I
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:
:J\1AJOR DOUG-LASS'
JRAINAGE AND
GR.ADU1~TION
OJ that part of the City of .sl'ooklyn, ,dlkh lies
oyer, and adjacent tal 1hc GOWUI1US lUcado '. : Read before the Comm ittee of the Gommon Council Oll Stree ts, &c., January 18th l 1847.
To the Strec{ CO)) 'nittce of the lIoll. Tile (}ommon COlLllcil '?! tlte Citz;' of Brooklyn ~GENTLEMEN:
III complianco wilh your re'-' Iest, sometime .-;ince co IDIt'tl1l1icated, that 1 shOI)ld II exnmine nnJ ropOl'tllpOll (ht' most feasible plnn, for I'egll!atin!; the gl路ad., ~ of that po,tion of t~le Cii,V whi ch occl1pic;; gonen"Iy the basin of Gowanll:> Creck; alltl pRrliculnrly Wilh j'efcrance La noy路 constructi n5 or arr::ngcll1ents IVuich it would be propel' [01' the cOI'(>ol'31ion 1/0W (0 act upon, "'ill! a view to it. jlel'maaenl and LwalthClll drainage," 1 rcspccllu!l,Y submit tbe following repoJ't,-rcgrctling that, in con t'qUf-Oce of !;prere indi. pcsition, contracted dul'ing lhe last day of my field I,crk on lila melldows, I have been unable to do so nntill'ow.
The general character and rcintions of tho tEstrict
l'efol'l'e~l
to,
an), of COUl'se, too well knm~n to tbe committreJ to l'equil'e any Jc-
scription of mine for theil' information. Il may not he improper, hower nr, ill 0. rcport lik thi3, to prc~eni a brief ontline of the raet I no the ba;i,; of, nllll (;r the PIll'!)()o'J of 'Oll ll ccli ng, in the "jew of oth t: I'~, the :;ltg~e,:,t iuns which (Ire to \01101'.'. Th e GOWHl1l. " meadows theil, I would r ' m:lrk , nr . a trart of Ic\tei salt marsh, cunnected with (he head ot' Gownnuil bay, <l nd ,. with ii, ui\'iti i n~ th e soutllOrn po rtio D of the peninslila (If Bmo l;lyn rrolll the main land of Long h land. Thei l' length, from the Bay nonherlr , is aboul a mile and a quart el', <lnd their breadth from 1~00 to 3000 feet i varying in snch proportion:; as to give nu ng~ regate arcrt of about ::>;0 acr05. From the margiu of this arCfl, on Ci'CI y :;ide c:\ccpt tho sonlll, which op ens upon the Bar, the lund rises rutilel' gell tly, ill tile IlH!n nel' of ail ~m phitlH~atn~ ' cxtenci'ing to t~l e div iLl ing rid~ 01" the peninsula on the \Ve:>l j to Ilia: c i the i..thmu' between ' o\\' a n Ll~ mHl \Yallnbolll Bays on Ihe North; and to lhe tops of lhe more eleY<llcc! ridge of the F latbl1sh Hills on the East ; the whole togcthcl' makin g abollt 1700 :lCreci of surc',ce to be uraincll, in the fcguhllioll of the -i t)'; a:; they 11al'e heretofore been dl'ai,led naturally thro ugh the meadows into Gowanus Bay.
From the ptescnt appearance of the mendows-bcillg composed of a soft black mud, li'om to 15 feet in dept h, re!Jting ltpOn n hard bOllom-it wonltl seem that (he whole space now oc upied ~y them must have beep, originally, a mere "llallol" eX,ten iOll of the Bay jt;c ll~ L1p on whieh the wash of th" sl. rrollliding hills, charged with vC'getabie mnttCt路, had gradua lly encroached, nnti l ollly a winding estuary now remain'S lor th o :l(\!'II:;sion of th e tide, and U!I :t receptacle for the ;;urfnce watel'5 biil! descen ding (rom the hills. !'1 thc actuul extellsion of tile ~i tr 01'1]1' thi" trnct-- al ready crDwdjng up on it ir. sl3vel'nl pi/leCti,-a variel), of int e~e3 ting an d importan l qu est ion , preCicnt themsch'eil, as co nn ecte r! with such extension and dc.sen-ing therefo re the attm:lion of tile Ol .lTImOn Council; I gc nerni i7.c Ihem unON th e following henu:), riz ; L As to tbe graduation of street;:; and .;rjl1ure$, (any how) over so wide n trucl of 10\',' land,,, it h due regard to the public nnd municipal interest tltel'eiu, and, at tbe s:une time, wilh sucl~ Jimi(a
j
3 tions in point of expense and ill other rC,;pccts, as noll') ovcr;;Ladow individual and privato interests, 2 . As to the dm illtlge of ~o large fI di;;[rict, gO as 10 secmc to every pHrt, 1n tho adjustll1ent of detail:;, i:(ood fllld sumciellt clJannel:) for carrying ofr tbe waste wllter ami !iewl.!r<lgc, afler the wholo shall have been built 11[1 in compact Sqllfll'05, and the naturlll watcl' courses obliterated, Thc entire bn ~ iJl, it will be ob .. erred, is capable of nccoml11oda[in ~ a population of '?OO,OOO inlllluitnllt", in rcgard to whom, as well as to the city nl largc , the great :ntel'c;;ts (If hea}[h, cleanliness and nHlllicipal poliec, are to he cOmpl'Ol1Ji:ot:d 01' s(]ctll'ed , 路irrccocably, hy the <Il'ftlngem(,llt~ I!OW to he lI!ade. 3. The presel't creek, ilein g nil arm of (h e sea , ailrl 1I0wam)rdil1:'; natural tide-wal cr approa('b t withill a . hort dist, IItC of the celltre of the city, it lH;CO illCi; : IlilC:;~ i o ll wh ethel', in the aJjl1~lI t1ent of otlter de(ails, this tacil it)' limy nll[ al' o Lc improved so :1S to >!l!cu rt.J nn important elcment Iv th e cOIJlI;!O'c,ial and /!/wlI!Jilc:/u ritlg intlJI"C5l3 or the ci ty. 0.
