Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-04-06
WATER RArEaIN roN.


In the Board of Aldermen last evening, Mr.
Moore asked leave to have read q communica.
ton addressed to him by s r. Bond, Water
Registrar, but Oh ection was made, and IL vas
wIthdrawn. The commu hi cation was In re.
ference TO certain quiries and suggestions of
Mr.. Moore in regard to the water rates in this
city, and the Registrar says:
Z" / have thou Rht that few statements on that
subject may answer q good purpose in dis
abusing some minds OF false impressions on the
subIsc;, and therefore beg leave to say that
those Of our ciiizeLs who think no charge
should or need be made for the use of the Po
tomac water, or that the charge should be
greatly reduced below the present rate from
the fact that the General Government, built the
aqueduct and laid part of the mains through
which our supply Is obtained, should con.
slider
Fnst. That very frequent and sometimes
heavy expenditures are necessary to repair
leakaees IN the mains. and that constant over.
sight and inspection of the same Is of the first
Importance 70 prevent such leakages, SO far as
possible, and, when they occur, to ayoid in.
convenience to water. takers by promptly re-
pairing them, and prevent the damage to
streets, sewers and other public and private
properly, which would be a disastrous COZ.
sequence Of negiecting this important duty of
the Water Department.
Second That the pipes which were laid at the
time Congress placed this subject under the
control of the Corporation constituted but few
main arteries, from which the circulation has
since been extended, at the expense of the water
rapidly increasing population. The truly
magnificent distances" which are but spar sely
built o>er req uire q large extent Of pipe com.
pa ed with the number OF residences TO be sup
piled. and, by consequence, with the revenue
TO re derived from water rents; and, in many
instances. mains have been laid almost solely
for the purpose of protection against fire. where
scarcely any returns in the shape of water
rents could be anticipated. Then. again Fire
hydrants, of the most approved and efficient
pattern now In use. have been erected along
h. lima NhA
crossings, &c, so as to afford a proper control
of the water In case Of leakage CT other con.
uDgency: and i have the satisfaction, in this
connection, to report that every such fire.
bydTant and stop under the control Of this
department is at this date in good working
order. q complete examination and repair of The
same from Tune 10 time having been made.
The great CONFERENCE.-The necessity, in
deed-ofthese constantly extending MAINS and
the safe-g guard against the destruc tIon OF prop
eTty afforded by these fire-hydrants. certainiy
exceeding the cost Of the same; but they must
be paid for, kept in repair, extended TO meet
new wants, and for this purpose il is that
water rents are collected, not as q source of
revenue to the city for general purposes, nor
for any other reason whatsoever.
Just here shall be asked II a water tax Of
seven -eghths of one cent per squire foot is not
asss ssed on the lots fronting on the line of the
mains, TO reimburse the water fund for pur-
chasing and laying the samel Certainly: but
this tax is payable in n We annual instalments
tOT sOODeI, u Tue option OF the Owner.) SO that
generally but one. ffa of the cost OF the mains
Is Immediately available to this fund to offset
the dis bursements OF each year, even suppos.
ing the above-named rate OF assessment to meet
the expense, which is frequently not the case,
owing TO the great width OF our streets, and the
large amount Of property belonging to the Gen.
eral Government, and not liable to be taxed
Thus II becomes necessary to supply this de.
ficiepcy for the time being, as well as to defray
the expense OF repairs, &c, above mentioned,
from some source. and what one so appropri-
moderate charge for the use the water!
Third That when the Water Department
was Organized, ten years ago, authority was
given by act OF Congress TO borrow sl50.OOO,
which the corporate authorities at that time
deemed II necessary to do, and which was ac-
cordlngly done The water stock issued for
this loan will soon fall due, but no surplus has
been accum ulated in the water fund, after paw
Ing the interest on the same, the expenses above
indicated out OF the receipts Of this Office, in
Guiding the water rents and taxes upon tn.
mans, out Of which to redeem the same.
BY carefully Outstanding the receipts Of this
Department believe these receipts will here.
alter be adequate to pay the ordinary expenses.
including the laying of MAINS and TO create a
may be redeemed within the next ten years, a
portion OF II annually, even ar the present
low rates charged tor the use OF water: aud as
he interest on the stock has been, 1 believe,
promptly paid, the loan can dou btless be re-
neWed on favorable terms. 1t will be neces.
sary, In my opinion, at a very early period, in
ORDER TO Keep up water supply equaI to the
inc easing consumption and dem and. to make
some quite extensive improvements, such as
laying large main along the northern part of
the city, or building reservoir in that direc-
ton, but in such case some special means mus
be devised adeq uate to the end.
fosTh. 1t thus appearing that some charge
iof the use or water is necessary, / would have
u properly understood by our citizens no W low
this rs te Is compared with that paid IN othsr
cities, as will become evident by the following
comparison, made from official data % my pos.
session.
will take as basis the lowest annual rent
hareed IN this city for domestic USE viz: For
house stories high and 10 feet front, includ-
ny BATH, water closets, and street washer when
used, -. For a similar house and uses the
annual rent in other cities is follows, viz
Louisville, Sl2: 81. Louis, s2f; CINCINNATI SI3:
New York. el3; Boston, Sli. For larger
houses, and for other than domestic purposes,
the rates are in about the same ratio, so that IL
can be seen at glance that our citizens have
one commodity and convenience at a much
lower prlce than is paid fer the same in other
cities. In no city have the officers of the Water
department been less inqulstorial in examlu.
ing as TO the use Of water, and in none has a
more LIBERAL consumption been allowed with
out extra charge. This leniency has been often
abused oy an extrayaRent use and waste Of
water, which the growing shortness OF our
supply demands should be remedied by some
efectual means"
THE POTOMAC FRoNT.-The wind still bio VS.
heavily from the northwest, and therefore
delays the arrivals of vessels in port. The
steamer Arrow, Stackpcle, left her wharf as
usual, at ten O'Clock, with only a few pas
Ct myers, and mails. She took down 70 Guns
tons landing q lot of lacks and ssprizesr
Wberew 18th TO facilitate the lau ching OF large
merchant Schooner, which has Just been built
for Mr.. Merrill, residing In Virginia, near
that point The steamer W. w. Cot, due here
frC N Baltimore Sunday last, and reported
aground on Lodge Landing, Wicomico river,
sun remains hard and fas.. with bat little pros-
pect OF Ler getting off till the wind changes or
lulls The steamer Wawaset, Fowke, lett Pc
tC mac Ferry wharf AZ an early hour this
morning for Currisman, with passengers and
iIeIghi for country merchants and farmers
Fellow Will be found the regular wharf az
rituals.
FGy's Whdrf.-Arrived-Sch Midnight,
Hopkins, from New York, with fruits Tor
" shington merchants.
RiIey's Wh0If.-Arrived-Scnr Z. j. Pikup.
Bowen, from Philadelphia, with 800 tons Of
coal for Ii =. Clark: Stephen A Douglas,
Lewis, from Greer: Only Sol, Edwards, from
IangieT's sound; also. a couple of sIoops with
oysters for Turner 4 Son and for market.
Union. Stewart, for Matthias
Point light; Oriental, Cheshire. for Annamss-
sex, light Sally Francis, Howard, for Hunt.
ing Creek light; Robert Franklin, Glover for
Georgetown. 10 load coal for Norfolk and Sea
board Railroad Company.
HGTtey's Whdrf.-Arrived-Scho Minnie
kir Fey, Parsons, from Philade lphia with coal
for Harvey. Clark & Given.
Johns0ns Wkaf-At this wharf to-day the
arrivals OF hsh are still limited, though there