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DELIVERED BY THE
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PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON fFAmBg ^-4^
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SURROUNDING THE
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By NICHOLAS HAIGHT, Dyer.
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            NEW-YORK:


PP.INTED BY P. AND H. VAN PELT, 87 NASSAU-STREET,


               1825.
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   Being brought up to the Dry-Goods business, and for se-
 veral years pursued that, in connection with carpeting, for
 my own benefit; matter, and things of this great universe,-
 cmd the philosophy of properties and causes, why and where-
 fore all nature progressed, seldom or never entered my mind.
 In the year  1820, my brother and myself began, in this city,
 the foundation of the present extensive Ingrained Carpet
 Manufactory, now owned by the Jersey Little-Falls Manu-
 facturing Company—he as a mechanic and machinest, while
 I was sedulously devoting my time to sales, and means to ex-
 tend the same.  Among the vast variety of difficulties which
 presented to the accomplishment of our object, was the art
 of dying.  That art being absolutely necessary to be prac-
 tised, equal with others in the world, before the great deside-
 ratum could be  obtained—public satisfaction—inquiry  was
 made in every part of this country for a man who was mas-
 ter of the art.  Application was also made on the other side
 of the Atlantic, without success.  All that offered as work-
 ineu in the art,  put to trial ; and  none found that would
 answer the object sought for.  One whole year was spent
 in  these fruitless and perplexing trials, during which time 1
 resorted to various authors on the art, which at first I found
 only served to perplex me, and involve me  in further dark-
 ness.  I resorted lastly to the philosophic causes, and  en-
 deavored to answer the following questions :—What is co-
 lour, or the cause of colour ? By what means is it to be  ap-
plied, and to what is it applicable ? 
4
   The following answers was the  result :—The  cause of
 colour is light.  To apply it must be by the agency of water,
 atmospheric air, and heat.   Colour, by these agents, is ap-
 plicable to all substances where there is an affinity.  It will
 readily be perceived, that water necessarily has  engaged
 much of my time, and that 1 must understand its properties,
 to cause it to be subject to my wishes.
   It is not my intention to enter into detail of my profession,
 any further than what relates to water,  and its properties ;
 the sources from whence derived.   My practice upon this
 element in applying it to my art, has been such  as to aston-
 ish  the theorist, and upset their visionary ideas of that ele-
 ment, as taken from the bowels of the earth—from tho
 clouds of heaven, the rippling stream, and the roaring river.
 I have had no other interest in view in solving the mysteries
 of nature in this element, but to accomplish the perfection
 of my art.   Each step I progressed—each and  every fact I
 proved, although new to former practitioners in  the art,, and
 at variance with all theoretical chemists,  [ had  no desire to
 dispute with them, nor  solicit their consent to my  views.
 My objects were obtained, and myself satisfied  with the re-
 sult of all my investigations.   I am also well satisfied, that
 theorists on  any subject, who never reduce their theory to
 practice, either because  they cannot or will not, are men
 fatally dangerous to all practitioners.  The opinions of such
 ought not to  have any more weight than what their practice.
 will prove.
   The result of my operations with the  Manhattan watcr»
 of this city, has been so much to the reverse of these gentle-
 men's opinions, (and I  presume  their  wishes)  that it has
 been undertaken to establish their error, by stating that from
 this water I  had extracted White Paint,  White Lead, Poi-
 son, &c.  I now unhesitatingly declare, that  the sediment
 which t precipitate does not contain any of these properties.
 Through the means of Mr. Garniss and Mr. Post, surrepti-
 tiously and under false Suggestions, Mr. Garniss did obtain
 from me a brief statement of  the manner in which it was
precipitated, and the necessity of doing so, to render it sub-
 
5
ject to my wishes.   That paper dees not contain any opin-
ion of mine as to the properties that the sediment contains;
and  I  never ventured an  opinion on that point until now,
whatever may be said by  these men, or any others, to the
contrary notwithstanding.

   PRACTICAL  OPERATIONS AND RESULTS.

