The Formal Opening of the New Water Filtration System at Pelham Reservoir on August 1, 1894

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Until the late 19th century, citizens of the Town of Pelham and the Village (later City) of Mount Vernon obtained their water from wells and, in earlier days, streams.  As the population of the region grew, however, the quality of local well water degraded and concerns arose over the ability of subterranean water to satisfy the ever-expanding need for water in the ever-growing suburban region.

The Village of Mount Vernon was first supplied with water by the Mount Vernon Water Company, which was originally incorporated January 28, 1882, by "33 then leading and representative citizens of Mount Vernon."  Initially, the company sank an artesian well and pumped the water into a standpipe to supplement local water supplies.  Soon, it became apparent that such a system would not suffice.  Moreover, other nearby communities including the settlements known as Pelham Manor and Pelhamville were also beginning to look for a larger, more-reliable water source.  To make matters worse, in 1886 the area was in the midst of an extended, severe drought.

The Mount Vernon Water Company was succeeded by the New York and Mount Vernon Water Company, incorporated January 23, 1886.  The controlling interest of this company was in New York City.  The New York and Mount Vernon Water Company arranged for local property rights along the Hutchinson River and dammed the river to create what came to be known as Pelham Reservoir (sometimes referenced as the "Pelhamville Reservoir").  On Friday, August 6, 1886, water began flowing into the newly-constructed Pelham Reservoir.  From there, the water began flowing throughout Mount Vernon through two miles of new water mains sealed with tar.

Local residents were unhappy.  The water was yellowish.  It tasted "tarry."  Many believed that it did not match the quality or purity of the clear artesian well water to which they had become accustomed.  Complaints were loud and many.  Soon the Pelham Reservoir water system changed hands and became the property of the New York City Suburban Water Company.

Among the many ways the New York City Suburban Water Company addressed complaints over the quality of the water was the design and construction of a massive, state-of-the-art water filtration system by which water was cascaded over filter beds to be aerated and to have particulate matter removed.  

The filtration system was a modern marvel for its day.  Shortly before its formal unveiling, a local newspaper described it as follows:

"The lower section of the old reservoir has been dammed off with the exception of a narrow way along the bed of the creek on the eastern side.  The remainder of the lower section has been thoroughly cleaned and divided into three 'filter beds.'  Two of those are to the south, the other lying directly above.  They now present the appearance of three well-kept tennis courts, nicely evened off.  Each is divided from the other by a handsome dam of cobblestones, a walk having been constructed along the top.

These filters are about four feet deep.  They consist of eighteen inches of sand and under this four layers of gravel.  Below this gravel is a system of piping which carries the filtered water into a central 'well,' from which it is pumped into the city mains.  These filters are so arranged that they may be used separately or together.  Their combined capacity is estimated at 5,000,000 gallons daily.  The present city consumption is a little under 1,500,000 gallons in the same time.  The filtration desired is secured by the water, which is let in to a depth of two feet, flowing over and through the several stratas of sand and gravel.  The system is one similar to the one employed at Lawrence, Mass., which was established there by the State Board of Health.

The method by which these filters are to be fed is both novel and picturesque.  The southern one lies below a cascade over rocks and masonry, which form a basin at the bottom to break the fall of the water.  Over this a stream of water will be kept running continually, dashing over the rocks below with a beautiful effect and at the same time the water receiving the benefit of the resulting aeration.  The other filters are to be fed from pipes ending in a fountain."  [See full text of article with citation and link below.]

Once construction of the filter beds was complete, both the New York City Suburban Water Company and the communities surrounding the reservoir including Pelhamville and Pelham Manor were justifiably proud.  On the afternoon of Wednesday, August 1, 1894, the New York City Suburban Water Company hosted a formal opening of the new water filtration system.  

A crowd of a "large number" of local residents gathered at the Pelham Reservoir shortly before 4 p.m. that day.  Festivities began at 4:00.  A major stockholder of the company, a "Mr. Mahoney," delivered opening remarks and introduced Mayor Edward F. Brush of Mount Vernon.  The Mayor remarks were brief but pointed.  He pulled no punches and recognized the failings of earlier efforts to deliver pure potable water from Pelham Reservoir.  Yet, he focused optimistically of the future and made clear his hope that the future "would be free from all disputes between the citizens and the company."

At 4:20 p.m., the young daughter of notable New Rochelle resident Joseph Stephenson, named Agnes, stepped to a key and turned it to release water into the filtration system.  Once again, a local newspaper described the moment Agnes Stephenson turned the key:

"[She] turned the key, which released the water into the pool at the head of the beautiful cataract, which has been constructed.  Six minutes later the pool was filled and the first water trickled over the brim and started on its journey over the rocks.  Soon these were covered with the foaming sheet of water and the system was in full operation.  The effect is a very pretty one and this new pleasure spot should be visited by all.  The system and its workings were fully described in the last issue of The Chronicle."  [See full text and citation of the article below.]

