BOARD OF ALDERMEN, JULY 2, 1838. The Water Commissioners presented their Semi-Annual Report, from the 1st of January to the 30th of June, 1838, agreeable to an Act of the Legislature; which was laid on the table and directed to be printed for the use of the mem bers. THOMAS BOLTON, Clerk. To the Honorable the Common Council of the City of New York. The Water Commissioners, in obedience to law, beg leave respectfully to REPORT: That they have deposited with the Comptroller, their fifth semi-annual account of disbursements, commencing on the 1st day of January 1838, and ending with the 30th of June, thereafter. The total of the expenditure to the 30th of June, aforesaid, under the "Act to provide for supplying the City of New York with pure and wholesome water," passed the 2d of May, 1834, is as follows: The following is a synopsis of the 'sums disbursed by the Commissioners, from the 1st day of January to the 30th of June inclusive, presenting a condensed view of the several objects for which the money has been paid. For particulars in detail, see the account rendered the Comptroller. Paid for land required for the aqueduct, for embankment and right of way Paid the contractors on the aqueduct $113,590 00 474,399 00 13,608 04 335 19 Paid salaries to Engineers, and for the inci- Paid for advertising, printing and stationery Total 3,714 50 120 03 The Commissioners issued, on the 24th of March last, an advertisement soliciting proposals for work and materials on 26 sections of the aqueduct, comprising the THIRD DIVISION, and 6 sections, part of the FOURTH DIVISION; the work to be completed on the 1st of October, 1841, and the proposals to be received at their office in the City of New York, until the 7th day of May, at 9 o'clock, P. M. This part of the work extends from the village of Hastings to the Harlaem River, about thirteen miles in length, and completes the whole line of aqueduct in the county of West Chester. The bids were uncommonly numerous, and the applicants respectable. On some of the sections, more than thirty offers were proposed, and consequently, the competition was spirited, and the prices lower than those demanded at the previous letting. The offers accepted by the Commissioners were as follows: These several sums, carried out as the amount of each contract, is only expected to be an approximation to the aggregate amount, based on a calculation of the various descriptions of work to be performed on each section, in order to determine the state of the bids, and is made up by separately estimating the amount of every description of work to be executed, including materials, and by multiplying the several prices demanded, with the quantity of materials and work to be furnished and performed. Preparatory measures are first adopted to as certain the nature of the ground on the line of aqueduct, by sinking shafts on so much of it, as was to be placed under contract, and by such aids, enabling the Engineers to estimate the quantity of rock or earth to be excavated or tunnelled; and, by corresponding means, the quantity in cubic yards, of embankment, back filling, foundation wall, protection wall, the measurement in feet of the different descriptions of wood and timber; the weight of wrought and cast iron, and the cubic yards of mason work in brick, stone, &c. is estimated, multiplied by the prices bid, and when added together, make the aggregate of the offer, as near at least, as the circumstances of the case will admit. We took occasion to state in our report of the 4th of January last, that, on the 13th of September, 1837, Appraisers were appointed on all the land required for the aqueduct in the county of West Chester, not previously obtained by appraisal or purchase, and that on the 4th of November thereafter, the Appraisers made their report to the Chancellor in due form. That there were fifty-one owners of separate pieces of land appraised, only twelve of whom had produced the necessary certificate, and received the amount awarded them; and that fourteen of the cases were still before the Chancellor waiting confirmation. Most of these cases were confirmed on the 8th of January, 1838, and a short time thereafter, the amount of their respective awards were tendered them by our Solicitor, which, by the advice of their Counsel, they refused to receive. The Commissioners therefore, found it necessary, either to adopt decisive measures, or permit the work to be arrested in its progress. To this end, believing the public interest would be better promoted by defending a suit, should any be commenced against them, as threatened, than to stop the progress of a work of so much magnitude and importance as the one they were engaged in, they came to the conclusion to assume the responsibility of directing the contractors to proceed in their operations on all the land, the award of which had been confirmed, and the mo |