For the disclt5sio n of tilc-c sereml ql1eStiOtl5, :.tnd other5 of a like kino, in any manne,' ,uited to their impol'lance, I 11:1\'0 lholtgllt it my dllty to ins titLlle a rathel' particular cxaminl1LirJIt of the p[~rni5es , ill I\ddition to the prore;;sional and topograpbical
knowledge of them previously acquired, and it is a summar}' of the resu lts and conclusions at whiell I hal'c ul'ri l' ed , in viow of such examinations, that I now I"Cspectfully Jay belore you.
All the plans which eVCl' h:l\'c becn, or can be Sll~me- t ed lor the or the district in (lllCSlioll, pl'oczed upon oue 0[' Olher of two genera.1 ideas, to wit: 1st. 'fhat the tide-water ;;holllJ be utterly excltldtHI from any admittance with in the permancllt water front adopted, ot' to be adopted, in Gowan!ls lJ 3)' : the drainage inthlH co se to be [11'01";.dcd fot' by sewers, graded lip with the lowest pos;.: ilJlc I i,e froll! the lerel of (iele wat el' ill !'aiJ front, to the interior of tue eli trict; and the gra(illatioll uf thp. street<; being t]Hl S ucterlllined, the whol e arca to be fill ed t:? alld built upon, as elsewhel'r:, in compact, uniotel'impl'orCll1ent
wpted squarcs .
at'
2nd. To admit thc tide-~yalel', as now, to the head of the ll"!endows
-..
-
.~
-transforming the present estuary into a receptacle, of 8ufliciont capacilY to recoil 0 and carry ocr, by tho influx and efllux of tbe till " the enliru drainage of l!tal portion of th o ity. The recepta~ cle thus formed coulu at tho ~" IHO till1c ho ol'ganizccl as a commerchi basin, in cOllut:1xion Willi Gowanlls Roy, a[oll(:, 01', by clI((ing through the isthmus iUlo \\ allauollt Bay, connectcd witb lhat also, so as to rOI'm n regula!' na\'ignhle c:lllal, with nil the auvitntages of trade transport alld I 'harfage, through L1le heart of the cily, as well 3S II clear Oow of tiua 1'1'0111 Bay to Bay, ilt eneh rCIUI'n. "\Vith ih elie two iuea:; in view, my lirst proceedings were, o[ course, to examine tile ground ill refercn e to them, scverally, bringing cac11 to the te~ t of a rigorous analysis; and fir t, thaL which proposes to c,n111llc the tide. The realization 01 tlIis plan, after l1Iuch examination, I adopted hypothctically, [s:; [olloll's, \'i?: taking as the torminus of a s)'s~ tem of sower", a poinl in tho water front of Gowanug Bay-neal' the .lst AI'e ntlo,-at the lCI'cl of high water, and thence l'I1nning the trace or a main SOll'or, of tho larg st capacity, fl lld lowost grade, along thc lst A l'cnllC and Hoyt Slroet, (Hoyt t. bcing continued (hrongh, for thai purpose) as lill' as Gth Street, Ilnd thenco lip 61h Stroet, easlwal'llly, ,"ith tho !;all1O grado and capacity , to the 6th A"Bnlle. 'fhi,.. being the main receptacle of the s)'!;tem, should be graduated in size alld snbstance accordingly. From it I snppoJe UI'nnche:, of secolldary calil.Hc, and somewhat increased grade, running up HoyL . treet, Bonel sll'eet, Xevios street, Power; strcet, amI tlte ,11h and 5th A \ 'e llutS to Carroll st reet j (Bond and Nevins being continued Lhronglt ro 13th :meCI ;) and from Carroll stroeL wi:h u fl~rther modification of grndc anti cnlihre to Bcrgen or Dean street, where I supl'0se thom all to terminate. Finally, a subsidiary branch from Ho)'t street nlong Baltic to >..>milh, and along Rmith to Bcrgen, completes the ::)'Stem. Tbe branche;; thus estnhlislJed in parallels, Nor{h und South, are calculate(_ to receil'e,;n the most co nvenient way, hesurface drainages or tho lOfreOlS running East and.'" est; the intermediate spaces between th e sewers ~'~ing gra ded with Stln1 mi lS, and those exterior, in continuous asceuts, with such grades as are usually given to n I
drainar.:e of thls kind.
