USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I > Part 148
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In business matters Mr. Thomas developed constructive talents of high order, coupled with executive ability, inso- much that he soon became a contractor and builder. Faith- ful and conscientious in his work, he gained a reputation for honesty, thoroughness and reliability ; in consequence his services were widely sought, particularly in connection with first-class dwellings, of which he built mauy on the Heights and other good localities. As occasion offered, he invested in real estate, with good judgment. His superior qualifica- tions enabled him to engage in large undertakings with such success, that he acquired an ample fortune, and retired iu 1860 upon his income.
But his activity by no means ceased ; it merely changed direction ; thenceforth he wrought with mouey instead of materials. He was elected President of the State Street Glass Works, and served for eighteen months, when the establish- ment was sold. He became a stockholder in the City Bank, and is now its Vice-President ; he is also a trustee of the Brooklyn Savings Bank; he acquired an interest in the Brooklyn City Railroad, of which he is the preseut Vice- President ; he is a trustee of both the Phoenix and Montauk Insurance Companies ; likewise trustee and treasurer of the Kings County Home for Inebriates. For fourteeu years he was au influential member of the Brooklyu Board of Educa- tion ; his practical knowledge and ability were sought in the
582
HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.
ALITTLE.
De In Thomas
Department of Buildings, of which he was appointed Com- missioner in 1881, which position he has since held. These various offices of trust are proofs of the confidence and es- teem with which Mr. Thomas is regarded by his fellow citi- zens.
Though he has never made a business of politics, yet he has always taken a deep interest in the affairs of the country, and he has thrown the weight of his influence on the side which he believed to be right.
In former years he voted with the Whigs ; when the Re- publican party was formed, he joined it, and has since sup- ported its principles. In 1861 he represented the Third Brooklyn District in the Assembly; he proved himself there, as elsewhere, worthy of the trust reposed in him, being noted
for his uncompromising opposition to all jobbery, corrup- tion and venality.
He and his family are attendants upon Plymouth Church, of which Rev. Henry Ward Beecher is pastor.
Fond of travel, Mr. Thomas has twice visited the Old World, the last time in 1869, when he remained a year, and, with his family, visited the various points of interest. He has a taste for art, which his abundant means have enabled him to gratify ; he is a liberal patron of artists, and has adorned his walls with many choice pictures.
Mr. Thomas is a man of robust physique, on which his ac- tive life has made little impression ; he bids fair to live for many years, to enjoy his home and friends, and to retain his influence in business circles.
The Widows' and Orphans' Fund was a legacy of the Old Volunteer Fire Department, and is coll- tinned under the management of two Boards of Trus- tees, separate and distinct from the present paid Fire Department ; under the laws of the State, passed in 1869 (Chap. 566, Sccs. 8 and 10, &c.), and subsequent acts amending the same. It was originally made up of fines and penalties, the sale of certificates, the pro-
ceeds of an annual ball (the first having been given in 1838), and of theatrical benefits, and received an annnal appropriation from the city of $900 for the Eastern District fund, and $1,100 for that in the Western District.
The Act of May 4, 1869, consolidating the Eastern and the Western District Fire Departments, expressly excepted from such union the Widows' and Orphans'
583
DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND BUILDINGS.
Fund, whose Trustees were continued in each District as a separate corporation, with regularly appointed officers. The trustees of the respective funds were given entire control and management of these trusts, which now aggregate more than $100,000 in both Dis- tricts.
The Annual Report of the Western District Fund, January 9, 1884, gives the amount of the Fund as $47,732.13. There are on the pension list 171 widows and 38 orphans, who receive pensions of from $5 to $20 per quarter each, making an aggregate of $5,172 for 1883 ; $840 were paid for firemen's funeral expenses. The officers of the Widows' and Orphans' Fund for 1883-'4 are John Courtney, President; S. Bowden, Secretary ; W. Burrell, Treasurer; James Ridgway, Counsel.
The present Board of Trustees of the Eastern Dis- trict consists of nine members and a treasurer, having monthly meetings, and reporting annually to the Board of Aldermen. Officers for 1882-3: William E. Horwill, President; Wm. Young, Secretary; Geo. W. Williams, Treasurer.
The report for 1884 shows : Invested in bond and mortgage, $12,300; real estate owned, $6,700; interest due on bonds and mortgages, $163.50; cash on hand, May 1, 1883, $45.99 ; total, $19,209.49. Fifty-seven
widows, and as many children under twelve years, are on the pension rolls.
