The old highways on the condemned land, taken by the city, have been left open for public travel until such time as the city shall substitute others, which right the city is now endeavoring to obtain from property-owners." 1 The daily delivering capacities of the three aqueducts leading through Westchester to New York City are, according to Wegman: Old Croton Aqueduct, 95,000,000 gallons; Bronx River Conduit, 28,000,000 gallons; New Croton Aqueduct, 300,000,000 gallons-- total, 425^000,000 gallons. With the completion of the works now in their last stages, the supply obtainable by New York City from the Croton watershed will be exhausted, and it will be necessary to seek new 1 Smith's Manual of Westchester County.

27.

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

supplies from other quarters. Already there is a demand for additional works. In the early part of 1900 great public- interest and not a little bitter feeling- were excited by the action of the city authorities in arranging with the so-called Ramapo Water Company for a further supply on the basis of $70 per million gallons. The Ramapo Company, a private corporation, proposed to bring water to Now York from the west bank of the Hudson River, and had made preparations toward securing a monopoly of rights in the section whence it designed to draw its supply. The price which it proposed charging for its water was deemed exorbitant -- hence the public indignation and the present defeat of the plan. On the other hand it is the general opinion of experts that the city's water problem will again become serious before many years pass by. According to a report submitted to Controller Coler in May, 1900, embodying \ a careful study of the whole matter, the present supply will safely meet all demands for live years to come, and if proper measures are taken to curtail the excessive waste of water \ i now prevalent, a period of ten years of abundance can reasonably be calculated on; but SCKNE IN PEEKSKILL DURING BLIZZARD OF 1888. in either eventuality (lie need of immediate steps to secure new supplies is insisted on.