r
It might be n quesljoll, perhnps, whether branches would he uoceSS31T in ullthe (Nosth and South) stroets, ond whothor, for instancu, those in the ultern:lte stroe ts, Bond :lnd Pow ers, might not be dispensed wiill. Possibly th ey might, hut wilh much less symmetry in the general arrangements, nncl not witbo ut pl'ac; i c~ l inconvenienco ond expense in oth or respe ts ; stilllc:;", ill Iho opin ion of tho writcr, could the branch ill Slllil h street, or Ihat in the 5th AV(!lluc, bo spuroÂŁ!. T he di ~ l ri ct to Le graded, it will ho remembered , is very lnrge ' nnu with 011 the ndvantngo to be dCl'ived from the use of sewers, it wlll still h:lve at least six hundred ncrcs Jying below tl:e surfac e of ony possibJe graciuation acco:ding to this plan. The practioal effect of the arrange ment proposed, is to give the least po ~siblo elcvation to the street;: neross the low gro und, and of cour"e the !east possible atllount of (illillg, I,ith which lh a rIa\} can be carried Ollt; si nce the rise of the streets ii'urn the Bay to every part of (he low grollllC\ i:: d termiller\ fr olll th e gl'ade of the sewer<l, and these arc gr:l ded at u minilllum much lower thall would be admi5siblo for surfaeo drainage. Let liS un\\, ~ee, however, what thc height and filling of the treets, 1lnder thi3 most favorable adjustment of the maller, actually is. Nut to can'y the cOlllmittee throu!!lt :>11 the ,"olu mi nous notes and ."calculalio1l3 ',,,hich hare Lecn macle (hi- ubj ect, i( will suffice ~
all
for th e prc5cnt, to gil'\! !llelll a sumlllar)' of Ihe res ults, as follows; The magiti(I~1 or II'LI'kin~ li ne of the who le )'Stem, commences as we ha'"c ~c:cn, at hi gh wu tcr mark, on th e water fro ll l of GolVanus Bay, near the 15t avell lle, and rLes gradually as it reCedes from the Bay inlanu. Thl'! ra!e of ascent for this part of the lille, as the sewer will be l:trge, and the volume of the clrRil age probably in due proporliol1 .- ;;nu a large ,"olume requires Icss declivity titan a smaller 011c-1 ital'e aSSllmcd at only 21- in ches pel' 10 fecr or 11 feet pCI' mile, increasing to 3 inche:> 01' 13.2 fect POI' mile, in tho smaller hranche~ . Th ese may be thought raIl or low lin its, and might be found objcotionnbl ,-if il: ,teed any system of sewers on a lnige scnle, woulc.ll/.ot be ob,icc tionaLle, inn city not abundan tly supplied with water, -s:il l Ihave cllOsen to adopt them, as giving the lenst amount of 01ling, in the desire (a present t!.";e system of which I
i (j
am speaking in ' he most favorable light poSsible; and inasmuch as the objection 0!1 accoun t of the inadcql!<1cy of tlJC snpply or water, it il; hopeel, Il1ay at 110 di.:;lant day be obviate!}.
vVith tlie"e data , and lakiug tllC BlirraC of th': \lured strcerat six fue t above tho IOngi-!rnl line or lite <~\\'c )', 11'0 olJlnilt th o following tahle of grades, fO I' th e strcets no)'th of Cn)'roll street inclllsirc. Tho streets rllnn ing "lol'th and S!llllh, it wiil he abscl ved, ure given in the lefl hand collllnn, and lho~c flllllling East and Tf'tsru t top; the grade:; abOl'c higlt \Yatel' mark, being ill tli e {able as on {Ii e ground, at the iutersectiolls.
III
S~wor ~~.. ' 1\ ~'~ ? ~ ~~~ ,-If i fr-f.-~ I ~ I~ 'I ,f I~ g.:? 1~ lq~ 'I ~ I ??~ g ~ . " . ' . . II,; . I . I ' I::: ! , . II
Slreo13.. ~
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Lf---;- i':- !~ ;~,~:- I +-.wl.)-~~.-:~ brf;'- ~
nIuh ... b"lI . J .5~. JJ."l)).I. 5 ~(). 5 \l . . 1. '" . 1.80 ,2. l 3.0 . 3 1~ ,2·1.·IO ~. , .(J ., ~. , 70120 3.1 lI o ,·' ... , I:; Bl, ](j. ~ i I7.50 16. 15 I". : 1'.1.-15 ·N . ltl '10.7:. ,AO· ·d.b5·~2 1tl !l·13:. 24 .(lU ~2! (,5
Done! . .. 1=>.OIp8.3i Irt.OO ·,:' (jj 20.30 ·]O.~lj 2LliO:!?~'\· ~~.!10.~J :,5"'-1 '.!() t,:'o:I '~5.5\l i-l6. 15 r ()\'i'~~ . • l G.4;.~\1.9:' ~o.gll ~.;.2~ :!.t.~(ll~·l.a:, ~;l.;!) ~~~.~~,~!.5(\,~~. !~l~~ 19ii ·J~!"~.lOi~1, .7~ P (jWCt:l. 11 (;O, ~t.3Lt. . ...I>:I ..1.<S . 3.93 _I· .,ii <.,. 4.' •. ,.&1 ~(j.;>", J/. 18 27. a .2~ -13 UO . 4t!l A,- . . 19.'ZSI23.07 ~3.7:; '.! 1.37 2~1.Il'JI·J~.G7 21; at 21;m 27 G:! 2S.2ij~ .Il"! ..9.57.30 22130.81
~.\'" ,2~= 112 LB-!2:iA!1 26. !.:I::~.-\J;.z·i..1 t 28.0:1"
. 7-1
:?~I.39,Ju.04! 3tl.(j9 31.3.t' :11.(l!l):t!.(j·\
Compnring these gratIe Iyitlt the actual surfacc or the ground, und with lhe regulation of strcets, so Cal' as they have been regula·· ted within t}le dislt'ict in (IUestion, we ilJfer the following rcs ults, viz :
Smith strcet may he groded, \rithout di[riculty, to Ihe elevation required by the table, lIorth of Pacific str~et an 1 -ol1l h of Doug:ass; but be tween those limils, the part already graded and built upon, though now much nbo"c the nntura l sllrl3cc, wOlllrl hn \'c to be r~j5ed s till highe r-say 5~ ft, at Bergen st. ; 8 :3-<1: at ' Yrekalf; 8 at 'Vanen, nnd '/~ at Baltic.
,.
Hoyt St:'eet, in like mn.oncl', would have to be regraded , from Dean slreet south 10 D egraw st reel-adding a!;out 12 [e~t 10 Ihe prese llt elevation at ' Yycl(Qfj' and ,ValTeu streets. F rom Degraw South to 4th st. (the lille of Hoyt st. being ('ontinlled below Carroll) thfll'e would be a eOll!;idcrable .. urplnsage ea rth; but below 5th street thore would be 15 or IG leet of mud and wat(H' to ue filled in addition to (he tabular grade.
