewest obstacles to the undertaking, though, at this point, they were found to be many and serious. The river bottom is naked rock, very pointed and uneven, and the water varying in depth from forty to seventy-four feet, with tides of uncommon rapidity.

These circumstances forbade the use of metallic pipes in crossing the river, and induced Mr. Craven, after due enquiry and consideration, to adopt a double line of Guttapercha pipes, each of the diameter of two-and-a-quarter inches, as the best, and perhaps the only means, of effecting the object; as these pipes would be sufficiently flexible,

with anchors at short distances, to adjust themselves to the inequalities of the bottom, and the singular tenacity of the material would furnish the best protection against abrasion on the rough and sharp rocks below.

A contract was accordingly made for the requisite length of these pipes; but owing to an error in the construction of the machine through which they were passed in their manufacture-with which this department had no connectionthey were found incapable of sustaining the required pressure of 300 lbs. to the inch, and were therefore condemned. The experiment, however, added to the confidence before felt, that these pipes, properly made, would meet and overcome the difficulties of the enterprise.

New pipes were therefore ordered; but as some time would elapse before they could be delivered, it was determined to select the best of those on hand, such as were found to sustain a pressure of 170 lbs. to the inch, and put across a single line for immediate use. This has been suc

cessfully done, and the water is now delivered on Blackwell's Island in quantities sufficient for ordinary domestic purposes. This temporary line has been loaned to the department (not purchased,) and upon delivery of the new pipes, will be taken up and returned.

Mortified and disappointed as the Chief Engineer was at the failure of these pipes to sustain the proof, it is not, perhaps, to be regretted, as the taking up of the present line, after four or six months' wear, will enable him to see what damage, if any, it has sustained by the shifting tides chafing it against the rocks below.

A detailed statement of the receipts and expenditures for "Water Pipes and Laying," is appended, marked E.

The most unremitting and zealous exertions of the department to abate the intolerable waste of water, have produced an effect scarcely perceptible to the public eye, though the daily returns from the Distributing reservoir exhibit the trifling gain of an average head of two feet above that of former summers;—the influent pipes to that reservoir, with the addition recently made, are now capable of pouring into it the prodigious quantity of thirty millions of gallons per day; yet it frequently happens,--on Saturday's especially, when zealous housewifery puts every street washer in requisition (whether necessary or not), that the reservoir is drawn down to half its capacity, equal to ten millions of gallons more, and making an aggregate of forty millions of gallons for a single day's consumption, in a population (within the water district) of not more than four hundred and thirty thousand persons, or ninety gallons to each individual!

If this shameful and wicked waste of one of the blessings of Providence, was confined to the ignorant, to those presumed to be unacquainted with the City Ordinances regulating its use, or incapable of estimating the priceless value of the waters of the Croton, there would be some shadow of excuse; but it is not so; a walk through the fashionable quarters of the city will exhibit as much wanton neglect of the rights of pedestrians, as ready, and defiant a disregard of limitations to the use of street washers, as can be found in the suburbs, and along the wharves, in the unlawful opening, use, and abuse of the fire hydrants. It is in vain

that this department essays to stop the evil last referred to; it has not the means, nor the number of men at its disposal to effect it, nor if it had, would both be sufficient, without the aid and support of other departments of the city government. The subject is already beyond its reach, and the fire hydrants within the control of thousands of irresponsible persons outside of this department, and over whom it can exercise no supervisory power. The Aldermen and Assistant Aldermen can open them, so may every person employed to sprinkle the streets, every gang of street sweepers, the firemen (rightfully and properly), the employees at every ferry,—at all the wharves occupied by steamboats, and their barges, and at the railroad stations; the Health Wardens do it without law, and not unfrequently it is done. by members of the police. Nor is this all the hundreds of hangers-on about engine houses, the volunteers, the runners with fire companies, these excrescences upon that department, have each a wrench to open a fire hydrant, and the spirit to show their proneness for mischief by doing it at all times, and in despite of every body. It is safe to estimate that these wrenches to open hydrants are in the hands, or under the control of more than ten thousand individuals!

The present ordinance imposing a fine-upon conviction of opening one--not exceeding twenty-five dollars, in the discretion of the magistrate hearing the complaint, is found to be quite inadequate to check the evil; the requisite proof is not always attainable, or if obtained, is met by the production of a permit from some member of the Common Council, who, though he might himself open it, cannot delegate that power to another, but which must neverthe