   Water, until modern times, was considered as an elemen-
tary, or simple substance.  I find no chemical  experiment
performed on it, to ascertain what substances it might con-
tain, until the year 1776, which was in England : and the
first in France in the year 1783—since  which time, the ana-
lysis of water has employed the attention of the first chem-
ists.
   In applying the Manhattan water to the purposes of dy-
ing, 1 have found it to possess  soda, marine salt, a minute
proportion of magnesia,  and a one hundred and sixty thou-
sandth part of its weight, of a white earthy substance, in
which is contained the magnesia ; and no other substances
w hatever.
   I also  discovered, that it was not always the same.  At
certain times the soda that it contained would predominate
in certain cases, which would prove injurious in some co-
lours, and beneficial in others.  At other times, the proper-
ties of the water would apparently harmonize, and  prove
much more beneficial to all the colours.  To ascertain the
cause  of this, I  made  the following  observations:—On
Mondays,  and  at other times, when the  reservoir of the
Company was full, and had stood some time, the water was
much softer and more pliant to my wishes.  To prove this,
I placed vessels full in the  open air, and  found its exposure
even for a short time, produced an agreeable effect upon all
its properties.  By following up these results, and ascertain-
ing the causes of it, (being through the operations of the at-
mosphere) I resolved to put it into general  operation^ with
the atmospheric air, as far  as it was practicable.  I accor-
dingly gave it all the exposure in my power, with the situa- 
6
 tion of the building;  and from  which 1 took  the principal
 part of the earth)' substance which it necessarily must obtain
 in passing through the logs.
   In placing the water in the kettles, and  bringing  it to a
 boiling heat, a farther operation was produced upon its pro-
 perties.   The earthy substance,  with the magnesia, (through
 the agency of the soda and marine salt no  doubt) was at-
 tracted by the  heat, and would place itself on the kettle in
 its hottest parts.   This result opened an idea  to my mind,
 as new as it was beneficial in itself.  If I could  pursue my
 work without its obstruction, and be rid of it altogether, I
 conceived it would be very desirable.  To obtain this,  the
 steam was applied, as the only method to give us the water,
 free from the earthy substance ;  and possessing in  itself  all
 its other beneficial properties.   I now, and  have for these
 three years past, puis led my  business with  much satisfac-
 tion ; using altogether the Manhattan water, notwithstand-
 ing it is at variance with every author that has ever written
 on the art, except one, Mr. Win. Partridge,  of this city, a
 gentleman who I consider has a  considerable share of prac-
 tical information in the art.  I therefore introduce  a part of
 his essay on water, as it accords with my practice, and  is
 the first that has published such principles to the world.

        " On the effects which Water has on Dying.

