Home / Tower, Fayette B. Illustrations of the Croton Aqueduct. New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1843. / Passage

Illustrations of the Croton Aqueduct

Tower, Fayette B. Illustrations of the Croton Aqueduct. New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1843. 271 words

On the upstream side of the masonry of the dam, an embankment of earth is filled in, extending 275 feet from the masonry at the base, and extending from the masonry with a slope of 1 foot in 5 on the top. The whole work about the dam possesses great interest, and though it be distant from the city and somewhat difficult of access, will not fail to please those who may take time to visit it. Just above the place where the dam is constructed the River had a bold turn and flowed along at the foot of a steep and rugged bank. A road passed along at the base of this hill leading to a mill which was situated at the turn of the River, before mentioned ; a substitute for this road, which was submerged, has been made along the hill side passing on the right of the gate house. Enough of the forest has been cleared away to admit of the construction of the work, but the place still possesses much of its original wildness, and to see such beautiful mechanical work standing against the rude rocks, -- to observe what changes have been wrought

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in the form of this rock to render it subservient to the purposes of the work, makes us feel that there has been a strife there ; but it all shows that art has gained the ascendency. The form which has been adopted for the face of the extension of the overfall is a reversed or double curve which would be easily recognized as Hogarth's line of beauty :