190 ^^^ Philippine Journal of Science wis 



to analyze the water obtained from streams and springs at 

 Nagtahan, Mariquina, San Pedro Macati, and San Mateo, Sa- 

 turnino Rilles Cristobal presented a scheme for carrying water 

 through pipes from San Mateo to the King's Wharf in San 

 Gabriel."^ This scheme, which was to cost 200,000 pesos and 

 was to be finished within two years, was entrusted to Lieu- 

 tenant-General Felipe de la Corte, of the corps of engineers, 

 for modification, and on April 26, 1854, he was paid for his 

 work.^"^ At the same time, de la Corte was forced to. discard 

 another proposition, which suggested the construction of a three- 

 story building, each story being a reservoir, located sufficiently 

 far from the mouth of the Pasig to prevent the intrusion of 

 salt water. The water was to be pumped up through successive 

 filters to the upper story, and thence carried by a pipe line to 

 various central points in the city, carabaos being used instead 

 of machinery to save expense.^°^ _ 



Unfortunately, inactivity brought nothing out of these plans. 

 Another decade elapsed before, mainly owing to the energy of 

 Felix de Hiierta,^"* the steps were taken which were eventually 

 to lead to the realization of the long-deferred wish of Carriedo.^"® 

 Huerta was ably seconded by Governor-General Moriones, al- 

 though the initiative was actually taken, before the arrival of 

 Moriones, by Governor-General Lemery. On January 29, 1862, 

 the municipal board received an authorization from the gov- 

 ernor to appoint an engineer to prepare two alternative projects, 

 based on those of Cortes and de la Corte, and suggesting the 

 name of Luciano Oliver. On March 23, 1862, a committee was 

 at once appointed to deal with this communication, and by May 

 of the same year Eduardo Ruiz del Arco was at work on plans.^*** 



^""■Ihid. (1853), 77, 81, 95, 111. The King's Wharf is now merged with 

 the Queen's Wharf in the Muelle de la Industria. San Gabriel is synony- 

 mous with Binondo, the parish church of which is dedicated to the 

 archangel. 



'"'Actas de Manila (1854), 78. 



""Ibid. (1853), 72-73. 



"* Felix de Huerta was a Franciscan friar, and at this time Was in charge 

 of the hospital of San Lazaro, Manila. In 1865 he issued a history of his 

 order, entitled: Estado geografico, topografico, estadistico, historico-religioso 

 de la ... provincia de S. Gregorio Magno de religioso menores descalzos . . . 

 en las Islas Filipinas. 



'"Mas y Otzet, Carriedo y sus obras (1882), 59-60. 



*°° This was aided by a contribution from the Economic Association of 

 Friends of the Country. Blair and Robertson, The Philippine Islands 

 (1906), 42, 320; Actas de Manila (1862), 45-46, 132; Actas de Carriedo 

 (July 28, 1894) ; Expediente sobre el proyecto de traida de aguas a 

 Manila (April 8, May 6, 1862). 



