Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-04-30
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

The National Water Works have
seen handful proposing to build water WORKS
for Washington at q cost to the Government
Of one million of dollars, signed Joseph l..
Holmes, civil and mechanical engineer, for
self and associates. A letter signed j. 4. ii
and dated ut Washington one day before the
date of this handful, appeared in the New
York Tribune Of the 18th inst, attacking the
project now under construction, and charging
extravaganza upon those who have recon-
mended it. This letter and handful seem to
relate to the same project. Let US examine
them little.
In the handful it is proposed to purchase
convenient site. not less than twenty acres, and
to erect thereon q suitable iron railing, with
reservoirs to hold SO, OOO, 900 gallons of water,
Then to purchase site on Rock Greek, near
Boundary street, and erect two pumping en-
gines, capable of pumping 100000 gallons
of water daily. To lay certain mains and Sec
ton pipes; one of the latter to take water from
Rock Creek; the other, two miles long, from
the Potomac, near the mouth of the canal;
TINS insuring, when Rock Creek does not fur
nish Is, 600, 900 of gallons daily, supply Of
w.sor from the Potomac at point between
Washington and Georgetown-so situated as
to insure fair share of sewerage water from
one of the cities whether the tide be Hood or
ebb. He also proposes that the Government
shall appoint a civil and mechanical engineer
to inspect and receive the work, whose salary
10 and has associates actH pay
J. E. H., in the TJt9es ssss, ssy repo,ts saa
-.dIned Rock Creek himself, and he con.
ciudes that they were both wrong, and be re-.
oonmends the scheme detailed above.
NOW Col. Hughes reported that be could
Dring In part Of Rock Greek by natural flow
1or sooo,OOO Capt. Meigs estimated the &C st
OF bringing In the whole of Rock Creek with
larger reservoirs and conduit than Col Hughes
at 81 ,2's 900, only s25s, 900 more than Mr.
homes proposes to spend in pumping by
steam.
o"et OF keeping up the pumps and
pumping engines is by Mr. Holmes estimated
AT s4,e0o per annum. The cost of keepinr nm
the dam and conduit could not exceed 81 ooO
per annum.
Unless, therefore, Mr.. Holmes and his .,oo.
crates are more reliable engineers than Col
hughes and Capt. Meigs, we are at a loss to
discover any reasons for preferring this new
project for Rock Creek to those heretofore esti-
mated, reported and rejected by those whom
Congress charged with the express duty of de-
Gliding what plan should be adopted
~. E
oy Mr.. Holmes would no doubt be found on
meridian Hill. We cannot help thinking that
some interest in land or fuel has caused tho
preference Of steam pumping from q stream
which, within 3. miles, affords q head ~ 1so
Feet. In conclusion, the getters I'D Of this
PROJECT are well known, and they have not the
confidence OF this community and are not l;ka-
ly to secure that of Congress.
1t will be difficult to persuade honorable
members that it will be better to pump their
drinking water in times of draurbt warm from,
a place contaminated by the sewerage of two
cities and the decaying vegetation of the neg.
tilential marsh near the White House, through
pipe two miles long, than to take the water
OF the creek through brick conduit onIv tbrse
and half miles long by its natural flow.
And as for reasons clearly set forth in the
reports OF Capt. Meigs, which have satisfied
every ofncer and every Congressional commit
Toe OF the District before whom the subject has
come, that Rock Creek is not a suf5e;sn,
source to supply this capital with water
another plan has been adopted under sutbo,i.
y of law, and partly executed, we are certain
that the speculation of Mr.. J. Z. Holmes and
his associates will not be successful.
ne charges that the agents in charge of the
WORK have refused to report the state Of the
contracts and the estimates, while in doc 80
OF this Congress, printed 18th April, 1856. the
'0"oee OF the contracts are printed with fuII
tables, giving the original estimates printed
N 1888, and comparing them with the last "a.
Vised estimates made in obedience to the call
If the House.
These tables give the estimates of each sec
'ion' the work done upon the section, and the
'sumated cost of completion. Mr.. J. Ell
Ices not know his associates a. well as others
IN this community, or he would never have
0een 80 mis'ed as to Join in this hopeless spec
ulation. p''
setting op.-At the advent of the present
:, the amount Of balances dine
we General Government, principally by its
past ana present financial agents and ofs.srs
as per the showing of the Treasury Dsno,,
neh's DOORS amounted to an agrrsgsts ot
about $4,000, OOO Much Of Thu &C. VI
not really due, but stood so apparently, onlv
or want Of proper vouchers Much wa. -
'ery small balances, that were paid on de.
nand Up to this time the work Of elos;n.
'uch accounts has been prosecuted by secre-
'Afy duthrie with great energy aud success,
me balances due the Government ON sucb M.
cunts oy the Departments books, having
been reduced to about s24, 900 900
we herewith append a circular, forwarded
70 all who stand indebted On oman ,