Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-03-16
THE WASHINGTON AQuEDUCr.
1nterestinS Exhibit of its Capacity.
Present Condition. and What Is
Needed for Its ComplettOn.
The Character Of the Attacks made
upon its Management.


The Character Of the Attacks made
upon It's Management.
For some time the House Committee on the
District of Columbia has been looking into the
affairs of the Washington Aqueduet, the cost
and present condition thereof, &c, and in the
same connection have been investigating various
charges made against the Aqueduct manage
ment. The testimony taken before the COM
mittee makes a voluminous document, and
affords an interesting exhibit of the condition
and requirements of this impor tant work. The
charges, it may be stated here, utterly broke
down on examination, and it was demonstrated
that they had their origin in the malice or
selfish motives OF persons heretofore employed
on the Aqueduct, and dismissed for cause
The testimony shows that there was a con-
spiracy against the management OF the Aque-
duct over two years ago. As supplying
rather curious chapter in the history of
these attacks, the following among the docu-
mentary evidence may be quoted
A GRAND CONSPIRACY.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. q, 1s6s.-Ny Dear
Sir: am aware Of a grand conspiracy about
the water works, and if parties will pay me,
will and can give such important information to
parties That they DO not knor. L write you this i'm
friendship.
ever You wish can see you.
Yours, with respect, LOUIS BAKER.
SAML STRONG, ESQ.
MR. CHRISTOPHER ADAMS WRITES LETTER.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. 13, 69.-J. j. r.
Croes, Esq. My dear sir You were here the
other day, and am sorry that 1 did not see you
! am told that great many complaints have
been made by parties relative 10 the water
works, and all that too to the Committee of
Appropriations; the members seem to have
taken up the matter, and are determined that
the work shall be done in proper manner and
under strict Observance of the law. The tunnel
in part has fallen in. the works are greatly out
OF repair and things in general look blue. The
testimony before the committee Is host in
Of standing and wealth both in Georgetown and
Washington. The appropriation called for upon
your estimate was s407 900, that amount has
already been expended, the work failure, and
no part Of the line completed, and now they ask
for, to finish the work, 100000. What has been
done for this vast amount OF money? There is
no work to show for it. The distributing reser-
the same as when you left. When and how will
this work be completed and by whom d? L trust
In GOD not by the present party. 1t seems that
Robert $. King left the line some time ago saw
ing that he could not stand the Goyernment
trified with by trifiers, as he considered himself
an honest man. hold a copy Of his letter in
which he writes the above. Things are in such
q state as to astOnish everybody. l write YOU
TINS Tor your information because, perhaps
when you were here the other day Won did NOT
know what was going on in Congress about the
works. III you have time write Inc a line In
the meantime remain, as ever, your friend and
ooedient servant.
lSigned.l- G. ADAMS.
SETTLER FOR MR.. ADAMS.
CRoToN AQUEDUCr DEPARTMENT, Storage
Reservoir, Engineers Office. Boyd's Corners.
Putnam county, n. Y, February 10th, 1s69-
To the Honorable Rlihu b. Wdshburne Chairman
Of Committee on Apprenticeship Enclosed
You will find copy of letter received by me
Of which was for ri two wears the PrincipsI As,
sistant Engineer. Although uhconnected with
that work for four years past, and having no
special interest In II, l feel that some comment
The writer, Christopher Adams, is known to
me as person who four years ago held the po-
sition of Assistant Superintendent OF the Wash
ington Aqueduct, and who as such obliged the
workmen in his employ to pay him proportion
of their salaries monthly; who was inefficient
authority steel, iron rails, and cast iron belong.
ing to the Government and pOcketed the pro-
ceeds, amounting to several hundred dollars;
who interfered seriously with me i'm the dis
charge Of my duties; who was discharged from
the Government service ande since has been
hanging around the doors Of Congress traducing
the managers OF the aqueduct. The imperti.
nence Of this man in writing to me is equalled
only by the utter falsity Of his statements in his
letter, which | presume to be a resume of the
representations made by him to your COM
In 1864 l estimated that ii would require S5lS,-
600 to finish the works. If the appropriation was
made at once. This estimate did not include
the settlement of land damages, the strengthen
ing of embankments, nor the laying OF any ad-
ditiOnal mains. But no appropriation was then
made; the portions Of the work which were par
TALLY constructed were injured by exposure,
and when, two years afterwards, an appropria-
ton of el42 900 was granted, q considerable
amount must necessarily have been used in re-
doing work spoiled and wasted by exposure.
Ten years experience in the construction Of
water works has satisfied me that the cost of
pubic works is rery largely increased by delays
in construction, and l am convinced that the
Washington Aqueduct can be economically fin
ished only by being pushed rapidly to compile
ton. From personal observation, know that
the work has so far been we'll done, and the fin
ished portions are in good condition, and from
the data at my command have no hesitation in
saying that at least for four years past it has
been efficiently and economically managed A
comparison Of my estimates of 1864 and those
submitted by the present Engineer satisfy me
that the amount called for is not extrava9ant
Thus: In 1864 we asked. .S5lS,5l3 80
Deduct estimate of dam and Uon.
Con-, since nH.................... 137 ,446 90