Once the filtration system was in operation, the crowd retired to the pump-house where "refreshments were served" and the "entire affair ended as it commenced, a complete success."

The Town of Pelham, it seemed, would have drinkable water at least for the next two decades or so. . . . 

Undated Photograph of Pelham Reservoir, Ca. 1902, Showing Filter

Beds in the Distance on the Left as Well as the Pump House in Which

the Reception Was Held on August 1, 1894.  NOTE:  Click on Image

to Enlarge.

Detail of 1910 Map Showing Pelham Reservoir and Filter

Beds. Source: Bromley, George W. & Bromley, Walter S., Untitled

Map Bounded by Town of East Chester, City of New Rochelle, Pelham

Station, Clarefmont Avenue and Central Boulevard in Atlas Of Westchester

County, Vol. One, p. 17 (Philadelphia, PA: G. W. Bromley & Co., 1910).

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

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I have written on a number of occasions regarding the history of the Pelham Reservoir and its use as a water supply for the surrounding region.  See, e.g.:  

Fri., Nov. 24, 2017:  Hutchinson River Parkway Detritus Was Used to Fill Much of the Pelham Reservoir in 1925.

Wed., Mar. 11, 2015:  Research Regarding the History of the Pelham Reservoir in Today's Willsons Woods Park.

Wed. May 27, 2015:  A Portion of the Pelham Reservoir Dam Was Destroyed in 1896 to Save the Filter Beds.

Tue., May 26, 2015:  1921 Report of Inspection of the Pelham Reservoir Water Supply System.

Mon., May 04, 2015;  Pelham Manor's Efforts to End Use of the Pelham Reservoir for Drinking Purposes.

Wed., Mar. 11, 2015:  Research Regarding the History of the Pelham Reservoir in Today's Willsons Woods Park.

*          *          *          *          *

"Citizens Now Have Filtered Water.
-----
The New Filtration and Aeration System of Our Local Water Company Went Into Operation Yesterday Afternoon.
-----

Yesterday afternoon, the formal opening of the new filtration system of the New York City Suburban Water Company at the Pelhamville reservoir occurred.  A large number of the residents of Mount Vernon had accepted the invitation of the company to be present on this occasion and see the water flow over the new course.

It was a few minutes after four when Mr. Mahoney, a stockholder in the company, welcomed the guests in the name of his colleagues and that of the company.  In a few words he introduced Mayor Edward F. Brush, who responded in a happy vein.  His remarks were short but appropriate.  He did not cover over the faults of the company in the past, but spoke of the future, which he hoped would be free from all disputes between the citizens and the company.

It was twenty minutes after four when Miss Agnes Stephenson, daughter of Mr. Joseph Stephenson of New Rochelle turned the key, which released the water into the pool at the head of the beautiful cataract, which has been constructed.  Six minutes later the pool was filled and the first water trickled over the brim and started on its journey over the rocks.  Soon these were covered with the foaming sheet of water and the system was in full operation.  The effect is a very pretty one and this new pleasure spot should be visited by all.  The system and its workings were fully described in the last issue of The Chronicle.

Later, refreshments were served in the pump-house and the entire affair ended as it commenced, a complete success."

Source:  Citizens Now Have Filtered Water -- The New Filtration and Aeration System of Our Local Water Company Went Into Operation Yesterday Afternoon, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Aug. 2, 1894, Vol. XXV, No.. 1648, p. 2, col. 5.

"Improvements to Our Water Supply.
-----
Three Filters That Will Purify the Water Before it will be Distributed.
-----
The Chronicle, Through Its Representative, Pays the Water Works a Visit of Inspection.
-----

A visit to the Pelhamville reservoir of the water company reveals many changes and improvements during the last few months.  What formerly looked to a large extent like a mud hole now bears a very attractive appearance and when the improvements are entirely completed, the place will partake largely of the aspect of a park.

The lower section of the old reservoir has been dammed off with the exception of a narrow way along the bed of the creek on the eastern side.  The remainder of the lower section has been thoroughly cleaned and divided into three 'filter beds.'  Two of those are to the south, the other lying directly above.  They now present the appearance of three well-kept tennis courts, nicely evened off.  Each is divided from the other by a handsome dam of cobblestones, a walk having been constructed along the top.

These filters are about four feet deep.  They consist of eighteen inches of sand and under this four layers of gravel.  Below this gravel is a system of piping which carries the filtered water into a central 'well,' from which it is pumped into the city mains.  These filters are so arranged that they may be used separately or together.  Their combined capacity is estimated at 5,000,000 gallons daily.  The present city consumption is a little under 1,500,000 gallons in the same time.  The filtration desired is secured by the water, which is let in to a depth of two feet, flowing over and through the several stratas of sand and gravel.  The system is one similar to the one employed at Lawrence, Mass., which was established there by the State Board of Health.

