Fortunately, last year the Board of Aldermen passes a resolu- 

 tion appropriating the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand 

 dollars for the purpose of draining the salt marshes in the bor- 

 oughs of Brooklyn and Queens. This was approved on March 

 the tenth by the Board of Estimate. Bids were called for and a 

 contract was let to dig four million feet (plus or minus 5%) 

 of ditches at .0138 per foot, the work to be done in one hun- 

 dred and fifty (150) working days. The total bid for this work, 

 including tile pipe and wooden culverts, amounted to sixty thou- 

 sand seven hundred and seventy-eight (60,778) dollars. 



The official start on the contract took place at Spring Greek, 

 the boundary line between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, 

 on May the second, 19 16, when the Commissioner of Health, 

 assisted by Mr. Voorhees, the Commissioner of Public Works 

 of Brooklyn, took out the first sod. On May the fourth the 

 contract was formally signed and the actual work of ditching 

 the meadows was started on May the i8th. 



From the start on May the i8th the work progressed as 

 steadily as weather and tidal conditions would permit. The en- 

 dorsement for the final payment was made on January 12, 191 7. 

 The total number of working days consumed from the beginning 

 to the completion of the contract was one hundred and fifty-four 

 (154). The linear feet of ditches dug in the boroughs of Brook- 

 lyn and Queens, including some of the islands in Jamaica Bay, 

 amounted to four million one hundred and ninety-eight thou- 

 sand nine hundred and sixty (4,198,960). 



As soon as it became apparent that the first contract of four 

 niillion feet plus five per cent, would not be sufficient to thor- 

 oughly clean up all the marsh lands in this section, a request for 

 a supplementary contract for an additional one million feet 

 (1,000,000) was made and granted. Bids were advertised for 

 on December i8th, 19 16, and the contract was awarded for the 

 sum of .0244 per foot on December 28th. The letting of this 

 additional contract will insure a perfect drainage system for the 

 salt marshes in Brooklyn and Queens adjacent to Jamaica Bay. 



It is extremely gratifying to report that the only remaining 

 large salt-marsh breeding place in the Borough of Brooklyn 



