City Of Syracuse Research Articles

Saving the Scolopendrium Fern

The vicinity of Jamesville, Onondaga County, New York, is classic ground to both the geologist and the botanist. Across the outcropping Onondaga limestone on both sides of and above the present level of the valley of the Butternut creek and almost at right angles to the present north and south placement of the valley are the famous postglacial gorges caused by the eastward flow of the outlets of the postglacial Lake Onondaga. In 1807 Pursh discovered the Hart 's-tongue fern near Geddes, southwest of the city of Syracuse. In 1830, William Cooper found the fern at Chittenango Falls, a few miles southeast of Syracuse. Meanwhile the two localities where the fern was most abundant remained unknown until found by Lewis Foote in 1866 near Jamesville, and in the same year by J. A. Paine, Jr., at Little Lakes (Green pond and White or Blue lake), about a mile east of Jamesville. Two small bodies of water, Green lake (2 miles west of Jamesville) and Green pond (1 mile east of Jamesville) occupy the plunge basins of waterfalls along the course of the extinct postglacial rivers, the beds and gorges of which form such a conspicuous element of the local geology. It is probable that Rafinesque visited one

MINIMUM COST DIETARIES FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS

Late in 1931, like many other communities, the city of Syracuse was confronted by the problem of feeding an increased number of indigents at a time when the municipal income was decreasing. It became imperative that economies be effected. It was equally important not to undernourish the recipients or to supply an imbalanced diet. At a conference of the department of public welfare and the department of public health with the mayor's advisory committee on public health (a committee provided for by the charter of the city of Syracuse and appointed by the mayor from a panel selected by the Syracuse Academy of Medicine), it was decided to request the Public Health Committee of the Syracuse Academy of Medicine to collaborate with a representative group of hospital dietitians and formulate a dietary on a minimum cost basis which would fulfil the requirements of balance, vitamins, reasonable palatability and total calories.

Supplying Suburban Syracuse

The Syracuse Suburban Plant of the New York Water Service Corporation, which supplies water and fire protection to the industries and communities suburban to the City of Syracuse, was incorporated on April 11, 1907 as the Onondaga County Suburban Water Company. On September 11 of the same year the name was changed to Syracuse Suburban Water Company, to define more clearly the location and territory to be served by this Company. When the system was acquired in January, 1927, by the New York Water Service Corporation, the name was changed to the Onondaga Water Service Corporation, remaining so until January, 1930, when it was merged with the New York Water Service Corporation and became known as the Syracuse Suburban Plant of the New York Water Service Corporation, under which name it is now known. Under Chapter 371 of the laws of the State of New York of 1907, permission was granted to the Onondaga County Suburban Water Company to impound additional water in Otisco Lake, and to use the water so impounded. Otisco Lake lies about 14 miles southwest of the City of Syracuse and about 4 miles east of Skaneateles Lake, which is the source of the supply to the City of Syracuse. In 1868 the State of New York built a dam near the site of the existing dam and thereby raised the lake level 10 feet. Their purpose in doing this was to supply additional storage and to use the water as a feeder to the Jordan level of the Erie Canal.

The Syracuse Water Works

The City of Syracuse was settled soon after the Revolutionary War and became a City in 1847 when the population was about 21,000. There was much agitation for a public water supply in Syracuse as early as 1825 but it was not until 1841 that a string of logs was laid from springs in the eastern part of the city to the business section. Considerable mention is made in local history of the first reservoir, a structure some 6 feet by 8 feet by 12 feet. Later on cisterns were placed about every block along the main strings of logs and at times of fires hand operated engines boosted the flow from cistern to cistern toward the fire. There was often great endeavor to flood the cistern ahead of a pump thus indicating superior pumping ability. Early in the 40's a private Water Company began to function and continued until bought out by the City in 1892. This company supplied spring water from three large springs for about fifteen years when it was necessary to supplement them by water from other sources. In 1864 they built a large 170,000,000 gallon reservoir on Onondaga Hill, four miles southwest of the city. It had a watershed of only two square miles and all summer long the streams were dry and the reservoir dropped so low that the decaying vegetation gave the water bad odors and taste. About 1870 they built a pumping plant on Onondaga Creek, which flows through the City, and a 54,000,000 gallon reservoir known as Wilkinson Reservoir. This reservoir was 110 feet above the City. The water was too hard and was reported as impure. Some ten to fifteen years later there developed a strong sentiment for a better water supply and J. J. R. Croes of Boston was engaged to study and report on the best available supply. He found eleven possible sources and selected Skaneateles Lake as the most desirable, in fact, as very desirable. The other sources were Lake Ontario, 38 miles away and 150 feet lower than Syracuse; Oneida Lake 12 miles distant and 30 feet below; Otisco, Cazenovia