The method by which these filters are to be fed is both novel and picturesque.  The southern one lies below a cascade over rocks and masonry, which form a basin at the bottom to break the fall of the water.  Over this a stream of water will be kept running continually, dashing over the rocks below with a beautiful effect and at the same time the water receiving the benefit of the resulting aeration.  The other filters are to be fed from pipes ending in a fountain.  

The grounds around the dam and pump-house are all graded and seeded.  Walks are being laid out and the vicinity will soon be a pleasant park and an ornament to the city.

Within a short time formal opening ceremonies are to be held, when the water will be turned on for the first time."

Source:  Improvements to Our Water Supply -- Three Filters That Will Purify the Water Before it will be Distributed -- The Chronicle, Through Its Representative, Pays the Water Works a Visit of Inspection, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Jul. 26, 1894, Vol. XXV, No. 1647, p. 1, col. 5.

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Pelham Manor's Efforts to End Use of the Pelham Reservoir for Drinking Purposes

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The history of the Pelham Reservoir and its use as a source of potable water for residents of the Town of Pelham is rather convoluted and complex.  Recently I published to the Historic Pelham Blog an extensive collection of the research I have prepared on this issue.  See Wed., Mar. 11, 2015:  Research Regarding the History of the Pelham Reservoir in Today's Willsons Woods Park.  Today's posting provides a little more information about the history of the reservoir.  Specifically, it provides information about the Village of Pelham Manor's efforts to end reliance on Pelham Reservoir as a source of potable water.  

By 1929, it was clear that Pelham Reservoir was no longer suitable to meet the water needs of Pelham residents.  In the previous twenty-five years, the population of the Pelhams had exploded from about 2,500 residents to nearly 11,000.  The population of the entire region had grown similarly, straining the water resources of the New Rochelle Water Company that owned the reservoir system at the time.  Additionally, the region was in the midst of yet another prolonged drought.  Consequently, water levels in the reservoir were dangerously low and water pressure throughout the area was quite poor.  Additionally, the Pelham Manor Fire Department tested the system by opening a few hydrants.  What they discovered was rather revolting.  

In one instance, the water was "black as oil."  Throughout the system the water was muddy.  Something had to change.

It was not for want of effort that the Village of Pelham Manor still used reservoir water in early 1929.  The New Rochelle Water Company had been working for years to bring Catskill Mountain water to Pelham Manor by connecting to the aqueduct system that carried that water through the Hudson Valley.  Indeed, in November, 1928, the New Rochelle Water Company installed new pumping equipment that enabled it to draw Catskill water and deliver it to Pelham Manor.  Barely a month later, the new pumping equipment began giving trouble and had to be repaired.

During the repairs, Pelham Manor had to revert to consuming reservoir water during a prolonged drought.  Once the pumping equipment was repaired, use of the reservoir water had drawn water levels to such a low that the repaired pumping equipment had to be deployed to refill the reservoir to ensure its availability during a water emergency rather than using it to move Catskill water to Pelham Manor.

The Village of Pelham Manor was understandably upset.  Finally, in mid-April, 1929, the New Rochelle Water Company announced that the Catskill water service would begin again the following month and that the reservoir water would only be used for emergency purposes until the lease of the reservoir facilities expired in November, 1931.

On May 1, 1929, the New Rochelle Water Company turned on the Catskill water throughout the Village of Pelham Manor.  Complaints of distasteful and muddy water ended immediately.  By the end of the year, Pelham Manor officials had secured a contract with New Rochelle Water Company "guaranteeing constant supply of Catskill water."  See IN RETROSPECT, The Pelham Sun, Dec. 27, 1929, Vol. 20, No. 39, p. 2, col. 1. 

Detail of Undated Post Card, Ca. 1911, Showing

View to the East at the New Trestle Carrying the

New York, Boston and Westchester Railway Over

Portion of the Pelham Reservoir and Hutchinson

River with Children Fishing.

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"Catskill Water Service For Manor Starts Next Month; Reservoir Water Only For Emergencies, Says Newsom
-----
President of New Rochelle Water Company Predicts New Pumping Machinery Necessary To Deliver Catskill Water Will Be Ready By the End of the Month -- 'After Which Time Catskill Water Will Be Furnished To Pelham Manor Except Under Emergency Conditions'
-----

A definite promise that Catskill water will be furnished to Pelham Manor residents continuously except when emergencies arise, and that the Catskill service would be in operation next month was made by J. Reeves Newsom, president of the New Rochelle Water Company in a letter to the board of trustees of Pelham Manor presented at its meeting Monday night.

Delay in the delivery and assembling of extra pumping equipment necessary to deliver Catskill water, was given by Mr. Newsom as the reason for the continued supply of the unsatisfactory reservoir water.  Mr. Newsom in reply to a request by The Pelham Sun for a statement sent the letter which appears in this column.

Quoting from his letter to the Board:  'We now expect to have the needed equipment in operation by the end of the month or possibly a few days before after which time Catskill water will be furnished to Pelham Manor except under emergency conditions.'