   " Whenever  this subject has been  mentioned by theoreti-
 cal writers, it has been but briefly noticed, as a subject  of
 minor consequence, and their opinions have been uniformly
 erroneous.
   " I had no conception  when I left England, that water
could have had so material  an effect in  the  production  of
colour, as I have since found  it to possess.  I have  practi-
ced the art in this country in four states, and have  found
that given proportions of the same description of ingredients
would not produce the same colour in any two; there would
in each, be a considerable variation in the hue and body  of
the colour.  ] shall endeavour to draw such inferences from 
s^fg.;
 the facts that have been developed  during  my  practice in
 both countries, as will carry conviction to every unprejudi-
 ced mind ;  and I humbly hope my opinion will  be entitled
 to that consideration which the  importance of  the subject
 demands.
   " In a conversation I lately had with one of the Messrs.
 Haights, carpet  manufacturers of this  city, I was much
 pleased to find that his opinion on the effects of  water, cor-
 responded with mine in every particular.  It was gratifying
 to have this opinion sanctioned by a gentleman possessing
 so much practical and theoretical knowledge, as it is at va-
 riance with all who have ever before written on the subject.
   " An idea has been  handed down from the earliest#wn-
 ters, and reiterated  by every one to the present  day, that
 none but soft water is fit to be used in  dying.   They say
 that  "ifthe water meant to be employed, be hard, and not
 fit for washing, or curdles soap, it is not fit for dying light
 colours."   Although this idea has been taken  for granted
 by every author,  and been as generally received by the most
 intelligent practical dyers, yet it  is altogether  erroneous ;
 and I will venture to assert, that spring water free from me-
 tallic oxids, and  marine salts, is, however hard, better cal-
 culated for dying, than any  larger stream having  a distant
 source, however soft.
   " When 1 left England, I was impressed with the prevail-
 ing notion that none but soft water could be used for dying.
 It was the opinion of my father, and his predecessors in the
 same business, who have been eminent dyers for more than
 a century ; and this in direct opposition to their own daily
 practice; for  they  had all  this time been making use of
 spring water, that was very hard, would curdle soap, and was
 unfit for  washing, in preference to water from a  fine mill
 stream, that ran between the dye-houses, and was remark-
 ably soft. And 1 am convinced they have owed their cp
 lebrity, purely to this circumstance.  My practice in ime"
 rica has convinced me of this important fact, thai any water,
with the exceptions before mentioned, may be used ^   ='s"
fully by the dyer,  with one proviso—that it is  '" 
8
  same state.  Water  that  is variable in its  properly, can
  never be used with anyprospect of success : it is on this ac-
  count that springs are better calculated for the purpose than
  mill-streams.
    " That river water  is ever varying, is ktoo  obvious to be
  doubted.  After much rain, by far the greater part will be
  rain water : in a dry season it  will  be altogether the pro- .
  duce of springs, and the shades of difference will vary almost
  daily.  Can it  be expected that a  medium  ever  variable
  should be calculated to produce certain and  invariable re-
  sults ? The dyer who uses river water (excepting in certain
  cases which  will  hereafter be mentioned) must, therefore,
  be subject to continual disappointment, and probably with-
  out the least suspicion of the cause.   He will  go blundering
  along for years in the dark, sometimes much to his satisfac-
  tion, at other times deceived in the expected results ;  he
  will blame the dye-wares ; will expect they have been adul-
  terated by the dealer, or will charge his workmen with care-
lessness and neglect;  any and every thing will be suspected
  rather than the true cause.
    " Let every American dyer, that  is stationary,  contrive
  some mode of obtaining water that shall  always  be  in the
  same state, and I will venture to predict they will soon be-
  come as  eminent as those of any other country.   This has
  already been done by Messrs. Haights of New-York, and
  the result, whilst it affords an example to all others, reflects
  infinite credit on  themselves.  I have never  seen a dying
  establishment better systematised, or more happily contriv-
  ed to answer every  purpose than  theirs.  Their plan for
  collecting water, and the modes contrived to have it always
  in the same state, are so  masterly, and so  consonant with
  the opinion I have been advocating, that 1 cannot elucidate
  the subject better than by giving a description  of this part of
  ^^establishment, and  the reason  why they were  com-
  pe»eaVAfjoptit.
    >   7^?e gentlemen are carpet manufacturers,  and their
  dying is/^^altogether in the  yarn.  When they first be-
^           ^V^they were much plagued by the uncer- 
9
 tainty attendant on their colouring.  To obviate this diffi-
culty was necessary to their success, and they considered
the variableness of the water as the principal  cause.  The
Manhattan water which  they use, is pumped from springs,
yet it was found to be variable, chiefly owing to its contain-
ing at times an unusual portion of marine salts.  To ensure
a regular supply, uniformly the same, they adopted the fol-
lowing mode  : the water is first received  in a large,  open,
oblong reservoir, where it is exposed to the atmosphere, and
permitted to deposit its impurities :  it is drawn off from this
to a second reservoir, lying under  the other, which is closely
covered.  The pipe that conveys the water from the first
reservoir, is placed nine inches  above the bottom, leaving
room below it for the sediment to collect.  Of course none
of the settled impurities can be drawn from the first to the
Second.  It is pumped from the second to a third, which is
placed over the dye-house, and sixteen feet above the lower
one.  The pump is so fixed as  not to draw off, or disturb
the water lying within nine inches of the bottom, and it is
drawn for use from the upper receiver, with the same pre-
caution not  to disturb the sediment.   The  reservoirs are
cleaned periodically ; by these means they have been able
to produce every colour with the utmost certainty."

