"In  respect  to  the  boroughs  of  Manhattan  and  the  Bronx
your  board  received  in  June  of  last  year  a  communication  or
petition  from  the  New  York  board  of  fire  underwriters,  making
a  most  forcible  appeal  for  a  larger  water  supply,  which  can  be
brought  to  the  city  at  such  elevation  or  under  such  pressure
that  it  can  be  delivered  through  the  distributing  mains  and  in
houses  to  the  top  story  of  every  building  except  the  very  high
office  and  business  buildings,  without  the  necessity  and  expense
of  pumping  either  by  the  city  at  the  high-service  stations  or  by


Nos.  26-27.]  2695

the  owners  or  tenants  of  buildings.  The  demands  made  in  that
communication  or  petition  are  summarized  as  follows:  Protec-
tion against  fire  throughout  the  city.  A  more  efficient  supply  to
the  modern  high  buildings  which  represent  large  and  rapidly
increasing  values.  A  general  supply  to  all  buildings  of  ordinary
height  without  private  pumping;  and  pure  mountain  water,  in
sufficient  quantity  to  prevent  scarcity  in  case  of  accident  to  the
present  system  of  reservoirs  and  aqueducts.
"  Petitions  of  the  same  purport  and  the  same  urgency  were
presented  to  the  commissioners  of  the  sinking  fund  in  September,
1895,  from  fire  underwriters,  real  estate  owners  and  agents,  bank-
ers, hotel  keepers  and  others,  with  resolutions  of  the  board  of
trade  and  transportation  and  the  chamber  of  commerce.
"It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  petitions  which  relate
more  particularly  to  the  water  supply  of  the  boroughs  of  Man-
hattan and  the  Bronx,  though  they  have  the  intention  and  object
of  securing  better  water  service  for  the  entire  Greater  New  York,
have  been  presented  since  the  acquisition  of  a  large  additional
supply  through  the  new  Croton  aqueduct,  w^hich  came  into  use
in  July,  1890.