Fire Chief John J. Brennan reported to the Trustees that investigations made at hydrants in various parts of the village showed the water to be muddy, and unsuited for drinking purposes.  One hydrant on Manor Circle which was flushed during the week previous, Brennan stated, 

(Continued on page 8)

Catskill Water By First Of Next Month
-----
(Continued from page 1)

showed water black as oil.  It was proposed that the water company have a general flushing of all the hydrants in the village.  Trustee Edward W. Haskins was authorized to take this up with the water company and insist that thhis work be done.  

Chief Brennan told The Pelham Sun this week that there were at least a dozen places in the village where closed gates at connecting points of the high pressure and low pressure systems made dead ends.  He expressed an opinion that if these gates were opened the pressure throughout the entire Pelham Manor distributing system would be improved.

President Newsom, when asked about this, stated that this would be impracticable because of danger at the points of intersection of the two pressures.

President Newson''s letter follows:  

'Editor of The Pelham Sun.

'Dear Sir:

'In answer to your request for a statement in connection with our beginning to serve Catskill water in November, and the subsequent temporary discontinuance of this service, I am pleased to advise as follows:

'The Catskill service begun in November was expected to continue except under emergency conditions.  About the first of the year the motor pumping unit which was being used began to give trouble.  While this trouble was being located and repaired the lower reservoirs, already nearly empty on account of the prolonged drought were pulled down to a point unsafe even for emergency use.  The pump, therefore, when repaired, had to be used to transfer water from the Yonkers reservoir to the other ones near the city.

'The permanent change to Catskill will include the abandoning of the use of certain equipment at the lower pump station, but it was decided, in view of our recent experience that this could not be safely done until a spare unit was installed at the upper pumping station.  As it was impractical to keep two stations manned for the same work, the use of reservoir water had been continued until the new unit is ready for service.

After this unit is in operation the reservoirs will be used in emergencies only, but until November, 1931, the end of the lease period, they will be so used.  In order to be able to get along without them under any combination of emergencies a third line must be laid to the aqueduct, an equalizing reservoir must be built on the high point in the northeastern part of New Rochelle, several miles of large transmission pipe lines must be built to and from this reservoir and another pumping station at a different location must be built and equipped.

'This work will require the expenditure of about a million dollars in addition to an equal amount already spent by the Company in the last two years to improve the service and to complete the first part of the development necessary to use the Catskill aqueduct as the regular source of supply.  It is our plan to have these additional works completed and in operation by the end of 1931.

'It is easy to appreciate that it has been a very difficult problem to finance these enormous expenditures over a short space of five years without raising rates, especially in view of the fact that, in addition to the resulting increased interest charges, water from the Catskill aqueduct, even at the new reduced price, costs the company twice as much as the reservoir water.  It has been our hope from the first not to raise rates and we now believe that it will be possible to get through this change-over period without doing so and that the growth of the territory over a term of years will justify the Company in having absorbed all the increased costs resulting from the undertaking.

'Yours very truly,

'Reeves J. Newsom,

President

'New Rochelle Water Company.'"

Source:  Catskill Water service For Manor Starts Next Month; Reservoir Water Only For Emergencies, Says Newsom, The Pelham Sun, Apr. 19, 1929, Vol. 20, No. 3, p. 1, cols. 6-7 & p. 8, col. 5.  

"Trustee Sherman Is Satisfied With Water
-----

Trustee Lawrence F. Sherman is satisfied with the water that is being distributed in Pelham Manor now.  

'It must be Catskill water, it's so good.  I can find no fault with it' he told The Pelham Sun, Monday.  

Since the direct connection was made to the Catskill system on May 1, no complaints about distasteful or muddy water have been heard by the Board of Trustees.  Prior to that time when Pelham Manor was receiving Westchester County reservoir water complaints were numerous.

Trustee Sherman was leader in the demand that Catskill water be served here."

Source:  Trustee Sherman Is Satisfied With Water, The Pelham Sun, May 31, 1929, p. 5, col. 2.  

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Information About the Pelham Manor Water Works Published in 1892

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Immediately upon incorporation of the Village of Pelham Manor in 1891, efforts were undertaken to secure a more reliable water system for the growing population of the area.  A brief report contained in the 1892 edition of "The Manual of American Water-Works" sheds light on the efforts to secure such a water source.  The entry is quoted in full below, followed by a citation to its source.

"140.  PELHAM MANOR, Westchester Co. (Pop. of town in '80, 2540.)  History.--Construction begun Mar. 1, '91, by Pelham Heights Co., in connection with sewers and street improvements; to be completed by Nov. 1, '92.  Engrs., J.F. Fairchild and G.H. Eldridge.  Contrs., Fogg & Scribner, Mt. Vernon.  Supply.--New Rochelle Water Co.'s works.  Distribution--Mains.  8 to 4-in. c. f., about 6 miles; from R. D. Wood & Co., Philadelphia.  Hydrants, 35.  Financial.--Corp. stock:  authorized, $350,000.  Management.--Prest., Benj. Fairchild, Pelhamville.  Secy. and Treas., Paul Gorham, 155 Broadway.   Report by C. E. Fogg, July 31, '91."