The Exempt Firemen's Association of the City of Brooklyn ( Western District), organized on the 9th of Jan., 1852, incorporated June 19, 1874, was com- posed only of members of the Brooklyn Fire Depart- ment who had received an honorable discharge, having served the full term (in that department), required by law to entitle them to an exemption forever from fire, military, and navy duty. It was established for the purpose of promoting the interest and efficiency of, and cherishing kindly feelings in the fire department gen- erally, and whenever requisite, advancing their claims as exempt firemen; it rendered pecuniary aid to indi- gent and disabled members, and the families of de- ceased members, when in need.
The officers for 1882-3 are John T. Finn, President ; M. F. Connor, Vice-President ; T. A. Drake, Record- ing Secretary; J. McColgan, Financial Secretary ; Wm. Burrell, Treasurer. TRUSTEES : Wm. H. Kent, W. Brown T. A. Drake, A. V. W. Tandy, W. H. Noe.
A similar organization was formed in the Eastern District, incorporated 1882, whose officers are as fol- lows : J. T. Savage, Pres .; Jas. Potter, Vice-Pres .; Chas. T. Dower, Sec .; Alfred Wallet, Treas.
For information in regard to the W. and O. Fund and Exempt Firemen's Association, we are indebted to Messrs. A. B. THORNE, WILLIAM E. HORWILL, JOHN T. FINN, and SAMUEL BOWDEN .- EDITOR.
584
HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.
THE DEPARTMENT OF CITY WORKS.
WATER AND SEWERAGE. COMPILED BY VAN BRUNT BERGEN, C. E.
On March 24, 1834, the year in which the village of Brooklyn was incorporated as a city, the Water Committee of the City Council, consisting of Mr. Gabriel Furman and James Walters, made a report recommending the sinking of wells at the foot of the hill on which Fort Greene was built, and the pumping of the water by steam power into a reservoir to be con- structed on the hill ; the cost of the work, including eleven miles of ten and four inch pipe, was estimated at $100,000, and the yearly expense of running the works, $10,000. The report was not acted on. This was the first movement, mentioned on the village records, on the part of the city government for a supply of water. The population of Brooklyn at this time was 23,000 souls.
Prior to this, the water question had been discussed, as we find in the Star of February 1, 1832, a letter from a Mr. G. B. White of 100 Fulton street, to Mayor Sprague, in which he proposes the formation of a com- pany, to be called the Brooklyn Water Company, with a capital of $25,000 in 1000 shares of $25 each, for which sum he agrees to unite a sufficient number of springs on the East River shore and, by tide power, raise the water to an elevation above the highest point on Clover Hill, at the end of Cranberry street, and to construct a reservoir of a capacity of 1,000,000 gallons.
During the period from 1834 to 1847, although the water question was frequently discussed, no formal ac- tion was taken by the Common Council till the latter year, when Messrs. D. A. Bokee, John Stansbury and J. W. Cochran were appointed a Special Committee, and submitted, December 20, 1847, the plans of Major D. B. Douglass as their report.
This distinguished engineer, who first projected the Croton works for New York, after discussing the dif- ferent methods of supply, proposed the sinking of wells south of the hills and the raising of the water by steam engines to a reservoir at an elevation of forty or fifty feet above the highest houses on the heights along the river. No surveys or estimates were made and the water question was not again brought up till 1849.
In May of that year Mayor Copeland, in his address to the Common Council, called attention to the necessity of a water supply, and favored the well system. Messrs. Geo. B. Fisk, Arthur W. Benson, Geo. Hall, William McDonald, and J. W. Cochran, a Water Committee of the Common Council, made a brief report, dated Jan-
uary 8, 1849, in which the well system was again rec- ommended. The estimate of the cost of the works was $830,000. The committee express obligations to Messrs. William Burden, John Gracen, and others, for plans, suggestions and information.
Mr. William Burden, prior to this, had prepared plans for a supply of water to be obtained from Jamaica Creek, the first stream east of the city of any import- ance and included in the present supply. He proposed to erect engines and stand-pipes at the streams, and to send the water in iron pipes to Flatbush ; and, from there, with another engine, to raise it to a distributing reservoir on the hills. This is the first suggestion of using the streams on the island for a water supply; so to William Burden is due the credit of first pointing out what has proved to be "the true and unfailing source of a water supply for Brooklyn."
