Weston offered no estimates of the cost of the work he recommended, but urged very earnestly, that no time should be lost in securing, at any rate, the right to use the Bronx fiver, Avhich then might, as he supposed, be had for a reasonable compensation ; but which from the great advantages for manufacturing purposes that it offered, and its proximity to the city, he argued would rise very much in value.
deserving of notice, that among the various uses to which, Mr. Weston says It is
the surplus water might be applied, he specially instances, ^ the supply of dry docks, which may be constructed to receive the largest ships."
When all appeared to be thus ready and ripe for the accomplishment, by the Corpo-
CROTONAQ.UEDUCT, 95
ration, of a work so long projected private interest stepped in, and paralyzed the whole proceeding. It was at this period, that Aaron Burr* had conceived the plan of organising an association, which, on the condition of accomplishing what was so ardently desired the supplying the city with pure and wholesome water, should obtain from the Legislature the concession, in perpetuity, of banking privileges. The provision to this latter effect was, indeed, skilfully kept out of prominent view the great object purporting to be the ;
supply of water the surplus only of the capital, after effecting this object, was to be ;
employed in banking operations. These views of private interest and speculation, were aided by the real difficulty, which intelligent and practical men apprehended, in raising the money needed for such an undertaking as the introduction of the Bronx river into the city, and hence with that of Aaron Burr, we see associated the names of Alexander Hamilton, Gulian Verplanck, John Murray, and others, in remonstrance to the Common Council against the bill they had sent to the Legislature, asking for authority to execute the work.