  During my researches  for better and  purer  water  than:
what I was using, I  began with  rain-water, as that has al-
ways been admitted to  be the purest.   The  result was as
follows :  It contained more earthy substance than the Man-
hattan ; apparently composed of animal and vegetable mat-
ter.  This was not tractable by heat ; hence it was in con-
tinued solution  : I also found soda, and marine properties
to a small degree, or lime.  This 1 presume must have been
brought with  it as it fell to the earth, through the quantity
of earthy matter the atmosphere holds over such a populous
city as New-York.
  I have tried the spring water at Fort Gansevoort, on this
Island.  It is soft, owing to its  possessing less  soda than 
10
the Manhattan water;  still  not  differing  in its pr^pert.ce
nor effects.  I have examined the waters of the Passaic in
New-Jersey; it  possesses the  greatest quant.ty of earthy,
vegetable and animal matter of any  water 1 know.   1 he
Bronx river, and the Saw-Mill river, both  in  Westchester
county, possess lime,  marine salt, and  also earthy matter
composed of vegetable and animal substances.  These wa-
ters I should prefer to any other, for their fermenting quali-
ties ;  and should suppose them better calculated for the
brewer and  distiller, than any other purposes   Such water
is absolutely necessary in one particular branch of my art—
the Woad Dying—where fermentation is required to perfect
the dye: and 1 would further quote Mr. Wm. Partridge on
that subject.
   " In dying blue colours," says he,  " soft water should be
used in the vats.   This exception is not on account of the
colour, it is merely a saving of vegetable  ferments.   Hard
water is not so favourable in  promoting fermentation, as
soft is, and when  used in the blue  vat, a greater than the
usual quantity of bran and madder must  be employed, or
the fermentation  will not be sufficiently  vigorous.   Hard
water is best for washing wool  after it has been  coloured :
it is preferable also for  washing  cloth after braying,  and
fulling ; and where a convenient supply of spring  water can
be obtained  at an easy expense, it should be led into con-
venient receptacles,  from whence it can  be drawn  when
wanted."
   In all  my researches  in the properties  of water,  I  have
come to the same conclusion as Dr. Ure,  a celebrated che-
mist of Scotland, from whose works I quote  the  following,
being so completely consonant with my experience and ob-
servations :
   " Native water is  seldom or ever found perfectly pure.
The  waters that flow  within, or upon the surface of the
earth, contain various earthy, saline, metalic, vegetable or
animal particles, according to the substances over or through 
11
which they pass.  Rain or snow waters are much purer than
these, although they contain whatever floats in the air, or
has been exhaled along with the watery vapours."
  Doctor Ure's views are  clear and distinct :  as they all
bear the test of practice so far as I have proceeded ; and I
further quote him :—
  " The topography of the place  where the waters rise, is
the first thing  to be considered :  by examining the  ooze
formed by them, and the earth or stones through which they
are strained or filtered,  some judgment may be formed of
their  contents.  In filtering through the earth, and mean-
dering on  its  surface,  they  take with them particles of
various kinds,  which  their extreme  extenuation  renders
capable of being suspended in the fluid that serves for their
vehicle."
  It  is well known that this Island contains no  mineral
properties  whatever ;  being  principally composed of sand
and granite.  The waters that fall upon the surface of the
Island, and also the snow, is at ail times more or less char-
ged with marine salt and earthy substances, which they ne-
cessarily exhale with the vapours from the sea^and from the
rivers ; and when they have discharged themselves  upon
the earth, the  earthy substance and its marine properties
serve to nourish and enrich, while the water passes down-
ward to the bowels of the earth; forming itself into small
streams, and discharging  its surplus  through springs and
other openings, into the adjacent rivers.  By penetrating
then  to the depth of the bottom of the East and  Hudson
livers, which are immediately on each side, the co.irses of
these streams from the earth's surface, and those from these
two rivers,  are impeded, and through the aperture the water
is brought to the earth's surface,  pure  as any native water
can be in similar situations.  It possesses soda and marine
properties,  which, no doubt, are derived from the filtering of
the rivers : so had the rain water the same properties when
it fell  to the earth, although rendered pure by the earth's fil-
tration : but. again received the same properties to a greater 
*
                            12

