They made a thorough re-examination of the matter, concluding with the opinion that "the whole [Croton] river can be brought to Murray Hill in a close aqueduct of masonry, at an expense of $4, 250,000, " and that the revenue accruing from water-rates would " overpay the interest on the cost of the work." The plan was referred to the people of the city for ratification, and at an election held in April, 1835, they approved itby a vote of 17,330 to 5,963. In December of this year New York suffered from a conflagration which far exceeded anything in its previous history. Seventeen compact blocks in the business center of the city were totally destroyed, entailing a loss of more than

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

118,000,000. This conflagration is historically known as the Great Fire of 1835. The commissioners selected Major Douglass as their chief engineer, and on the 6th of July, 1835, that gentleman, with fifteen assistants, took the field for preliminary work in our county. Their first care was to stake out the lake to bo formed by damming the Croton, which it was at first calculated would have an area of 496 acres. But it was nearly two years before construction work was actually begun. Much trouble was experienced in satisfying the land owners along the line of the proposed aqueduct, who made vexations demands, among them the extraordinary one (expressed in a memorial to the legislature) that the legal possession and use of the land should remain with the original proprietors, notwithstanding the circumstance of its having been paid for by the city. A measure to conciliate the Westchester County owners was passed by the legislature, but it gave little satisfaction. "The consequence of this discontent was that the commissioners were unable to make any purchase, by private contract, of lands along the line, and were therefore compelled to resort to the vice-chancellor for the appointment of commis ioners to take by appraisement whatever was needed." Major Douglass was superseded as chief engineer in 1836 by Mr.