Source:  Baker, M.N., ed., The Manual of American Water-Works Compiled from Special Returns Containing the History, Distribution, Consumption, Revenue and Expenses, Cost, Debt and Sinking Fund, etc. etc., of the Water-Works of the United States and Canada with Summaries for Each Statet and Group of States, and Classification by Size of Towns Having Works - 1891, Vol. 3, p. 86 (NY, NY:  Engineering News Publishing Co. 1892).

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Report of Investigation of Pelham Sewage Disposal Plant Prepared in 1921

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In the early 20th century, as the population of Pelham continued to grow, the Town of Pelham struggled to ensure its residents had the basics -- clean water, sewage disposal, adequate housing, and more.  Among the most difficult problems faced by the Town was the proper treatment and disposal of sewage.

The Town constructed a sewage disposal plant on the eastern bank of the Hutchinson River in an area near today's "Glover Field" (which once was known, as a consequence, as "Stink Field").  An investigation by State authorities in 1921, however, concluded that the plant was not being maintained or run properly.  The report, which provides an interesting glimpse into the mechanisms for sewage disposal at the outset of the Roaring '20s, is transcribed below, followed by a citation to its source.

"PELHAM

An investigation was made by Mr. A. I. Howd of this Department on June 1, 1921, of the sewage disposal plant of the town of Pelham, Westchester county. N. Y.

The town of Pelham is situated in the southcentral part of Westchester county a short distance north of New York city between the city of Mount Vernon on the west and the city of New Rochelle on the east. The incorporated villages of Pelham, North Pelham and Pelham Manor comprise the town. They are provided with a water supply furnished principally by the New Rochelle Water Company, practically all of the residents being supplied. The town has a population of about 5,000.

The sewage disposal plant for the town is located in the village of Pelham Manor on the east side of the Hutchinson river. The disposal works consist of a screen and grit chamber, settling tanks, pumping plant, dosing tank and sprinkling filters. Previous inspections of the operation of the plant have been made by this Division in 1914 and 1918.

The whole of the village of Pelham and all of North Pelham are served by sewer systems tributary to the Pelham sewage disposal plant except a small area of about 30 acres, comprising about one-tenth of the area of North Pelham, the sewage from which is discharged into the Mount Vernon sewer system. The sewage from a small area in the southern part of Pelham Manor is discharged into a series of so-called liquefying tanks, the effluent from which is discharged into Long Island sound. The sewage from about 35 per cent of the area of the village of Pelham Manor flows by gravity to a pumping station, known as the Mt. Tom pumping station, from which it is pumped through 2,000 feet of force main to a point on Pelhamdale [Page 309 / Page 310] avenue where it empties into a sewer which carries it by gravity to the Pelham sewage disposal plant. The remainder of the village is served by a gravity system which conducts the sewage to the main sewage disposal plant.

The sewage from the different sections of the town flows through three main trunk sewers to a manhole outside the sewage disposal plant. There is a by-pass from this manhole through which r:aw sewage may be discharged direct into the creek. The by-pass is provided with a valve which will prevent sewage being discharged into the creek except at the discretion of the operator of the plant, but which does not prevent water from the creek backing up into the sewage disposal plant at times of high water.

The sewage enters the disposal plant through a screen and grit chamber located under the floor of a building which also houses the settling tanks, pumping plant and dosing chambers. The screens, which are of the bar type, were so clogged at the time of the inspection that the sewage was running over the top of the screens. It was learned from the attendant at the plant that the screens had not been cleaned for a considerable time and that the grit chamber was cleaned about two months previous to the inspection. According to the attendant, the grit chamber is cleaned about every three months, the cleanings being buried near the plant. The clogging of the screens caused the sewage to back up in the sewers approaching the plant, a manhole 300 or 400 feet from the plant being virtually filled' with sewage.

The settling tanks are divided into four units, the two northerly units being in operation at the time of the inspection. The capacity of the two units is about 78,600 gallons which provides 'an average detention period for the sewage of about 2 hours. These units had been in continuous use for about two months. A considerable portion of the sewage in the tanks was covered with a thick, crusted brown scum. The tanks not in use were filled with water. The sludge is emptied from the tanks from time to time and was said by the attendant to be buried in the ground near the plant.

