Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-12-05
The waxhin.tsu Aaueduet.


Public Buildings. for the year ending October
let, 1857. He saws.
At the date of the last annual report, October
], 1866, work had been resumed on the Poto-
mac dam at Great Falls, and it was con fidentiy
predicted that by the beginning OF December
the foundation N asonry would be completed
across the Maryland channel to Conn's Is
land heavy fIeshet occurring on the 10Th
OF October. cause high water for the remain
der OF the season ard a suspension of work
upon the foundation masonry. The super
supcture masonry was contin ued until Deem
Der O,when all operations were suspended for
the winter.
This year the spring freehets were unusu.
ally high, accompanied by large masses OF ice.
Although the dam was unhnish he'd, the masonry
sustained very little damage. The water did
not subside suficientfy until the Goth Of June,
when a large force of masons and laborers re-
suIned operations, and although the season
has been unusually wet and the work often in
terrupted by freshets, vet, owing to the energy
and perseverance of the contractors, Messrs.
Charles H. Sheriff. and Arson Bangs, the
foundation and superstructure masonry are
now completed across the Maryland channel
to ConR's Island. A large portion OF the tenn.
porary dam was washed away during the
spring freshets, and several times during the
summer. 1t was repaired after each freshet,
and kept in repair until the present time.
The work on the gatehouse at the Great
Fells has been resumed, and it will be com.
pleted before the coming winter The floor
and the imbers supporting the iron gates are
very much decayed, and should be replaced
with flooring and Orders Of cast.iron. The
sSne or,Sges on the aqueduct are all unfin-
bridges cannot be overestimated. In their
present state they are rapidly deteriorating,
and changeable as the last, their usefulness
ously impaired.
The work on the connecting conduit at the
reservoir was resumed August 10, 1866, and
vigorously prosecuted until its completion
Dalecarlia tunnel, eight undred feet in length,
was continued day and night until March
Attn, when 1t was pierced through. On August
eth the waters of Powder Mill Branch and Of
the receiving reservoir were shut of and the
waters OF the Potomac (Which since the stu
csiying reservoir were let into the new con.
nec1ng conduit.
In making the excavations for this conduit,
more rock was encountered than was estm ated
Tor; nearly its enure length was built ON rock
foundations, but the most expensive and dim
cult portion Of the work was Dalecariia tun.
through soft and loose rock that is not self sus.
tanning. This part OF the tunnel as it pro.
crossed was carefully shored with heavy tim.
6ers and every precaution used to protect the
lives OF the miners, and to prevent the roof
and sides from caving. yet extensive slides took
place and several accidents happened to the
workmen though only one lite was lost. Over
one hundred feet CT the south heading cayed
in ana became an open cutting. The cost OF
the connecting CONDUIT has conses uently ex-
ceeded the appropriations made by Congress in
n.
tractors, Messrs. Sheriff. aud Bangs. Three
hundred feet OF the tunnel will have to be
archec, and the water slopes of the embank-
ment Will have 10 be lined with ripraps to
protect them fIom the waters OF the receiving
reservoir.
On August sth, when the Potomac waters
were turned into the connecting conduit, this
RESERVOIR was shut off from the conduit and
has not been used since. The water in NJ,
which had become very impure, was empted
out 1t was retiled again, and now contains
IN m DO K.rxlx
the event Of an accident happening TO the con-
dGIr This reservoir could be improved and
In5de very useful Tor storage and settling of
WAFER oy deepening the shallow parts and
Inning the slopes with ripraps Eventually
THIS improvement Will ba found necessarv
The lands IN connection with this reser OR
might be improved and beautifed, and made
into park which would be easy of access
and desirable place of resort.
Work on The distributing reservoir was sus.
pended IN June. l-64. Since then IL has been
the completion of the connecting conduit the
Potomac water was introduced directly into
TINS reservoir. Owing 10 its unfinished con.
dItioD, II is necessary TO keep the water az a
low elevation. When il is finished. the uatsr
can be raised several feet higher, which Will
give greater pressure ia the pipes and
largely increased supply Of water 10 Capitol
Hill and other high points in the cities This
receiver has been in use for over three wears
and no repairs have been made on auy part ~
IT. The estimate for completing it is conse-
n
ger IL Is used In It's present state the greater
must be the final cost of compIetingt
IN tne estimate have included the cost OF
Isying az IRON main from the distributing
reservoir pipe vault 10 Foundry branch pine
vault, 10 DC used either for supply or drain
pipe II, from any cause 1t becomes Necessary
TO empty this reservoir, 1t can be done onIv nv
shutting eff one Of the mains ana o ling il for a
drain pipe. The necessity of having separate
drainage ana supply pipes is sufficiently obvi.
ous The several gate houses 10 connection
with this reservoir are In an Incomplete condi.
ton, and during the cold weather of last
winter We're constant source Of expense and
al xiety, and a watchmaR had TO be emploved
day and night, to keep the water in them from
freezing. The High Service reservoir az
GeorgetoWn, Is also unfinished, but has been
In constant use since June, 1s6j. Its present
| appearance is very unsightiy; either it should
be fR ished according TO the original design or
the dome should be cut down 10 The level of
mental iron railing. The WorthIngton water.
pressure engine is located In the west Amt.
ment OF bridge Moe. 1t has Supplied the
Hlgh Service with water for nearly eight
years IL was hrst put in operation in No.
vember, le59, and worked till October 30,
iet2, when II was stopped for repairs The
pistoLs were taken out and sent to New York,
where new cylinders were cast and fitted 10
them, and the engine was put in motion Mo-
veInber III, lc62. IL was stopped again for
repairs In August, l-G3, and the valves, which
had become worn, were taken out and pIaned
Since then 1t has been stopped but few hours
At a time for slight repairs until the I6h OF
last IL opth, when IL was taken apart and fitted
with pistons and completely cleaned and re .
pared. This occupied seven days, and the
heights were supplied with water by the
GeorRetown steam fire engine, which was
loaned by the city government for that
purpose. The water pressure engine is now
As good as new, and IL again in constant opera.
ton.
Bridge No. over College pond is in good
condition Bricge No. over Rock Creek is
now being repaired. The forty Eight inch
tubes have been thoroughly scraped and
painted; the ornamental wTeaths which enclr.
Gle the joints Of the tubes bad become loose
and many OF them dropped of; sew erai fell into
Rock Creek and cannot be found; the others
and those which were loose and liza BILE 70 fail
have been replaced and secure bolted to the
tubes The sidewalks are nearly worn ont
and the roadway requires a new floor to bring
u even with the rails Of the Washington and
Georgetown railway.
The Government mains are all in good con.
ditoo. The twelve-inch NAN in Pennsylya.
MIA avenue, between Sixth and Eighth streets
east, was lowered three feet during the past
SPINNER, In order to conform with the grade OF
the avenue; and twelve inch stop valve was
placed IN the main near Sixth street east In
north Il street twenty inch main is now being
laid, and will be connected by twelye-inch
main win the pipes in the Capitol. This will
increase the supply OF water TO the Capitol
but II will not be abundant until the distribut'
ing reservoir in completed, and the water
raised 10 higher elevation
hn Init SsA. f..