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APPENDIX C

THE WATER SUPPLY OF NEW YORK CITY

A Brief History of Its Development from the Earliest Days to the

Present Time

[485]

THE WATER SUPPLY OF NEW YORK

I

The Era of Springs, Wells and Pumps

The natural water supply of New Amsterdam and of New York City in its early years was derived from the ponds, brooks and springs which abounded on the Island of Manhattan before they were obliterated by the construction of streets and buildings. Some of the ponds afforded good fishing, and there are people living today who remember the existence of Sunfish Pond at Madison avenue and 32d street, Stuyvesant's Pond and Cedar Ponds, which as late as 1860 were favorite resorts for skating. (Haswell's Reminiscences, p. 541.) Most of these ponds, springs and streams which once sparkled in the landscape have been obliterated by modern improvements, but a few of them may still be observed in Central Park, and on the unbuilt portions of the upper end of the island.

The earliest artificial supply was derived from wells. The geological formation of the lower end of Manhattan Island was not favorable for obtaining good water however. The rock bottom of the island is covered with alluvial deposits which appear to have been permeated easily with water from the salt rivers; while at the same time the absence of a sewer system in the early history of the town permitted much unwholesome matter to find its way into the ground. When we read that "tubbs of odour and nastiness" were emptied in the street (Common Council minutes, 1700), it is not surprising that the wells were not only generally unpleasant to the taste, but, as we shall see, were also undoubtedly at times highly unsanitary.

The wells were of the kind in use in the old country at that period, surmounted by a long pole, balanced at one end with a counterpoise and having at the other end a chain or rope to which the bucket was attached.

As may well be imagined, the abundance of water from both the wells and the natural springs was subject to fluctuations on

account of the weather. As a single instance, we may cite the experience of the troops on the upper part of the island in the year 1782. In September of that year, there was a great drouth which greatly inconvenienced and' alarmed the troops. Lieut. Von Krafft of Von Donop's Hessian regiment, who kept a diary, records under date of September 3, of that year:

"This afternoon our foragers and sharpshooters returned. They had measured at the camp but could find no water on account of the great heat of this year which had dried up everything."

The next day men were sent out to dig wells, but they could not find anything but the faintest and poorest springs, even at a depth of 30 or 40 feet. "All the wells and ditches round about were dried up." On September 27, "There was a general complaint that all the men would die soon for want of water."

The earliest wells were private enterprises, dug within the owners' enclosures; although it was the custom for several neighbors to join in meeting the expense of a well which they used in common. The first public well was projected in 1658 during the incumbency of Peter Stuyvesant as Director General. At the meeting of the Burgomasters held on July 11, 1658, the " Burgomasters resolved to communicate with the General relative to having a public well made in the Heere straat." (Records of New Amsterdam, vii, 190.) The Heere straat was Broadway. The records do not clearly indicate whether the well was built at this time.

In 1677, under the English, the Common Council began the systematic construction of wells in the public streets. On February 16, 1677 (N. S.) they ordered that "Several Wells bee made in the places hereafter menconed (for the publique good of the Cytie) by the inhabitants of Each Streete where the said Wells shall bee made, Viztt: "- one in the street opposite the butcher Roeliff Johnson's house; one in Broadway, opposite Hendrick Van Dyke's; one in Smith street opposite John Cavileere's: one in the Water Side opposite Cornelis Van Borsum's; and one in the back yard of the City Hall at 73 Pearl street.

On September 10, 1686, the Common Council ordered nine more wells to be built. These were built of stone, one halfe of the Charge of them to be borne by the inhabitants of every Streete

One or two citi

proportionably and the other halfe by the Citty." zens were appointed to have charge of each well. The practice of dividing the expense between the beneficiaries and the city was continued as long as the public well system existed.

Some of the wells at the end of the 17th century became well known by name and their locations have been pretty well identified. Among them were the following:

Name

De Riemer's Well.

Wm. Cox's Well..

Location

Whitehall street near Bridge.

Near Stadt Huys at head of Coenties
Slip.

Ten Eyck and Vincent's Well........ Broad street between Stone and South

[blocks in formation]

Many other wells were dug in later years and may be identified by reference to the Common Council minutes and maps.

Pumps came into fashion in the first half of the 18th century and rapidly displaced the old well-sweeps. After the city had bought its first fire-engines mentioned hereafter, it became particularly necessary to maintain the water supply, and in November, 1741, the Assembly enacted a law (chapter 719) entitled “An act for mending and keeping in repair the publick wells and pumps in the City of New York." This law provided for the appointment of Overseers of Wells and Pumps, the levying of taxes for their maintenance, etc. Disorderly persons frequently cut the ropes of the wells, broke the pump-handles and did other mischief of a similar nature, and the same law provided penalties for such offences.

Sometimes a public spirited citizen would give a well and pump to the city if the corporation would agree to keep it in repair. Henry Rutgers made such an offer to give a well and pump in the Out Ward in December, 1785. But generally the expense of the well and pump was jointly borne by the city and the neighborhood.

To give an idea of how these matters were managed at the beginning of the American period after the evacuation of New York by the British we may cite a few transactions of the Common Council.

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