Hardwood Invasion in a Comparatively Old White Pine Afforested Area

What will be the ultimate effect of biotic factors on developing forests is a problem of extreme importance in many of the eastern states where reforestation plans are rapidly being materialized. Especially is this true where areas or habitats not wholly adapted for certain desired conifer species are involved. At the present time we have attained a considerable knowledge relative to the effects of such biotic factors as plant succession, disease, insects and man upon forest production in natural habitats, but as yet little information is available relative to the r6le these factors play in afforested areas which have been allowed to revert to nature after years of careful forest management. With this problem in mind, the writer, in September, 1930, began a study of the effects of certain biotic factors in a small and comparatively old afforested area carrying a stand of white pines, Pinus strobus, which were in some cases approximately a century old. From general observations, it was apparent that hardwoods had invaded the stand with such rapidity and success that they threatened to become the dominant species in the near future. Furthermore, it was evident that the white pines were suffering a high mortality, due to biotic or edaphic disturbances. In the course of the investigation, a number of quadrats were laid out and photographs were taken of the vegetation in order to secure data relative to the effects of the plant invasion in the pine grove over a long period of time. It was necessary to discontinue this study in November, 1931, when the city of Syracuse (present owner of the grove) found it necessary to eradicate the invading vegetation in order to prevent the partial or complete destruction of the white pine. The invaders, with the exception of a few cherry and maple trees, Prunus serotina, P. avium and Acer saccharum were removed and the habitat was rejuvenated in many low places by the addition of several inches of fertile soil. Before this change was made, considerable data were obtained which may throw some light on the problem mentioned above. Historically, little is known of the original owner of the pine grove or of the date of the planting other than the annual ring history obtained from the trees. There are, however, two aged residents in the neighborhood who can recall several facts concerning the pine grove as it appeared and was managed 65 years ago. They state that there was at that time (i866) a

Measurement of Water Supply by the Pitot Tube in Syracuse, New York

The city of Syracuse obtains its water supply from Skaneateles Lake, situated about 19| miles southwest of the city, at an elevation of 465 feet above the Erie Canal. This lake covers an area of nearly 14 square miles, with a total water-shed of approximately 74 square miles, yielding an average of 55 million gallons per day. Of this, 27.5 million gallons per day is, at present, used to supply the city. Two conduits carry the supply, by gravity, from the Lake to the distribution reservoir and stand-pipe, located in the south-westerly part of the city. The reservoir, with a water surface 245 feet below the level of the Lake has a capacity of 121 million gallons and the stand-pipe, with an overflow 109 feet above the reservoir level, has a capacity of li million gallons. The first conduit, of cast iron pipe 30 inches in diameter, was laid in 1894, and the second one in 1908. The latter, also of cast iron pipe, is 42 inches in diameter for the first Ц miles, with the remaining 17f miles of 30-inch diameter. The distribution system of the city, consisting of nearly 240 miles of mains, ranging from 4 inches to 36 inches, is fed from the reservoir by two lines of 36-inch, and one line of 30-inch diameter pipe supplying the low service, and one line of 24 inch pipe supplying the high service section of the city from the stand-pipe. No provision had been made, when the conduits were installed, for measuring the flow, either from the Lake or the reservoir, until 1913, when two Pitot Tube Recorders were placed on the 36-inch mains from the reservoir. Later similiar recorders were installed on the other two feed mains, and also on the two conduits entering the reservoir. Early in 1920, it became apparent that the demand for water, during at least part of the year, would equal if not exceed the supply, and it was considered advisable to check the amount of water leaving

The Improvement of a Portion Of The Jordan Level Of The Erie Canal

The Jordan Level of the Erie Canal extends from Lock 50, about 5- miles west of the City of Syracuse, N. Y., to Lock 51, near the Village of Jordan, N. Y., a distance of about 16 miles. In the improvement of the Erie Canal, under the laws of 1885 and 1886, the work on the Jordan Level was embraced in Contracts Nos. 3, 4 and 5 of the Middle Division. The canal on that level runs for about 5 miles through a summit swamp, where the material is, first, 2 or 3 ft. of muck, then a mixture of marl and clay from 2 to 50 ft. in depth, then cemented gravel.

Cities. Improvements in Streets. Discrimination. Larned v. City of Syracuse et al., 44 N. Y. Sup. 857

Cities. Improvements in Streets. Discrimination. Larned v. City of Syracuse et al., 44 N. Y. Sup. 857

The Water-works of Syracuse, N. Y.

On June 21st, 1888, the Hon. Wm. B. Kirk, Mayor of the city of Syracuse, N. Y., appointed a commission to select the best available source for furnishing an abundant supply of water for public, mec...

LXXXII. Observations upon Father Kircher’s opinion concerning the burning of the fleet of Marccllus by Archimedes

When Marcellus besieg’d the city of Syracuse, it is well known, by the authority of those great historians Livy, Po­lybius, and Plutarch, that the incomparable skill and devices of Archimedes were the only obstacles to his succeeding in his enterprize, much sooner than he did.