Our Brooklyn Water Works—The Two or Three Final Facts, After All.

image 1image 2image 3image 4cropped image 1

OUR BROOKLYN WATER WORKS—THE TWO OR THREE FINAL FACTS, AFTER ALL.

We are not sure but the real earnestness, amounting at last to "calling names," which has lately been and now is the position of the Brooklyn Water Works dispute, will eventuate in doing a positive public good, after all—seizing peremptorily the attention of the people, and, through an aroused and general curiosity that way, leading to a better knowledge of these Works than would have been attained by any other means. Probably, indeed, it is good for some such battue to be started by one or another, in the course of every great public work or question; so that, though the point of commencement may be frivolous, hundreds soon become interested in the hunt, and the beating of bushes, and practice of eyesight and scent, get to be very edifying.

It is a good sign, too (we like it, anyhow), when men intrusted with the people's power and purse are made to understand very distinctly, and without stopping for any deference or polite terms, that a sleepless array of the sharpest kind of perceptive organs is surrounding them on every side—and that they are to be watched and found fault with, whether they deserve it or not. It is robust exercise for public life. Washington himself had to undergo the ordeal, in fearfully severe modes of operation. It only remains to be said that the verdict of the people, and the result of a little time and examination, quite invariably justify every public man who deserve it. Give it space enough, and the vox populi my be relied upon to the fullest extent.

Of the angry writing and talk about our Brooklyn Water Works, the questions at issue resolve themselves into two or three very simple inquiry-statements:

Whether the Works are perfectly built, and accord with the fundamental provisions of the original plans and contracts. And whether the said Works now prove to be, in practical results, free from any important blunder.

Whether we are going to have in Brooklyn as full a supply of water as was calculated on. And whether this supply is to be unfailing for future ages.

Whether the final aggregate of the cost of the Works will exceed the original aggregate fixed upon.

Whether the Board of Commissioners have in any way played foul with the funds under their control.

These, we say, are the main things, and the people will be quite indifferent to minor matters, if the foregoing can be satisfactorily answered.

We have been several times over the line of these Works, and have watched the progress of the most important and finished portions of them, Baiseley's Pond,¹ the Conduit, the Well Pump, the Tubes, the Great Reservoir, &c., with special interest from the beginning; always cheerfully met (we here acknowledge, for the first time) by any of the Engineers, either the Chief himself, Mr. Kirkwood,² or by any of his numerous staff, with the readiest willingness to explain and enlighten us upon all points. And we must say that the result of these continued and most interesting examinations has come to be in our mind, the settled conviction, from our own observation, vitalized by the intelligence and judgment of numerous experts, not only of the Works but others entirely disconnected, that, of this Brooklyn Aqueduct, taken as a whole, there is not only in modern times any where, no more perfect constructions—no triumph of Engineering and Science to excel it—nothing where the art of man has better used his wondrous modern knowledge and the unlimited command of the best materials, and the most critically overlooked workmen—no work more worthy a proud, populous, ambitious and opulent city, full of the spirit and the means to do as much as any city upon earth has ever done, for a similar purpose, before. Nor do we think there has ever been anything superior in ancient times; the Roman Aqueducts and Cloacæ³ were more ponderous—but modern science produces the same effects and permanency, with lighter build. These Works, conscientiously planned and carried out, to last, not for an age, but for ages and ages, stand, we emphatically repeat, without a superior upon the earth. Other works, both in Europe and America, have been more extensive, and cost immensely more money; but the decision in the comparisons of the chef-d'oeuvres of Engineering and Science is not made upon mere size, or the outlay of the most money. Sometimes indeed the smaller is unspeakably ahead of the larger.

Determined language like this will of course sound loud to many Brooklynites who have not yet dared to hink that here, coming home to our immediate presence, we have such a work, in its sort the peer of the best of any other city, and fearlessly offering itself, a modern comparison, beyond any thing the mistress of the antique world could boast.

Take the combination involved in the planning, building, and making work harmoniously together, the Well-Pump beyond East N. York, the Tube-Pipes and the great Reservoir, elevated up there with its oceanic wombs, its magnificent centuries-defying masonry, and the curious mechanism of its influx and efflux gates—a combination of hydraulic laws, so delicate yet so unerring, and broad-spread as the earth—of steam-power, iron, granite, and hardening cement—these made to subserve the most stupendous and swiftly-playing motion, continually shifting the volume of such vast bodies, and passing them hither and thither at will;—all this we say is no ordinary success even for this successful land. It vies with the grand scale on which Nature herself works, and seems to offer something through whose mile-long veins and in whose acres of breast and function, beat the pulsations of a mighty living heart, a soul.

From the discoveries and light thrown on the hydrography of Long Island, since the Water Works commenced, it is now rendered quite certain (from pecullarities which we have not here time to enlarge upon), that the theory of these Works, as carried out, is adapted to receive, whenever the day arrives for them, just as much further accessions of the quantity of water as may be called for, no matter to what extent; and that the water can be had, to any extent desired, even if it should be twice or five times, or ten times, or fifty times, the highest quantity specified in the present contracts. Long Island has probably a hydrography different from any other place known; the supply is exhaustless.

The water itself has a character of its own. It is deliciously sweet—it almost has a flavor. Many a time in passing along the line, and at Baiseley's Pond, or at some of the springs, have we realized the sweet character of this water. We have drank in all part of North American, at Niagara, at the Straits of Machinaw, the Missouri, the Mississippi, the Ohio water—and we say there is none to equal this product of the Long Island ponds, fed from their myraids of natural springs—filtered through the sands and rocks that underlie our island surface. It is far, far better than the Croton.

Of the financial part of the inquiry aroused by the late and pending Water Works dispute, we have only to say that we have not yet so far lost faith in human nature as to suppose that a Board like these seven Commissioners could deliberately violate their trust, and the public confidence—at least we cannot believe so, without some positive basis of charges, supported by proof. Not the first indication of anything like a proof of that kind is adduced by the Aldermanic report. The most that can be said about it is that the Commissioners, in their judgement, decided on certain minor changes, modifications, alterations, and transpositions which Messrs Backhouse,⁴ Douglass and Franks, in their judgment, have found fault with. We suppose the Commissioners are quite willing that the public should decide between the two.

Some remaining considerations, in conclusion, we shall present our readers to-morrow.

---