responsibility of changing the plan of the Commissioners ; and now, believing it to be our duty to carry into effect that plan which shall require the least expenditure, and which may be completed in the shortest time, while it takes nothing from the permanence and usefulness of the object, we have adopted the plan by syphons. With these impressions, and in a firm belief in their correctness, it would be the height of impropriety in the Commissioners, under the circumstances of the case, to change or abandon the plan they have adopted ; and they will therefore proceed in its execution, unless restrained by due course of law." The summer of 1838 was one of unusual drought which, while favorable to the ;

work in hand, especially in the masonry, afforded an opportunity of comparing the flow of the Croton with that of ordinary seasons.

Accordingly, on the 16th August, Horatio Allen, Esq., principal assistant engineer, guaged the stream at two different stations the one gave as the result 26,386,560 gallons, running in 24 hours, the second, 28,738,000, averaging 27,584,780 gallons, or nearly three times the supply requisite for the population of the city at that period.

On 5th September, 1833, Major Douglas guaged the river, and found 51,522,486 gallons running and on 26th of the same month, Mr. Stein found 50,074,044 gallons. ;

These were considered as fair averages of what may be depended on though at times the Croton rolls to the Hudson several hundred million gallons daily. But over and above the running supply, the Croton lake created by the dam, is estimated to contain 100,000,000 gallons for each foot in depth from the surface, and this may be drawn down five or six feet, yielding as many hundred million gallons. The receiving reservoir will contain 158 millions of gallons, and the distributing reservoir 19 millions altogether forming an aggregate surplus, in case of excessive and long continued drought, sufficient for any possible emergency.