THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



395 



grace, from the narrow valley beneath, is one of 

 the most striking points upon the hne. Sleepy 

 Hollow, well known to the readers of imaij;inative 

 lore, is spanned by a eerier o! yracelul arches. 



The bridge crossing Harlem river has been 

 the subject ol much coniroversy. The admirers 

 of magnificent symmetry and perfection, and 

 those interested iu preserving the navigation ol 

 that stream, have warmly advocated the eiection 

 of a bridge, over which the water might pass 

 upon its regular level ; while the friends of more 

 measured economy recommended a lower and 

 cheaper structure, to which |)ipes should descend 

 and rise iherelrom, alter the manner ol an invert- 

 ed syphon. The plan finally adopted is that ol a 

 high bridge, but siill with its surliace ten leet 

 below the usual grade, which lalls lourteen inches 

 to the mile. It is a quarter of a mile long, one 

 hundred and sixteen leet above high water, and its 

 estimated cost exceeds three-quarters of a million. 

 Across this the vvaier is conveyed in huge iron 

 pipes, protected from the host by a covering of 

 earth, fjur feet deep. Near Manhattanville is a 

 tunnel a quarter of a mile long, through the hill at 

 that place; and its valley is crossed by pipes, de- 

 scending one hundred and five leet. Clendenning 

 valle}' IS passed at an elevation of Ibrty fi^et, and 

 arches of appropriate size upon the lines of the 

 streets, leave symmetrical carriage-ways and loot- 

 paths. 



We paid a brief visit yesterday to the two 

 great reservoirs of this stupendous aqueduct. 

 The receiving reservoir, at Yorkville, thirty- 

 eight miles from the dam at Croion river, is in two 

 divisions^ both covering a space of thirty- five 

 acres, capable of containing one hundred and sixty 

 millions of gallons. It is enclosed by granite 

 walls of solid m^isonry, roughly finished. The 

 bottom of the basin is the natural soil. 



The distributing reservoir at Murray's Hill, in 

 Forty-second street, is a much finer and more 

 expensive work. It is nearly square, and covers 

 an area of about five acres. The bottom is made 

 of puddled clay, as smooth, hard and waier-tight 

 as marble itseiti This area is 440 leet square at 

 the base, and is divided in the centre by a wall 

 of granite, nineteen (eet thick at the bottom, and 

 four at the top. It is surrounded by a wall, also 

 of granite, compos-ed of three distinct columns of 

 solid mason work. The outer column is five feet 

 thick ; the second six, and the third, or inner one, 

 a lining of granite, about fifteen inchgs in depth, 

 placed upon a concrete masonry, above thirty ieet 

 thick at the base. From the outside to the mid- 

 dle wall — the thickness of neither included — the 

 distance is lourteen feet ; and from the extreme ol 

 the outer wall to the inner angle of the third, is 

 sixty feet — the three walls uniting at the top. At 

 a distance often feet from each other, are thick 

 cross walls with solid arches thus binding the 

 whole into one solid, imperishatile mass. From 

 the top of (he north-east cornice to the level of the 

 street, the distance is fifty-six leet. The depih of 

 the reservoir is lorty leet ; and it will contain water 

 to the depth of ihirty-six feet, or about twenty- 

 two millions of gallons — as computed a few days 

 since by James Kenwick, Jr., one of the engi- 

 neers employed on the work. 



At the east end of the division wall, a well has 

 been sunk to the depth of fifty feet, communicat- 

 ing with a sewer below, and forming a waste- wier 



for the discharge of the surplus water, when it 

 rises in the reservoir above the height of thirty- 

 six leet. At the bottom of the well is laid a block 

 of granite, weighing seven ions; and still further 

 to break the iaW. of the overflowing stream, and 

 to prevent it from wearing away the sione, water 

 to the depth of six leet rests permanenily at the 

 bottom. From the well the waste water is con- 

 veyed by a sewer nearly a mile to the North 

 river. 



The style of architecture is Egyptian — well 

 fitted by its heavy and imposing character for a 

 work of such magnitude. The summit of the 

 walls around the whole area, is flagged, and will 

 be provided with a heavy iron railing, forming a 

 beautiful and sighily promenade, twenty feet in 

 widih. The grounds immediately around the 

 work have been purchased by the corporation to 

 protect it from encroachments. The receiving and 

 discharging pipes are two in number, each about 

 three feet in diameter. It is now nearly lour years 

 since the reservoir was first commenced, and dur- 

 iuiT the working season, on an average, about 

 lour hundred men have been constantly employed 

 upon it, besides great numbers employed in the 

 winter season in bringing materials. During 

 the whole lime no lives have been lost by accident. 

 Two men had their legs brokpn by a downlall of 

 the banks — and this is the extent of the injuries 

 that have been sustained. Tiie whole cosi will 

 not be far from ^500,000. 



Such is a condensed but comprehensive view 

 of this noble struciure. It is now completed, with 

 the exception of the high bridge. The bridge will 

 occupy two years more, but a temporarj' pipe has 

 been laid over the river upon the cofier-dams of 

 the bridge, which will afford us a supply of water 

 lor two or three years, until the completion of the 

 entire vvoik. lis et-timated cost, owing to the 

 changes of plan, rise of labor and provisions, &c., 

 has risen from five to twelve millions — a great 

 sum abstractly considered, but a trifling one com- 

 pared with the benefits resulting from the work. 



ABSTRACT OF PROFESSOR LIEBIG's REPORT 

 ON ORGANIC CHEMISTRY APPLIED TO PHY- 

 SIOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY. 



From the Albion. 

 This paper, read by Dr. Playfair, is eo excel- 

 lent a review on Liebig's volume, and contains so 

 much matter of the highest importance as relates 

 to organic chemistry, that we are induced to give 

 a connected abstract. 



The first part consisted of the examination of 

 the processes employed in the nutrition and repro- 

 duction of the various parts of the animal econo- 

 my. In vegetables, as well as in animals, we re- 

 j cognize the existence of a force in a slate of rest. 

 I it is the primary cause of growth or increase in 

 mass of the body in which it resides. By the ac- 

 tion of external influences, such as by pressure of 



air and moisture, its condition of static equilibrium 



I 



was disturbed ; and, entering into a state of motion 

 or activity, it occupied itself in the production of 

 forms. This force ftad received the afipellation 

 of vital force or vital Utj. Vitality, though resid- 

 ing equally in the animal and vegetable kingdoms, 

 produced its etiecte by widely difiierent instruments 