or
Bond st. would l'equire filling: genorally so uth of Pacific 3treel--
7 illcre~Ling
from 0 to 1\ ithill :2 foel of the tabular grado-from Pncifio to Baltic, south of whi 'h, from Degl'aw Sireet, it has un tlverngc of. abollt l, fef'! of wild ami mileI'. N ,1,illS fMeel nlso, by this pl nn, hegins to require fillinl';, nt Pi.lcilic stree t, ill(;l\~~_illg to the tflu ul:lI' gl'lldc IICH I' \Val'l'cn stl'c.A ; ,Ollllt of which i, e., from Baltic ,.trCPt, with the excrption of a short picce of finn gro unll ilL li'rake's Homestead, it has u depth of [luout 1;.., feel of t!lud to ho fi lled, ill addi tion to the ta!Julur
grad . Powor:) trcet hegins to fill! he/Oil) ~mdc, anrl to J'('fj llire fillin g, south oi Dean _ tl'l~ct; tbe cll1uankmcn t increasing in height, till it reacllt;::! (he tubuh\\' gradc, ncar \Val'l'CIi stree t, . Dutll J{' which it lIas th e time additioll al t1 cplh ot' mud, wilh lho sn me oxcep tion as 1 Cl'ili â&#x20AC;˘ troot. Both f t!'cc t ~, ho',rO\'CI', in th eir conti nuation ~oUlh. reach firm grou nd or light elevation south of rlt h street. The .Jtlt avenu c run' at tlt o baso llf the III\!,; nC al' the castern side of the meadows, cros,jllg onc or two loll' points of urm upland; go ncrully, howevcr, it rUllS in tho mendo\\'3 to 7th street, with a depth of from 1:.. to 15 feet of mud, besides tho tabular graclc. A considerable pnl't of th e Dlh :l\'enI1C, also, falls helow the tabular f:\ l'ade and rcquircs more 0" less of filling, panicul.lI'ly in the ncighborhood or lith anu ~th streets, at Dougl,,!:!:! street, and gcnerall,\' 1'1'0[1) Douglnss street Ea -t to Untbnsh :1I'enue.
Finally, in summ ing lip nil the data obt"ined, with a vie\1' to detel'l1Iin , th e q/lalltif!} of embankment required br (he plan undel' cOllsid er<ltion, 1 find tltat (herc (lI'e 1,1, ,GO running yards of streets-.North f.!j' Carroll street-which 1I'0nid have to be filled up to all nver:1ge 01'24 f, et :luO\'e high watel' mn ric, an 1 of which 57GO Y:lrd s would al 0 requi re fill :l\'eragc of 12 feet, ;,1 mud and Walet', below; which, reduceu to calculation, gires a total of 4,!?2G,240 cubic yard:;Jor sl}'~'e{s alone : or 17'1-1 cubio yards per lot, on 2123 lots, north of Carroll st. An d lbi3, it will be observed, is ex'elusive of aJllillin.; that might be necci~;;al'Y for the improvement of the lots tbolTI:ielre5. ollth of Carroll ~ t., os the grade descends towards the Bay, the average filliug on 20 ,311 yards of street is 15
-.
I¡
8 abovc, and on 12,2.1-1- ),an.l9, 12 feet in add ition, below high water; making a tola l of 4,0 1,559 clibic yards south of Carroll stroet. T otal, 8 ,307,7()9 cuhic yards of" stme t embunl'mcnt in a llistrict which ellll scar 'ely uo . aid to fllrni,,1! _3 single yard of nmplu earlh. feet
It seem hardly nccessary, after th is result, to institute allY further infJuirie' in regard to th o mode ofrlrl1inago bore contcJnplateu. The qu nntlfy of em bankment, C\'CII after great pai ns taking, to reduce it fa the smallest po sible, i:; still su enormolls as to leave no doubt of tuc infcasillilify of the plan , evo n bclorc comparison with any othcr plall. To make th e tlicu'sion marc r.oml'lcte, how ever, I add a brief sllllll nary of whal has UI!ell tIolle to\';ards es timati1lg the c.lpell 路c or the sewers th e m ~ e"'e" . Th e CQluruction or worb like those ~n ggcsted , through the deep mild of th e GOlYnnu " meado\\'s, ml1;; L needs be very exp~ lI :;ive , on JCCOtlllt of the dilli cultr of prc par;ng tIl!! foundations . Scwers of so greut a size eOllld nOl be tl'llst etl, flS small er drainn sometimes arc , upon a mere pl atform or timbers, resting upon tho mud; espec:ally while tile latter is unconfin ed, ami uncompacted by any general, snperin cumbe nt pressure. A sol id filling or pilnge would evidently be indisponsible ; and such therefore T'.lllSl be duly ae .. counted of in Iho est imate.it Again willi regard to the size : If the works in questiun are graduated ill all)' due proportion to the area to be drained, tbey will have to be or very unll uu! 路alibr\}. I,ooking to the se wors of the ne ighboring City for guidance in this re pect, we find that eight of the largest and mo' I imponanL of them,-gil'ing drainage to an aggregate sm fae' 0[2133 acrcs;-ha\'c a gros ' :;ectioua l area of 29;') sql1are feet; or about 011 <.: qua re foot of -eeLionnl area, to every 7 1-4 acres of surface. This IYollld bi'le for the sectional urea of a sewer adapted to the drainage of 1700 IIcres,-2;35 SfjUare feet . There arc reasons, it is tru e, why a large drain might not require the full " :KoTl';.-Th ~ Cnnul S treet SGwer, 'n tho city of Nell' York , having beull buill wilh. ~m ~ places, Htwcrn lleet, so as Jncteriully 10 im;lOir lite regularity of i grado. Tn cI ~ uch )lIne g, a heu\ y deposilo ~f mud has accumulaled, by I'Clle trlllioll or olhcflvise, lilLwOlO than unlfof lho original wlllor,wlIY
oul due care il1 lhis re"prCI, has ~u l1 k ill hllS b8cu obstrucled.