On Dec. 20, 1851, another Water Committee, consist- ing of Messrs. Charles R. Marvin, I. H. Smith, Edward Pell, Henry A. Kent and E. B. Litchfield presented the most detailed and important report so far prepared. By means of an appropriation made to defray the expen- ses of a preliminary survey, this committee was enabled to employ the distinguished engineers, Wm. J. McAl- pine and John B. Jervis, who had respectively had charge of the construction of the Albany and New York Water Works. Mr. McAlpine, after an examination of the different proposed methods of supply, considered the Island streams as the only one of permanent value. By means of gaugings taken of twelve of the streams on the south side of the Island (from Baiseley's stream near Jamaica to J. Smart's at Merrick), in the fall of the year when the water was unusually low, he determined the minimum supply that could be depended npon.
He proposed to place dams on the four streams nearest to the city, from which the gaugings showed he could obtain a supply of 10,000,000 gallons a day; and, by means of a conduit, collect their waters in Baiseley's pond (now Jamaica reservoir), at an elevation of 11' 6" above tide.
Thence the water was to flow in a conduit, nine miles long, to a pump well, from which it was to be raised by Cornish pumping engines to a reservoir on Mt. Pros- pect, of a capacity of 60,000,000 gallons. This reser- voir was to be at an elevation of 191' above tide.
He estimated that seventy-five miles of distributing pipe would be required for immediate use. The cost
585
DEPARTMENT OF CITY WORKS.
of the whole work he estimated at $3,500,000, and that works supplying 6,000,000 gallons, with capacities for 15,000,000, could be built for $2,500,000.
Mr. John B. Jervis made a short report to the con- mittee, recommending a supply from the streams, with perhaps recourse to wells.
The Hon. Conklin Brush, who was Mayor of the city in 1851, and deeply interested in the water question, in his address to the Common Council, January 5, 1852, advised a careful examination of the subject. The committee, in its report, recommended that an election should be held, and in case a majority of the citizens should be in favor of the plan of Mr. McAlpine, a law should be obtained from the Legislature empowering the city to build the works. In accordance with this recommendation, it was determined to submit the question to a popular vote on January 27, 1852; but, on the 19th of that month, the Special Committee on Water for that year asked for time for a more careful consideration of the subject, and recommended that the resolutions directing an election be rescinded. All this was done, and more detailed surveys were made.
On April 15, 1852, Mr. McAlpine submitted to the Water Committee-Messrs. Chas. R. Marvin, Abraham B. Baylis, Montgomery Queen, Geo. W. Stillwell and Lemuel B. Hawxhurst-a full report together with esti- mates and detailed drawings. All the hitherto proposed sources of supply were carefully considered, viz .: the Croton or Bronx river of Westchester Co., the lakes on Long Island, wells in the vicinity of the city, and the run- ning streams on the south side of the Island. He recom- mended the latter source as the most advantageous to the city; and a full description, together with estimates va- rying from $2,600,000 to $7,800,000 for a supply from 5,000,000 to 30,000,000 gallons daily, was given.
This report of Mr. McAlpine was not published till the close of the year 1852.
The standing Committee on Water for 1853 consisted of Messrs. Chas. R. Marvin, A. B. Baylis, John A. Dayton, Lemuel B. Hawxhurst and John Rice.
The mayor, Hon. Ed. A. Lambert, in his address of Jan. 3, 1853, called the attention of the Common Council to the subject of a water supply, and urged the adop- tion of the plan submitted by the Committee of 1852.
On June 3, 1853, a bill was passed by the Legislature, authorizing the Common Council to determine the method of a water supply to the city, and directing the holding of a special election, in order to submit the plans last mentioned to the votc of the citizens.
By an Act of the Legislature of April 16, 1852, a company, under the name of the Williamsburgh Water Company, obtained a charter, empowering it to expend a sum not exceeding $500,000 in constructing works for the supply of Williamsburg alone. This company at once purchased several of the streams on the south side of the Island; which action, as the re- ports of the engineers had shown these strcams to be
the only proper source of supply, greatly embarrassed the city authorities. By an amended act, which passed the Legislature June 8, 1853, it changed its name to the Long Island Water Company, increased its capital to $3,000,000, and was authorized to supply Brooklyn also with water. This amended charter was obtained, although the mayor and Common Council had sent to the Assembly an earnest remonstrance against increas- ing the stock and extending the privileges of the private company.
