The result of this little discussion was, that in a bill asked for by the Common Council and passed by the Legislature, for the purpose of authorising the water Commissioners to take possession upon agreement or due appraisement, of lands or roads overflowed by the construction of the dam, and to make new roads and bridges in lieu of those rendered useless, the following clause is inserted :

11. The said Water Commissioners shall, semi-annually, or at any time, if required by the Common Council, report to the Corporation of the city of New York, a general exhibition of the state of the work, including a full detail of the amount expended, and of the progress made by them in the furtherance of the contemplated object.

In their next semi-annual Report of July, 1837, the Commissioners courteously refer to this section and say, " in complying with this provision of the act of May, 1837, which

we do with great cheerfulness, we shall only be carrying out an arrangement previously decided on, as a matter of propriety and duty."

1837, that the work fairly began the maps, draw- It was in the spring of this year, ;

ings, and working plans having been completed during the winter, advertisements were,

CROTON AdUEDUCT. 145

on 28th February, published in the newspapers of New York, Albany, Utica, Hartford, Ct., and Philadelphia, inviting proposals until 26th April, "for furnishing the materials and completing the construction of twenty-three sections of the Croton Aqueduct, including the dam in the Croton, the aqueduct bridge over Sing Sing Kill, and the necessary excavations and tunnelling on the line of about S miles from the Croton to Sing Sing village."