The public mind shrank from such a tremendous and seemingly fantastic proceeding as the construction of an aqueduct from the far distant Croton; whereas the Bronx, running straight down into the Harlem River, seemed to have been appointed by nature for the exact emergency. Previously to the sending out of Colonel Clinton, the only thought bestowed upon the Croton in this connection had been with reference to the possible joining of it to the Bronx by means of an artificial canal; and surveys had actually been made to that end, which, however, afforded no satisfaction. Colonel Clinton's report was a very able and elaborate document. Carefully examining the Bronx project, he estimated that the maximum quantity of water deliverable to the city from the Bronx River and the various feeders that could be availed of in connection with it would not exceed 12,000,000 gallons per day. He considered that (his quantity would be sufficient for a quarter of a century, but predicted that the city would have to resort to the Croton eventually;

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and he hence concluded that it was expedient to lead the Croton water at once directly to the city. "In the Croton River at Pine's Bridge," said he, " there is never less than 20,000,000 gallons of water passing in every twenty-four hours. The river at this point is therefore capable of supplying one million of people, allowing a consumption of twenty gallons to each person. This supply can be augmented by constructing reservoirs, and we have seen . . . that one reservoir could be constructed which would supply more than 7,000,000 of gallons per day within a few miles of Pine's Bridge. But if it were necessary, more than 7,000 acres could be ponded, and the water raised from six to sixteen feet; and also other supplies could be obtained, as I have before stated, in alluding to the Sharon Canal route and the East Branch of the Croton River/' He favored the conveying of the water to New York in an open canal, and calculated that the total cost of the work, including the means of distributing the water through the city, would not exceed *2, 500,000.