The dosing tanks and automatic siphons were not operating properly at the time of the inspection. The dosing tanks were not emptied in rotation and the periods of dosing and resting of the filters were irregular.
Observations were made about noon which indicated at that time that Bed No. 1 was being dosed for a period of about one minute and was resting for about two minutes between doses. Bed No. 3 was being dosed for periods ranging from 15 seconds to 1 minute 20 seconds and was resting from 1 minute 45 seconds to 2 minutes 40 seconds. Bed No. 2 was not dosed during the observations. Later in the afternoon observations were continued. Bed No. 2 dosed for 5-1/2 minutes evidently for the first time in several hours. About one-half hour later Bed No. 3 was dosed for 6-1/4 minutes and near the end of the dose Bed No. 1 began to dose and was dosed for nearly 9 minutes. The beds were not dosed again during the remainder of the observations, Bed No. 2 having rested for an hour.

The sprinkling filters were being operated at an average rate of about 1,670,000 gallons per acre per day. It appeared at the time of the inspection that the center unit was operating considerably below this rate and the other two units considerably in excess of this rate. Several of the sprinkler nozzles in the center unit were clogged and in need of cleaning.

The effluent from the sprinkling filters was somewhat cloudy but apparently free from large particles of suspended matter. The stream into which the sewage is discharged is grossly polluted and the black muck on the banks of the creek presents a very unsightly appearance at low tide.

It was evident at the time of the inspection that the sewers were receiving excessive amounts of ground water and probably large quantities of storm water. This condition was plainly noticeable at a manhole on Pelhamdale avenue where sewage empties from the force main from the Mt. Tom pumping station into the gravity system. The sewage was quite clear and at the time free from any large particles.

It was impossible at the time of the inspection to make satisfactory observations as to the distance from the plant at which odors might be [Page 309 / Page 310] detected. While the inspection was being made at the plant, the wind was in the east carrying any odors that might arise across the river toward Mount Vernon. An attempt was made during the afternoon to observe odors from the Mount Vernon shore but before any satisfactory observation was made the wind shifted to the west.

It is evident as a result of the inspection that the sewage disposal plant of the town of Pelham is not being satisfactorily operated and several conditions should be immediately remedied.

The by-pass to the river from the manhole on the main sewer leading to the plant and located just outside the main building, should be removed or satisfactorily sealed. Its existence and use defeats the purpose for which the sewage disposal plant was constructed and is being operated, and furthermore, the discharge of raw sewage into the Hutchinson river through this by-pass is a violation of the public health law. This Department has recommended a number of times in the past that this by-pass be removed or sealed.

The screens in the screen and grit chamber should be cleaned several times a day or as often as is necessary to prevent sewage flowing over screens and so that they may be used for the purpose for which they were intended. The screenings should be removed and disposed of in a satisfactory sanitary manner. Under no condition should the screenings be pushed or discharged into the channel leading to the settling tank or be discharged into the Hutchinson river.

The discharge of sewage from the pumps into the dosing tanks should be more evenly regulated. It appeared at the time of the inspection that the middle dosing chamber received less sewage than the other chambers, since the middle sprinkling filter unit discharged less often than the end filter units. This lack of uniformity of distribution of sewage to the dosing tanks might possibly be corrected by increasing or decreasing the size of the openings from the distribution channel to the various dosing tanks.

The siphons, particularly those serving Bed No. 1 and Bed No. 3, should be overhauled and put in a proper operating condition so that all the sewage in the dosing tank shall be discharged in one dose and not allowed to dribble intermittently for several minutes.

In a report dated July 23, 1921, the following recommendations were made:

1. That the by-pass allowing raw sewage to pass directly to the Hutchinson river be entirely sealed up or removed and if any overflow is deemed necessary, that an overflow be provided for the effluent from the settling tanks to be used only in case of emergency such as the breaking down of the pumps.

2. That the screens be cleaned regularly and as often as may be necessary to prevent their clogging.

3. That provision be made for the disposal of the screenings in a sanitary manner.

4. That the openings in the distribution channel discharging settling tank effluent into the dosing chamber be so modified that uniform distribution of the settling tank effluent over the sprinkling filters may be effected.

5. That the clogged sprinkling filter nozzles or risers be cleaned.

6. That a competent sanitary engineer be employed to design and prepare plans for a sludge drying bed for the proper disposal of sludge from the plant.

7. That the town authorities in charge of the sewage disposal plant employ a competent sanitary engineer to have charge of the operation and maintenance of the sewage disposal plant.

8. That the town authorities provide for a comprehensive survey of the town to determine from what sources water from catch basins, drains, or roof leaders may enter the sewer system and require the immediate disconnection of all such sources.

Copies of the report were sent to the local boards of health of the town of Pelham and the village of Pelham Manor, to the sanitary supervisor of the district and to the board of sewer commissioners of Pelham."

Source:  State of New York - Forty-Second Annual Report of the State Department of Health for the Year Ending December 31, 1921, Vol. I, pp. 308-10 (Albany, NY:  B. Lyon Company, 1922) (Legislative Document (1922), No. 27).