.::
me ~llr.' : 'his proportion ; but on tho oIlier hand, the ueclivity of til" ... , ~ "leing much greatcr in Brooklyn thall in New York, there might oft ell be a Inrtier ynlllme of wnl,1r ~e{!king di ' cltnr ,e. Upon thr. whule, and wilh a "i ' I',' to I'CprC~el' : the cnsv in its most fnvornl)lc n'pect ,T hare take!1 1GO ':',uar J ~cd ::.: 1I1C (l el1s t nd llIitljilJle) sect ion for [he Iwimary, or MiiC1' j'arlio.: f); t: 16 S~'~W Ill, wi lh n dimilllltir)!1 011 tl:e . ubol'L iUllle r~n::;he,:, ~r' .: :'hi.C.;.; ./Iully f:O\rn to the calibre of (weill!! F.~lJ~\l·c 'eet ; alltl l 10n ~l:e ,.:-:.;\ '[11 lhu:; ndjus t~ cd I havc based the ['o~' o·.vin:; est; l. lI ~e:: , viz: For 3i 0 fea t of salVor say J G t""~t w' 0 by 10,
.. 6120 "
"
El "
.1 50 "
"
8~
" 6')00 " "10600"
" "
G.~"
tr
ft . cylinJc:'
5"
',
n·:~rr:;.) h~;:;l.~
" "
"
lit
:JJ.51l-t!l I~.O iO :lrl.~ O J2;;.160
p.e;) B.(J()
,t:;e
G:1.0['o ·I~ .GOO
·n. Oil
T olal fot 31.j;iO r. 01 oi ~,." ~ " !!c z~ :'::!:1 ! 0 ':,i.- :.~ '1: .. " ,.:' \')-1 , .. 0 'VO aro now prCIH:!';:!J .to eo(c. \·.-:lh :-;:u .,) i:' :c;~ ~ ~ ':)c ., t!IC . iscu~sjon of' the olh " gcm~:'u l pIal :0. d a:I1;:.~; un; gr~ril; lin,; Ihe district in questioll , \·i:.: : By mea:..; of a I;a'il 01 :ec'1 ~: lacle forme d ill th e meadows, with capacity S lmC:cnt L n :;::o~h a,.e etll'l'y oft'the draillo ge of that port ion a.!: the city, b." th : i Gfll1:~ aud eiH ux of (he
tid es.
Two modes of doing th is hnve been :>:ug csted ue worthy of inquiry: :First, lly excn\,lI ~ in ~ on e 0 : more h' :in:; neal' the head of the meadows, and connecting it, 0;' them, lly 1'. c;l~nnel way, (ll arignble or otherwise,) with GOI\'anus Bay. &conJ!tI, by cUlling n nal'igable ct-nul th rough and !hrouZh, from Go\\" nllS Day to the 'Vallabout. The ad'l3otagc in eilhe r case I wi lb reference to Iho sllbjects of grauuotiol1 and drainage, is ' 0 Cll:\blillZ us to rec lice all the grades aeros. the me,H!olVs to a 1I!i.1!i:n,ur. , only a few feet abo ve high water marl', ",hi::!: by the other me~hod wculd hal'v required lin elevation of 20 or 30 [ftel : thus reducing the embankments. not only ill p rqfi!c but materia!]), in length also. Judeed it is quite practicab le, by this arrangement, with the addition of one 01' t~ 0 .. N o,.".-'l'ho Cunei ~l tcct seIVer in New Yorl(, nooul Ihl' sizo of tho secon u g rado hero specified cll d Wilh very imperfect foullaalions, COI- t 82'2 per fou!' The .23" .ttret aud 8lh avenue se,,'cr-!J!l l!) IOllg, includhl:: ,,11 brnnch('s, and gra'htn1cd frOIll ;;~l fl . • oclionul arcn, down to lJO fcot.-CO:!t "hou l $lOll,OOO. 'l'ho latter ho. hocn rocen tlv built, ulld ~r vary fuvorablo circum5tal10es WI to eoonoOlY, i\ud 'with ~o mlliorir.l diBltlli.
ty ill tho wily of layiD g tho
,.
:
fOUlldQlio~
•
10
short drain!:, to make tbo embankmonts o\'or the marsh as slight ns would barely IlniCO for the form:dion of a good rondo Let LIS proceed then to CX'lrninc thcse two phllls, in thei,' proctic.!1 operation, andjir3f that whidt propo~es a cOllnexioll with Gowanus Bay alone. Tho lJosi/ioll fol' the ba"in, in t],is case, mnr Le aii!umed sornewhfll'o neal' tho illtcl'~ el:t ion of ]Jlltlel' anrlNcI'ins , treets; (lnd its area, fOllr, six, 01' cig!IL blocl;,;, a ~ cirClIlllotauCo!; o()el'; the larger the better, '1'lli$, to hn onneeled Ilith Go\\'anu Bay, by a straight channe l of limite,/ rli.IICII ,icJlI$, 50 as 10 C'lll!dCIl S(1, as milch n;; possible, the current !loll'ing til l'OlI!;'1 il. The Il:tt \ll'a I op orat ion of the tid e:> wOll:d or courae pl'oduco a Cllrrent, more 01' less rapid from the Bay to :ite J3asin, during th e inllu:-:, aud from tho Basin to the Bay, dllrillg tite eIHu: ; and the latte r could be quickeneJ to nny desirable e:toni, b,t' a eluice t;ate at Ih ':! outl~t of lhe Basin; which being clo"eu orcn. ionnll.\' dur:ng :he}I',lf hall' or the ebb tid e, nnd then thrOWll suddenly open, Il'ould o.Jem te as an Eclllse de Cha$se to c1enl' nway nny dcp0:iitcs which migh t have locl~et! in th e channel
way. The eOlciollcy of thi' :;ystcm, would eritlcntly be best promoted by turning all the (irainagcs or which it i!; the rec(!ptade into tlte c!t(!/II,cl /L'ay, where tbey would be talten up by the current, mther than iuto the busill, whore, as there is 110 current, the subslnnees in susrcll~iull lI'ould 1J(1c c:s~o l'ily be depo::ited, and soo n creatc obstructions. InJeed there is some difJ-icu!t)' in this respect, even in the best Jlossillie nrrnngemcnt of the piau, nri ing rrom the rel'ersion of the CIl1'1'(,IlI, by the I i ~c ami full of the tides. The flood/ide could not bllt cnrr)' somewhat of the matter:; reccilred from th", stree ts inlo the basin, and deposit them th ere; and the latter th ough ever so frequentl), dr~dgcd . might become the 1Il0re olrensi l'c from this necc.sll)'. 'fo obl'iatc this cI'il, I pro]1o;;e, instcad of the nrrang'ement hero described, the 1'011011 ing, \'iz : In lien of the uasill, I would construct a dOl/Ole a!l1al,-with its t\\'o branche" parallel to ench other, alld ul any cOllvenient distance apart ;-lIni;cd by a semi-circle nt the head o. Ihe meadows, one of the branches then to be furnished with nn il/jll/clIl gale- (o]1e71ing 01l1y illward)-at its outer terminus; :md the other, with an