This company employed as engineer, Gen. Ward B. Burnett, who made a report in September, 1852, and a fuller one with plans and estimates for a larger supply in January, 1853. His report recommended the construc- tion of a distributing reservoir, where the Ridgewood Reservoir is located, and a conduit and open canal from the furthest stream to an engine house near East New York.
The election authorized by the law of June 3, 1853, was held on July 11. The population of the city at this time was about 116,000, containing probably 17,000 voters. Only 7,693 votes were cast, of which 2,639 were in favor of the proposal, and 5,054 adverse. This in- difference of the citizens to the water question arrested for the time all attempts, on the part of the city author- ities, to obtain a water supply.
A new Water Committee was appointed in 1854, con- sisting of Messrs. John A. Dayton, R. C. Brainard, D. P. Barnard, F. G. Quevedo and Samuel Booth. Gen. Ward B. Burnett, the Engineer of the Long Island Water Company which had been created by the bill of June 8, 1852, was employed, and made a report, dated March 13, 1854, and published at the close of the year. The plan presented was the same, except a few changes in location of conduit, canal and distributing reservoir, as the one submitted to the vote of the citizens on July 11, 1853, and was based on his previous surveys and the reports of McAlpine to the Water Committees. An act amending the act of 1853 was passed by the Legislature April 7, 1854, under which, on June 1, this plan was submitted to the vote of the people. Again the general indifference of the citizens, and the strenuous opposition of a few interested ones, defeated the efforts of the public authorities to procure the much needed water supply. Of 9,105 votes cast, 6,402 were unfavorable to the plan.
About this time a pamphlet was published by Mr. James Walters, one of the Water Committee of 1834, advocating the well system.
In May, 1854, Mr. Dayton, Chairman of the Water Committee, obtained from Mr. John S. Stoddard, a graduate of West Point, and who had laid out the strects of a large portion of the city of Brooklyn, in 1835 to 1839, a very able and carefully prepared report adverse to the well system. This report showed clearly the evils of this method of supply, and ended all dis- cussion on the subject.
586
HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.
On March 16, 1854, Messrs. Henry S. Welles & Co., contractors, presented a proposal to the Water Com- mittee, offering to build the works, according to the plans of Gen. Burnett, including the furnishing of land for the ponds, conduits, reservoirs, engine houses, &c. and guaranteeing a daily supply of 20,000,000 galls., with works of a capacity of 40,000,000 galls., for $4,175,000. This proposal was not entertained by the Water Committee, as it included several ponds and also land already purchased by the Long Island Water Works Company.
Another proposal, presented by Messrs. Joseph Bat- tin, Silas Ford, and Henry Ruggles, was to construct water works on a plan embracing the main features of the one designed by Mr. McAlpine. They agreed to supply 10,000,000 gallons daily, to build an open canal from Baiseley's pond, so arranged as to intercept all the fresh water from the upland, and conduct it to a pump well, and furnish all the necessary works, includ- ing eight miles of distributing mains, for about $4,000,- 000. They proposed to form an association, with a capital of $4,000,000, and obtain a charter, authorizing the city to subscribe $1,000,000 of the stock, and ap- point one-fourth of the directors. This proposal was not favorably considered, but the associates obtained a charter, April 12, 1855, under the name of the Nassau Water Company, empowering them to construct works for the city, and authorizing the city authorities to subscribe for $1,300,000 of the stock.
The directors of the company, to hold their charter, subscribed for a few shares of stock, and then proposed that the city should subscribe for the full amount it was authorized to take. This offer was not received with favor by the Common Council, and no report was made by the Water Committee on the subject till September, 1855. The Water Committee of 1855, con- sisted of Messrs. B. F. Wardwell, George L. Bennett, J. V. Bergen, E. S. Blank and C. C. Fowler. The Hon. Geo. Hall, Mayor of the city for the second time, referred in his address of January 1, to the obstacles in the way of adopting a suitable plan for a water supply, and recommended that an entirely independent commission be appointed to carry out this work of vital importance.
In 1854 the city had obtained a new charter, which went into effect on January 1, 1855. The village of Williamsburg and the town of Bushwick were incor- porated as part of the city of Brooklyn, very much in- creasing the population and adding to the taxable prop- erty. The population of the extended city amounted to about 200,000 souls, and its taxable property, in 1854, was valued at $88,923,000. The water from the wells in the denser populated portions of the city was becoming impure, and large fires could not be subdued by the small supply contained in the public cisterns.
