Thus , the writer , was thoroughly convinced that a change in the plan of the structure at this point was nec- essary . Thereupon he recommended to the Aqueduct Commissioners that this entire section of the embank- ment and core wall to the gatehouse be removed and the stone dam extended in its place . But while maintaining that the conditions allowed of no other conclusion , he recommended that a committee of three engineers be ap- pointed to pass upon a question of so vital and wide- spread importance . The Commissioners after personal investigation agreed in this and appointed a committee of expert engineers consisting of Messrs . J. J. R. Croes , Past President of the American Society of Civil Engineers ; Edwin F. Smith , Chief Engineer of the Schuvlkill Navigation Company and Elnathan Sweet , former Engineer of the State of New York . The committee after making an investiga- tion reported unanimously recommending this extension of the stone dam to the gatehouse . The general public will no doubt feel that great weight has been added to these conclusions by the concurrence of the eminent Engineers Prof. William H. Burr , occu- pying the Chair of Engineering of Columbia University , and Mr. Nelson P. Lewis , Chief Engineer of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment of the City of New York ; both of whom had been asked by Mayor Low to investigate and report thereon . On April 16 , 1902 , the Aqueduct Commissioners resolved to remove the em- bankment and core wall and to continue the main stone dam to the gatehouse . The estimated cost to complete the embankment and core wall under the original plan was $ 145,233.00 , while the preliminary estimate of the cost to remove the em- bankment and core wall and extend the main stone dam is $ 635,700 .