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1901 Notice of Foreclosure Sale of Properties in Pelham Belonging to the New York & Westchester Water Company

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In 1901, a notice of a foreclosure sale of the properties of the New York & Westchester Water Company appeared in New York City newspapers on a number of occasions. A number of the properties involved were located in Pelham. I have been researching the incidents that led up to this notice and what transpired thereafter. I will provide a series of posts detailing some of the background. Today's post transcribes the notice.

"SUPREME COURT, COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. - CENTRAL TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, PLAINTIFF, against NEW YORK & WESTCHESTER WATER COMPANY, and others, Defendants. In pursuance to a judgment of foreclosure and sale herein, bearing date the 29th day of April, 1901, and filed in the office of the Clerk of the County of Westchester, on the 2d day of May, 1901, the undersigned Referee in said judgment named will sell at public auction at White Plains, at the front door of the County Court House of the County of Westchester, and State of New York, on the 17th day of June 1901, at 12 o'clock noon, the premises directed in said judgment to be sold, which said premises are described as follows: All the lands, tenements, buildings, fixtures, machinery, tools, implements, fuel, materials and property both real and personal now owned, connected with or used in the operating of said water works or appurtenances thereto, and also all the mains and structures and all the rights, credits, income, profits and franchises of the New York & Westchester Water Company constructed and operated and all the rights, privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging. The following property is included in the above general mortgage description, but for greater certainty a more specific description thereof is hereunto annexed: All the right, title and interest of the New York & Westchester Water Company in and to all those two certain lots, pieces or parcels of land, situated,lying and being in the town of Pelham, County of Westchester and State of New York and known on a certain map entitled 'Lands of F. A. R. Marquand, near Pelhamville, N. Y.,' made by R. W. Burrows, C. E., December 28, 1888, and filed in the office of the Register of Westchester County as lots number 9 and 10 and bounded and described as follows: Northeasterly in front by the extension of Third Street as laid down on said map: southeasterly on one side by lot number 8; southwesterly by part of lot number 31 and the centre line of Hutchinson Creek and westerly and northwesterly by the centre line of said Hutchinson Creek as laid down on said map, being the same premises on which the pump house, etc., is now situated. Together with the appurtenances and all the estate and rights of the grantors in and to said premises. All the right, title and interest of the New York & Westchester Water Company in and to all that lot, piece or parcels of land in the town of Pelham, Westchester County, New York, viz: On Sparks Avenue or street and beginning at a point formed by the intersection of said Sparks street or avenue and the centre of Hutchinson's River, thence northerly through the centre of said river 100 feet; thence easterly 50 feet; thence southerly 100 feet; thence westerly 50 feet to the point or place of beginning. Together with the appurtenances and all the estate and rights of the grantors in and to said premises. All the right, title and interest of the New York & Westchester Water Company in and to that certain tract or parcel of land situate, lying and being in the town of East Chester, in the County of Westchester and State of New York, bounded and described as follows, to wit: Beginning at a point in the centre of the Hutchinson Creek adjoining the lands formerly of A. Beebe (now of said Edward F. Brush), thence westerly along the northerly boundary line of said land formerly of A. Bebe to a point nine hundred (900) fee easterly from the easterly side of a road known as the California Road and running from thence through the lands of said Edward F. Brush (formerly Minott Mitchell) the following courses and distances: Norther 22° 40', east 350 feet, north 88° 07', west 470 feet, north 4° 45', west 515 feet, north 41° 35', west 179 feet to a post at the end of a stone wall; thence again through the lands of said Edward F. Brush (formerly Minott Mitchell) the following courses and distances, to wit: South 48° 28', east 700 feet, north 22° 40' east to a point (where a line drawn easterly and at right angles therefrom to the centre of Hutchinson Creek, and thence following the course of said Hutchinson Creek, and thence following the course of said Hutchinson Creek southwesterly as the same winds and runs to the point and place of beginning would comprise in the whole tract hereby intended to be conveyed 16 acres; thence easterly from said last mentioned point at right angles with said last mentioned course to said Hutchinson Creek, and thence southwesterly along the centre of said Creek as the same winds and runs to the point or place of beginning, containing within said boundaries sixteen (16) acres of land. Being a portion of the premises conveyted to said Edward F. Brush by Juliet D. Frost by deed dated January 8, 1889, and recorded February 6, 1889, in Liber 1157 of Deeds, page 89, together with the appurtenances and all the estate and rights of the grantor in and to said premises. Also all the pipe lines of the New York & Westchester Water Company, which generally described are as follows: They start near the intersection of Pelhamville Street and Willow Street, in Pelhamville, close to the New Rochelle line, and run thence through Fifth Avenue, or Wolf's Lane, in a southerly direction to the Pump House on Third Street, with various branches in the Village of Pelhamville, all connecting with the main line; they continue south from the pumping station at Third Street, along Wolf's Lane to the Old Boston Post Road, at which the line branches one branch running in a generally southerly