The memorial of the Nassau Water Company was favorably reported on by the Water Committee in Sep- tember, 1855, but nothing was done till November 15,
when the Common Council, at a special meeting, decided to subscribe for $1,000,000 of the capital stock, under the condition that amendments should be obtained to the charter, giving the city a proper representation in the Board of Directors, and $2,000,000 should be sub- scribed and partly paid in by the stockholders. The resolution was approved by the Mayor, but the Com- pany did not comply with the requirements of the city.
In his annual message in January, 1856, His Honor George Hall, the Mayor, again called attention to the urgent need of a supply of water; but nothing could be done by the Water Committee as long as the Nassan Water Company held its charter. The committee con- sisted of Messrs. George L. Bennett, E. T. Lowber, George M. Troutman, R. H. Huntley, and John V. Bergen.
However, a number of public spirited citizens, wearied with the technical difficulties and unnecessary delays which were continually brought in the way of the city obtaining a water supply, having satisfied themselves that the plans recommended by the previous Committees were the only proper ones, sent to the Com- mon Council on April 14, a communication asking for a conference on the subject. The Water Committee, anxious to settle the water question, held the proposed conference with the citizens, among whom were the following : Messrs. Fisher Howe, Conklin Brush, John H. Baker, Abm. B. Baylis, John H. Prentice, Wm. Wall, G. H. Howland, Roswell Graves, etc. The question was thoroughly discussed and a report agreed on, which was submitted to the Common Council on the 5th of May. It recommended that the Common Council immediately subscribe $1,300,- 000 to the stock of the Nassau Water Company ; and stated that both the Water and Citizens' Com- mittees were satisfied, after a careful examination and consultation with eminent engineers, that the plan for water works had been carefully matured by the Nassau Water Company, and that a contract could be entered into with H. S. Welles & Co. for the con- struction of the work at a cost not to exceed $4,200,000. For this sum the contractors stood ready to guarantee a minimum supply of 10,000,000 gallons daily, within two years, and an additional 10,000,000 gallons per day within one year thereafter ; and to deliver the works complete, in perfect order, discharged of all claims for land, water, and other damages; in short, to invest the Company with the works unincumbered, and without any cost or charge of any description beyond the sum stipulated. The committees expressed their conviction that the plan and contract proposed between the Nas- sau Water Company and Welles & Co. were as advan- tageous to the public as any likely to be proposed, and more advantageous than any ever before submitted to the Common Council and the citizens. As security for the faithful expenditure of the money, in case the city should subscribe the amount recommended, the direc-
587
DEPARTMENT OF CITY WORKS.
tors of the Nassau Water Company, with commend- able public spirit, expressed their willingness to retire from the direction, and to have their places filled with seven citizens of known character and probity, in whose hands the citizens of Brooklyn would be willing to re- pose so great a trust ; and in proof of their sincerity, their resignation was made, and their places filled by the election of the following gentlemen : John H. Prentice, William Wall, Daniel Van Voorhis, J. Carson Brevoort, Nicholas Wyckoff, Thomas Sullivan, and Nathaniel Briggs, whose names had been submitted to and approved by the Joint Committee.
At a meeting of the Common Council, held on 4th of June, the report of the Committee was adopted, and on the 9th of the same month the resolutions were ap- proved by His Honor, the Mayor, George Hall.
So at last, after a delay of some seven years-for in 1849 the question was first seriously examined-the ob- stacles that had stood in the way of obtaining a water supply for Brooklyn were removed.
The new Board of Directors of the Nassau Water Company met on the 20th of May, and organized by appointing John H. Prentice, President, and J. Carson Brevoort, Secretary. On the 10th of June their chief engineer, Samuel McElroy, resigned, and a committee was appointed to select a chief engineer. James P. Kirkwood, an eminent engineer of great experience, was recommended by the committee and appointed on the 24th. On the 27th the chief engineer was directed to organize a staff of assistants, and commence the necessary surveys. On July 3, the Water Committee of the Common Council, in answer to a communication of the Board of Directors, recommended that the con- tractors be directed to commence the construction of the works.
On July 31 an inaugural celebration of the work was held on the site of the Ridgewood Reservoir. A large gathering of citizens and strangers were present, and addresses were made by His Honor, Mayor Hall, the Rev. Dr. George W. Bethune, and others. The contrac- tors, Welles & Co., actively proceeded with the work during the remainder of the year 1856.
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