Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-04-02
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

TAPPING THE WATER PIPEs.-There bids fair
to be no little hunnifuggling in the City Coun-
ellis over the question of regulating the tapping
Of the Government water pipes, We regret 20
have to say However anxious every member
of both the branches may be-and we leave
each reader to Judge for himself how anxious
that probably is-it is very certain that there
are number of outside Spectators, each seek.
ing to smake his jack out of the legislation Of
the City Councils on the subject, and each rally
ing upon the exertions of more or less of the
members of the Boards to compass the success Of
his plans. How far their expectations of being
thus favored by the latter is well-founded, is
a question only to be determined in future
The law Of Congress on the subject, seeks to
guard the interests of the Government and
those Of the people of the District of Columbia
a. involved in this matter, with commendable
care, and the joint resolution to carry out that
law is evidently framed in the same spirit
Nevertheless, amendments are being proposed
to it, which, if adopted, may defeat the object
Of the law Of Congress in this particular con-
neetion, and make the work Of supplying the
houses with water cost the property holders Of
the District far more than that would, legiti-
mately managed.
The joint resolution (of the Board of Alder
men, referred to above, is rs follows:
JoINT RESOLUTION providing for the tapping Of
the water mains now laid by the United States
Be IL rssolred, &c, That all persons DESTROYS Of
Introducing water into their premises from the
mains now laid by the United States in the city of
Washington, may do so upon application to the
Mayor for permission To tap said mains, and make
the necessary excavations. agreeing In writing to
pay such water rate charge per annum the
Corporation may by law hereafter adopt, and be
subject to such rules and regulations as itmav pre-
scribe said rate or charge for water To commence
from the date of said permit Proridsd. That all
excavations shall be made under the direction of
the Commissioner of the respective Ward, and
be closed to his satisfaction: And prorided fur
theT, That all tapping of said water mains, and
laying OF the service pipes to tue premises de-
signed to be supplied with water, as well as the
putting in of all stop-cocks and hose outlets or
connections upon the foot pavements shall. until
otherwise ordered by this Corporation, be done
under the direction of the Engineer of tue United
states required to be appointed by the act OF
March .. 1859, to take charge Of the Potomac
Water Works, or some person authorized by him.
who shall not be engaged, directly or Indirectly
in the plumbing or gas-ttting business within
this city or elsewhere, and who shall be entitled
to charge and receive for each time the said main
is tapped by him. and a ferule inserted, the sum
of fifty cents, to be paid by the party using said
water. 20
An amendment to it, proposed in the Coun-
Gil Board, is as follows
strike out all after the words :'under the in
the twentyirst line, and insert, direction Of said
Ward Commissioners. subject in all cases to- the
legal supervision of the United States Engineer in
charge Of the Potomac water-works, and also to
the requirements of the seventh and eighth Sec
tOns Of the act of Congress making appropriations
for sundry civil expenses OF the Government, ap-
proved June II, 1s5S.n
1t will be perceived that this amendment
proposes to place tho control of the tapping
into the hands Of the Ward Commissioners, who
are by no means as competent to regulate and
direct matter Of so great Importance as the
Government engineer in charge of the work :;
and that in so doing it conflicts directly with
the law of Congress specifically assigning to
that officer this particular duty Under such
circumstances, it is clear that the authorities
OF the Corporation Of Washington have no law
full right whatever to take from the United
States engineer in charge of the duties the
amendment proposes to transfer to the Ward
Commissioners Of the Corporation of Washing
ton.