11 ~tJI,lIel!t gatc-(opclIillg 0111'1 olilwan~-the oilee! of which would be to ci ctl'rrnine the current nlll'u)'s 1/i1clwilgably, from ' be inAuent
to the cmuen! terminus, r:;\lppo~e, [ot' instance the wuter is at low ebb and the ~OI/l{:Il! ga tc oJlcII,-thu first movcment 0: Ihe young Oood clvsos tho cillllenl, and opens tho inllllcnt g~to , and ill the proores~ of the /Iood, th e whole cunnI has to he filled by \lIater passing roulldji'o/1/ (ltat extremity. Presc.:l tly flS the tide turns, the order of the ga tl!s iii rev rsed.-thc in./lllcJI( d o ing und tile ~O//{l!lIt Oj1Cllillg, by their own "elf octioll,-alld nolO th e ",hule ('anal is 10 be emptied uy the irat eI' passing l'OI11111 Lti ll us before, i'rom the i/l/IIIcnt \0 the r:Olll!!Ill telll1il1l1 '. Tho canal in fael becomes u sort of ril'er, running, wilh a ya rill~lc current indced, but always in the same direction. The canal, for the realil:ttiol1 of this plan, I h;\\"e asslimed at 45 feet bOllom width, S] fee l at the surface of tb e water, and 1 'Z r'~et deep j with slope', ;:\s ill canah gOIl(' ra1l),,--1-2 to 1. ,Vitll these meaSLlres, each bran,;h - from the a~ S l1l11 eU water front of GO\\ unlls Bay to the head of the mcauow;;,-will he about efjllal to a basic of fOIll' block.; and tire quantilY c. f clean sea-,'.'atcr passing through daily will be in that case about 200,000 tons ntne::p t.ides , anu nearly 400,000 tons a! spring tide:;. Tlle;;e CJuantities morcover, may be inc rc3l;eci to almost any extent, by cOllnecling busins for commercial purpo:;e~ , wilh the line, any where ,,路;tbin the ga .es, since the-e bnsin<; wo1i1 I also have 10 be filled lind el!1Jl licu by 0 current flowing through the canol. FiJlally the current I:~ r~, ns in the former ca. e, may be accumulated al any rcrll1iroJ poin! Ly the addition of Juice gates, either (0 the cnnal propel' or to the basin which commllnicaro?s wllh ir. 'The accompanying pilln No.1 ~how- ,he general nrrangel11cnt of the system hel'<' described: A. A. repre:ienting the canal i B . its illfluellt g:tle at (Ie terminll~ of the eastern branch; B. ils 4.1I/lcl~t gate :It tbe term inns or the westcrn bran~h; C. and C. commercinl basins, 'mncctcd with ,he re~p f: cti\'c brunches. nne! operaling'lo increase the curr~nt of water; sincl1 tho basin C. has to ~ .filled hy the (low of 'vater, Ihr')lIgh the .n tirc cHnal from the gmt: B ; and C. to be emptied by n li~e now from i. to tile gato B . fiually
D. D . reprosent cross basins, conneCtlll!! tiIC two brancl es, and sOI'l'illg a5 re:;o\'\'o'r:> for sluice gatos to operato at plea!'u re upon tho maill calln l; , hile I.lq in turn IllU)' b0 opomlCt! ul-Jn , ill a similar wa:, II)' fill_ hi~ " tho wa;or II-OIU tho in lu on ! bl'ullch th rough them as occasion rc ';ui;-a~ . or cou;';;o it will be seon Ihat no mi nuten ess of uetail b nit led :.!, i: tl o Ildjustment of these parts of the
diagram . A fow wo-as only rem. b ~o ~)e said n the construction and cost of this arra ngemen t. ...~ l.e iLIon which has g~llernl! ' pr~vail('j wilh regard to the constl"l1ctiol1 of u c:mal tLl'Ollg!1:!I': meailo路.r,., i~, '0 fur as I can learn , to secure ' b uan;{~, i;;.- :: I'p.,;;u!nr , \;i1c!mo of crill-work . As this, howev(\r, i:; \;I::'!r c:: )0 1: ivo com pared witil othel' modes of constl'lIction, und not :.1 ' !~e !;' by any means as ,.'cll adapted for can al ball].;:;, " jJere Ihe O)j ot l5 to rCiain w tel' at llifle renl lovel', I have t. ken SO!i1C: p' ins to l~:;cert[\; il the. 'nclicahili ty of lhose oth er mod cs in rcfercncE to :he p ' 50llL cIn e. '1 ;IC l'e5l1 it is a fi!'m conviction tlml it iii no cdy ;)I'aclica:Jle, Lut more CC0I10;1l: al as well as morc efl;cicn t, to ~orm the onnJ-s, n_ .;a1131 Unnl<. are ordinarily form ed, oj eMf.'I , with t!Hl c lstomnry slop~s as abo"c rio ted. Some doubt migh t arise, pe,l:r,;);:;, as to ';,he:her a s utliciell cy of the prop el' arlh could be cb:nined on the 'ille f tho loca tio ll, bu t I om satisfi ed from tl.~ r.::aal inations ma ' e, that hy a pro per adjustme nt of the track and profile, ;Jnel with dlle prccG ut!ons in t!w malJn ~ ~ of conducli g the \Y(jr~ , IlO in-u )erable diCtirul:y need be ap prchendcd on this ac;;ount, Tn due lime whcn the h nks of th e cnnn i nre, -as they rlouLtle!)'