  degree, by these two rivers,  taking with it  the earthy pro-
  perties through which it has passed ;  being a white  earthy
  substance containing magnesia—without any other  sub-
  stance whatever.
    Within these last two months, I have instituted and put
  into operation, a complete test to all my former practice in
  dying; which also is a practical test as to the water  I use.
  It is admitted that water procured by distillation  is as per-
  fectly pure  as the art of man can obtain ;  as it  can only
  possess a small proportion of the properties of the vessel in
  which it is distilled and condensed.  By thus distilling the
  Manhattan water, which 1 use, and applying it to my art,
  I find the difference is no more, in the appearance  of colour,
  nor in the ease of its execution, than that there is less earthy
  matter to be found.   Hence it brings me to this conclusion
  —that the Manhattan water in this city is as pure as any
 native water ; and that the properties  it possesses are not
 injurious  to health, or to the purposes of art, provided the
 artist understands his business.
   That this  Island does contain within  her  own  bowels a
 sufficiency of pure and wholesome water, for all the purpos-
 es of the city, even if it v/ere extended over the whole Island,
 and for as many manufactories as would necessarily be  lo-
 cated  in this city; there is  no doubt  in my mind.  The
 Island being surrounded by salt water;  Westchester coun-
 ty, and the Highlands on its north-east,  being so much high-
 er than this Island, send to these rivers  and the ocean vast
 streams of water through the bowelsof the earth. And by bor-
 ing in various places no doubt the result will prove as bene-
 ficial as in other parts.  The art of boring into the bowels
 of the earth is an idea very recently put into practice.   The
 first attempt I have any knowledge of, was at Dunfirmline
in Scotland.  This town stands on the declivity of a ridge :
to obtain a supply of water was of great moment. They
continued boing, the depth I am not prepared to say, but to
a very great distance, when they were  amply rewarded  by
an abundance of water rising.some distance  above the earth 
13
 the size of the bore.   This subject  has also been agitated
 in this country, but I  have never heard of its being put into
 operation, except at New-Brunswick, N. J.   The result of
 one individual's  labour there  is highly flattering.  On the
 highest ground in the neighbourhood  of that place, a bore  of
 three inches in diameter has been made to the depth ofi235
 feet, through which the water flows  to  the earth's surface.
 Another bore of the same size has been made to the depth of
 170 feet,  through which the water flows to the earth's sur-
 face, discharging four gallons in a minute;  and by inserting
 a tube, it will rise to the height of fifteen feet above the sur-
 face of the earth, discharging one and a half gallons per
 minute.
   Water brought into this city from the Bronx, Saw-mill
 River,  or the  Pasaic of New-Jersey, although  soft, they
 would  be found to contain marine  salt, lime, and a great
 proportion of  earth, vegetable  and animal  properties; and
 if the same is thrown into  large basins, for the purpose  of
 discharging these properties, the water would acquire while
 so remaining,  a greater share of marine properties by its con-
 tiguity to  the  salt water;  and although  much of the filth
 would be reserved, still it would not be as pure as that rais-
 ed from the bowels of the earth ; and as to its application in
 my art,  it would  necessarily have to be filtered in the same
 manner as the Manhattan water is now; and its containing
 lime  and marine salt, would render it perfectly useless,
 and  I  could  not proceed  with it at all.   To the brewer
 and distiller it would be advantageous, as it would be more
 vigorous in its fermentation, and to all purposes where fer-
 mentation is required.
  It would cause all deposits in reserviors to become a mass
 of putrid matter, and no doubt the harbinger of various dis-
 eases in a populous city.
  Could such streams of water be  let  at pleasure on our
streets to  wash away the dirt  and  filth of each  day,  and
could be sure of every morning's sun  to evaporate  its damp-
ness, and dry up all those earthy, vegetable, and animal sub- 
                          14

stances which it would leave behind that they would cease
to act, it would be an apparent blessing.
  But as the great Ruler of the universe has ordained that
he will grant us  that supply from his clouds when he thinks
it neeessary, I am decidedly of opinion that he will continue
his blessings as he has heretofore done, of which we have
no cause to complain. 
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