direction to the Boston Road and the other in an easterly direction along the Old Boston Post Road to Pelhamdale Avenue, thence southerly to the Boston Road, together with various branches in the Village of Pelham Manor thence in a southwesterly direction on the Boston Road to its intersection with the pipe line of the Upper New York City Water Company. A line commences at the intersection of Highland Avenue and the Old Post Road and runs southerly along Highland Avenue; thence westerly through Jackson or Hudson Avenue, to the Pelham Road, and thence in a generally southerly direction through or near the Pelham Road to the Throgg's Neck Road. A line branching from that above described commences at Bartow and runs generally in a southeasterly direction through Rodman's Neck, to City Island and thence to Hart's Island. Various branches connect with this line on Hart's Island, City Island, Rodman's Neck, and in and about Bartow. A line commences at the intersection of Pelham Road and Eastern Boulevard, runs in a generally southerly and then southwesterly direction on Eastern Boulevard through Schuylerville to Unionport. A branch commences at the intersection of Pelham Road with Middletown Road, runs along said last mentioned road in a generally easterly direction and supplies numerous private residences and the Westchester Country Club. A line commences at the intersection of the Pelham Road with the Throgg's Neck Road, runs in a generally southeasterly direction to Fort Schuyler and supplies various private properties and contains numerous branches supplying certain adjacent settlements. A line branches from the Eastern Boulevard southerly on Ferris Avenue and certain branches therefrom supplying adjacent residences. A line commences at the intersection of Pelham Road and Throgg's Neck Road and runs generally in a westerly direction under Westchester Creek into the Village of West Chester, together with the various branches connecting therewith in the streets, avenues of said village. A line runs from West Chester northwesterly along the Williamsburg Road to the Village of Williamsbridge, with the branches connecting therewith in the various streets and avenues of Williamsbridge, and continues along the White Plains Road through the villages of Wakefield and South Mount Vernon, with branches through the various streets and avenues of said villages. A branch runs through 19th Avenue to the intersection of said avenue with the Kingsbridge Road, where it intersects pipe of the Upper New York City Company. The line continues along the White Plains Road and crosses the tracks of the New York, New Haven and Hartford and the New York Central railroads to the Glen Park Pump House. Returning along Williamsbridge Avenue there are three lines into the Morris Park Race Track and the adjacent property, and a large number of lines situated within the park enclosure. A line commences in the Village of West Chester, runs in a generally southwesterly direction along the Westchester Road through Unionsport and the McGraw and Mapes estates, with lines branching therefrom and connecting with the villages of Van Nest and Park Versailles, with various branches in the streets and avenues of said villages of Unionport, Van Nest and Park Versailles. A line commences at the intersection of the Unionport Road with the Westchester Road, runs along said last mentioned road northwesterly to the Catholic Protectory and thence over the track of the New York, New Haven and Hartford R. R. Co. at Van Nest Station along the Unionport Road to a fire hydrant distant about 500 feet from Morris Park Avenue. The Water Company also owns all pipe situated in Van Nest Park. There are numerous fire hydrants, gates and gateboxes connected with the lines of pipe above described, all of which are also owned by the Company. No bid will be accepted by the Referee herein at said sale from any bidder who shall not deposit at or prior to the time of the sale the sum of $10,000 in cash or certified check upon a National bank of the City of New York to the order of the Referee; such deposit of cash or check shall be returned to the bidder if his bid be not accepted. In addition to the payment at the time of making the bid such further portions of the purchase price shall be paid in cash as the court may by its orders direct. Any further amounts to be paid on the purchase price of the property may be paid in cash or in bonds and coupons belonging thereto and secured by the mortgage set forth in the complaint; such bonds and coupons will be received at such price or value as shall be equivalent to the distributive amount that the holders thereof would be entitled to receive thereon in case the entire amount of the bid shall be paid in cash. The property will be sold subject to all taxes and assessments which are at the time of said sale liens upon the same, except and only as far as the court may hereafter direct the payment of such liens out of the proceeds of sale. The purchaser or purchasers at such sale shall not be required to assume or adopt any contracts or agreements of the defendant Water Company, but shall have the right to elect whether or not to assume or adopt the same or any thereof within six months after the completion of the sale. The amount of the lien or charge to satisfy which the above described property is to be sold is $690,785, with interest thereon from April 22, 1901, together with the costs and allowances of this action and the expenses of the sale. For a further and more particular description of the premises so to be sold and conditions of said sale, reference is hereby made to said decree of foreclosure and sale on file in the office of the County Clerk of Westchester County, at White Plains, New York, and to the original mortgage foreclosed.

Dated May 25, 1901.

ALBERT H. F. SEEGER. Referee.
BUTLER, NOTMAN, JOLINE & MYNDERSE, Attorneys for Plaintiff, 54 Wall Street, New York City."

Source: Foreclosure Sales. Supreme Court, County of Westchester. - Central Trust Compnay of New York, Plaintiff, against New York & Westchester Water Company, and Others, Defendants, New-York Tribune, Jun. 14, 1901, p. 8, col. 6.

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