- v,ill be-lined with warehouses and manufactories, the iulere,"l ,\TId entcrpriseof privata illoh-iduals will natu rally suggest lhe cOIIGtrncliol1 of W!1ill "cs of wood or stone ; but at the )lre ~c llt, and '01' the pllrpoi! - moro especially contempla:ed by the cit)', wharf work is not necessar;i, lind the expense oj the con struction will be mntol':ally diminished hy adopting other aud preferable modes. The influent and oflluent gale: may require to bo eonstructeu al> liji-locks, and 1 hnl10 accordingl), so regarded thom i ll the estimate. 'Two other gatos are also included, [or the purposA of flusbing
13 tho canal at particnlar points where the drninage of tho stret3ts would b likely to fol'lYJ dopa it ", rlllllthis experlioll t mny be adopt.cd at oth er poin t' 011 thc linc, aceort!; ,;z to ... ircllmstanccs. \\ illl regard to th e hritl 3c' ,- 1"0111' :l1'O prnpo 'cd on each bl':1I1ch; - tb o~e of the \\'c,;tcrn braud, 10 be flll'lJisiJcil with OHlII'S, for the purpose of udmitting masted ve~s('l :! l nnd those 11 the eastern brallch to bc fixed . In conformity willa these and some olher views, in lIIatters of detail, which it is notllcccssnry !lOW to pnl'Iiculnri7.c, an es timate has Lean drawn out, of wbi ch th e' following is a -lImfl1aI'Y • .! 9.:100 clIbic l'(!d. ncomliotl nl 1.; (;01 Is .......... ... ............. .... . ......... ·t3,3, 0 :t~O,·\OO " Q/Ilbul1\ !llClI t :1 ..... ..... .... .. ....... ..... ....... ...... 117, H!O 11l7>.!iOO I ) " ............. ............. .. .... .. .... .. 39,340 !:! gtl urtl tocl;s at t8 \):,0 en,:h, aUf: ::? ~l llic, ;;,:.,,,,1 B,O:}I)..... .. .. ..... . . ..... .. 48,OUO ,! " rn\\'brirlue~ al !:!.(:OO "ll h. atld .\ !;x,·t! " at I,UOO.... ....... .. ........... 12.000 Ellt!illC'S, p\lIOI~' t rnnrltim'9', ,,":..c .. .. . ....... . .. . ..... .. . .... .. ... . _., .. .. .. . .. . ... . ...
Engineor.. oilico exp:''' ' '''' ....~l!.... .. .... .................................... .. .... ... Land, dlll.lfil;r3, Wilier r;::hts (c<limntrd).. .. .. .. . ... ...... ..... ..... .. ........ .....
2-1,5110
36.000 56,·100
'fota L. . ........................................................ . ... 8360,7·\0
Th e cxc~\'atiou of bO' ins is or COlll':;O not illclorled ill this es timate, no)' :lll)'thing for lau ds anel damzgp.s , beyond the nett width of the canol ami towpr.th , say 120 feet. 'Ve cOllle 1I 0W , finallY I to spen!' of tho aitcrnntive proj ect of j)roviding a tide \I'::.tOI' receptacle for th e drainage in question, by open iug l\ n:t\'igable c:: nal t'lI'ough the isthmus from GowanllS Bay to \Vallabolll Bay: Ihe gen eral idea ( I' 'Thich is represented in the accompanying plan r(l. 2. The Rlllire length of the line as there delin ea ted, commencing at the proposed water front in Gowanlls Bay and terminating in deep water near the Nar)' Yard, is 14.,3 /10 feel: of which 8200 feet arc ill tido-wate)' and meadow, and the rost in upl and, averaging from 1~ to 33 feet abol'f!. high water n~al'k. The ex.treme beight of tile dividing ridge , Leing 40} feet abo\'e high wtlter, and the boltom of the canal] 2 fI el below. The chil:f dillicnlty of this pIau as suggested, by this view of the case, i'> the exee sive depth of cutting, througu a portion of lhe cily ITlore or less improved, and the conse quent necessity, of eith er builJing vcry massive su:,{uining walls through the deep Cllt, 01' of di<ol'ganizing properly ,0 !l considerable eT'en t, on each side, by
the wide c.<p:Jllse of the slopes. W'idl regard to ihis dimculty much ti me has bcen 'pent 011 the grollnd, hy lhe Enginccl', und no pains spar\.J, to meet it hy the l1Iost t:olll"cllicnt :lI1r1 economica l alTongclllent th e case admits or, ane! the fnlh)!"i:lg is propo,erl os tho Ic;;: timute ane! true rrstt! t, l路i1.: Tho canal ilse;l to be proserved through lire deep ellltin g, witl! tb e sumo hOllom an d slopes as olscwhere , and the .ow-pmhs on each side: to be gra dulltcd in like manner, i . c. nl'e feet nbol'e Iri ~ll water Inark. One hundred feet to be then taken 011 eaclr sid e, frons the tow path:', and u treet luid om parall el to tho canal , widl as 1011'11 gJ({r/c as conrenictlt, in whidl the neighbouring streets, 011 ei lher hund except those -shich are to bt' bridge I 3cro-,; the canal, are slIpposcd to terminate. 'fhe dilrcrence of Icrel i)ctll'ecll the tOI"-path and this boundary street 111ay then he en;;il)' adjtt :itpd in th e spoce betwee n them; II'llich as it is pci"3te prop erty, may be illi prol'ed in a more a(h'unt~geous relation, (0 the Cfwlll on aile .<; 1/', and the street on the o:llCr, th~11 by any othel' arrangemGn( ",hatel'er. The amoun t of cioll/fTgCJ wi ll of COIlTS拢; bo somewhnt enhanced by thi:; plan, but this will bear no proportion to Lh e t'nhatleemel1l of tho C.T!.ICIiSC of COllstrllctiolL whieh would be ~ncurred hy any other. Th e bridges, in case it should be thought necessary to givc a thorough pa~sage for masted ves~el" \\'Ould porhnps const itute the most sr.riolls objcction . There i:; no diOlculty in cons tl'll cti ng them , but th e interru ption the)' woult! occasion in 50mo 0[" tb e more crowded avenues, cou ld 1101 but be :lItendeu \I ill. inconveni ence; nne! 1 have there fore supposed that (he passagtl of such vesse!s would probably be restricted to th e north side of Myrtle ave nue, on ono side, and tho south side of Dean or ' Van'e n st. on the otber. The operation of the cnna l would be cxtremeiy simple, scarcely requiring guard lock , except for particular occasions. 111<11'e however cSlilnated them and a couple 0(' slu iec gates, as in the other case, for clearing dlO channe l. By a series of obscrl'a!ions on the tides of the two Bays, of II'hic;, a table is annexed , it appears that the w:iler is highest in GOII'nf1l1s Dny, at nn al'C!r:lge 14 1-4 hour- in the 2路1 ; and the rcmnin ing 9 3-+ ill WallaboulBuy. ThcarerBgo excess in tbe firsl elISe is 12 1-2 inches wh:cb would give a meaD
I;}
lolority r abollt 1 l- 'll11il~ , prr hOllr ' in Lite olbrr, Ucill l~ but (j 1-2 iIlChc", lhe refIt!: CUrrel11 would he but 7-" th s of a mih1 per hour. The tl' HIlIlit~ or Ilater " ,I' ' ill ~ 111)\\ l' I'(~r wtluld be al.l/flliunil)' sullit'iellt for nl1t~lC IlllljlO:l''> uJ' IrLalll! anrl \,olit' now cOIlIl·lJ)platcu. 'I'lte e, }wn!'t! (II lhi · con,..trudioll, Il\ul:ill ~ .110 i! Clion of the ':nnni n befort', i- HllIlllHllilr 1,.:illlutOrl n' (ollull'>', , iz ;
r. . ":Il ion ~;ri:!(I1I ,-ul".· :' wi i.~.~!,
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t:l n",I>r ... .. .
l :uJ{1l1f .i t .IulUll' : e~l"t"
1:.·1
.. .... . , ... ..... ...... ..........
~.!/120
:1 •. tOO
.. .......... .. ... .. ....... ...... . .. ............ ..........
;.~.r)OO
.. '" .. .. .. .. ......... . .. .... .... ...... ..... .....
2~ .500
:!;.
IO"' ,~ ~ I"
1.ne
" I I:! c,ul~ ....... ..... .. . .. , ........... $ !li,O!!:i
..... ........ .................... .. ... .. .. . .............. .. . ...... .......
'f
(I"
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I'~~"
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• .............. ... ... .. ..... . ......
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, oH
... . . . .
-0' •••••••••••• •••• • •
.nl. ... .. .. .. . . ...... ... .. .. .............. .. ......
]:1,600
:U;,.5ClO
.1";,000 Li91~09
.\ ·IJn.oll.t t!"mn~ ...i 0'.11 ;.\,. Ih' l uI\' 1'~lb- "Y (r'llr3fl) ...... ...... _8:'0.UOO
'rl, i..,. it \\ ill ue r" i: olloc t ·tI, is llil:;cd IlpOIl a c:loal, .' 1 fecI wide at Ihe hi" h lI'(ltcr ~lIr I:trr: antl:1 p"ollortioTlatc add;(ioll would ba\ C 10 be made. in nH, tll! width ;;houl ll be inrrc(J';cd ahove this. lhrill ~ \I!I/:; Ill" 'Cll ted nil lhe It'auin!; rir~lIlll lall e s connected with tire ('oll.' rllrt ;rm anll,.l(1c';n,l (']lC J'llflO I or lhC'se two works, it will be for lhe olllllliuce HIllI tlw C('l llllllOn COllllcil to determine n l'rcjue'/cc b('!\','ecn theltl i-i .lI·oIring, 3"> lhal preference necessarily mllSt, many nnd \-ery im port:l1l1 cOIIs,jdf raliof's, bc idcs Ih05e of mere science. Should the 11'011.5 he c;m il.' d 011 by tlte cily corpora lion, the queslion will of cOImc be delcrlllio.;d hy a imple ref,rard to the perm ane nt inlCrcilt - 01 Ihe cilY. ill lholll; but ill caS3 thcy nre commilled 10 n separate corpo\'alioll,-as cit/Il'r plnn will accomplish all the municipnl ends pro po., 'd-!he hoice hell; t:elJ lhem may vcry propelly bc ~uLlIlillt·tl (e lhe d~'c i~ion or ptiratc en terprise.
In cOlJclu ' ion allow me e.' press my lhankfu l acknolrlcdgement the cit)' sUT l'eyor", j pnrticulnrly )1.10 sr5. D ay, Gnll'e5. Rolf, Claxlon, who balTe aidocl me wilh iuformation on lhe subject here reported uprn. Mr. 'l:1x ton, wbo ",us fi!;sigued to me by lhe late Chairman. Q:; in~trllmelltnl Q5siatnnt and llraughtsman, has performed those duties in n I'cry snti-IQctof~' manner. With man,;' thanks aho 10 the gc lllemcll of the , ommit ee, I am vory re~pectfully OUf ('Ibedicnl sen'ant, to
D. D. DOUGLASS.
IG 'raLle l:;i1olVi ng Ine result of observations on the (ic1e,~ of GowanU!; and IVallabo ll t JJ:tY ~1 taken half hourly from the 12th (0 the ~2nd of Novembc\', 1$1-.13 , \nelUsiv e. ~ ';l
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0
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