Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-09-30

The new Water Board appointed nv NIavor
Eme4y met at the Office Of the Water Dsptrt-
ment, at the City Hall, on Tuesday, at D. 10.
The board consists of Messrs. j. W. Thomson.
&. 5. Noyes, George W. Linville, and John III.
Semmes; and Messrs. Thompson, Noyes and
Linville were present. In the absence OF MAYOR
Emery, Mr.. j. W. Thompson was called to the
chair.
from the tact that the duties OF Water Boa I'd are
ird'siinctly defined by existing laws the snc-
cess,ye bosrJs appointed for some years have
not held meetings or undertaken to Keen M an
organization, aud the new board had Tor its iirst
wCrk the duty Ct making en- examin alton into
the conclt'On OF the department. From the ex-
animation OF the records, and from the report
otthe new Reg strar, MIR. j. III. Crane IL il an
parent that the afairs OF the department have
been marsged sth singular loo enc. and want
offystem. That from any cause there has been
afsllure TO have an organized acting Water
Board, With adequate powers, such "a eyery
o'eer cty mas, rs amatter to be deplored, as
many OF the evils sud irregularities referred to
are row past remedy, aud it will require no IittIe
labor - remedy such defects as are durable a
memorapdum report was submitted Wigs
trsr Crane, from which the follow ~ il taken
EEPo. From REGISTRAR CRANE
WAFER REGIsTRARs OFFICE, CRY HALI)
~, Wishing On, ID. e., Sept. y, 1870
NesSrs :. ". R5rpsa, c. s. Noyes, George ".
LirriLe and j. II. Eemmes Nem5sr, IF a.
Voter Bocrd. wv
GentIeIaen:-ln compliance with vour re-
ur
statement CT the condition OF this Office and of
the Water Department: -
! was appointed Water Registrar on the DIST
OF June, and entered upon the duties OF the
once on the morning of the 2.}I. At that time
there was to the credit of the water fund in tbe
tirst Nationsi Bank the sum OF Si4,I)691: since
then there tas been deposited s14.G25l.
MAJ ng total OF S5s, S69.42. Checks have b zen
craS on said fund since june 23d u the amount
OF = $3.50, leaving balance to the credit OF
The water fund at this time OF Ss7 ,C66O3.
CLPAR VIOLATION oP LAW
am informed by Messrs. Daniel Hannah and
John Barry, con- factors for laying water mains
that the First National Bank has refused to
honor checks drawn in their favor On the water
fGnd- This is a clear violation of both the law
OF Congress and of the corporation both of
which require the receipts of the water depart
ment TO be set apart in separate FUND, and TO
be used only for purposes connected with the
water der artEenC.
hOF. THr SATFR FUND WAS swAN,FD
1t will be remembered that the late Navor
overdrew the corporation bank account to rhe
an ount OF upwards Of 500 Csc, thereby swamp
ing the water fund with all Otker funds IL does
not appear that he drew checks upon the water
fund ior the payment OF debts cont acted for
osber pun pc es, but the bank seems to have
pla' ed that construction upon the overdrait, |
IN informed that the bank reis ed u honor
warrants drawn on tire water fund ter some tine
before the late election. 1t under this state of
things that Mr.. Bowen. the late Mayor ent red
into contract on the 3lst OF May, 1870, ". th John
McClellaud 10 furnish the corporation v ith 25-
Geo feet Of inch wafer main. all to be delivered
by the LIST day OF October next, to be PAID for in
cash at the rate Vi 1000 feet per month AT the
rate of SIS Pc ton. or about IS cents per rum
ming foot, amount NJ to s1s,75J. He a'so cor
tracted with John Larry 10 Law water mains in
the inst and second dstr. t. at l5 cents per loot
and with Daniel Hannah il the second d'stticc
Tor 10 Gents per foot agreeing u pay eacn Ia cs>h
as fast 90 each 1903 feet IS laiu.. Cnle the
checks drawn on the ,Tafer idnd,
or some arrangement can be made eIth Ole rs.
Barry and Hapnan wall TO, tneir
10 Ia mn of Nrata v,oTp
pended This would be great disappoini mel
as well Ss yeNatIon, able and damage u :,
large number OF properly owners. who are CON
numerous buildings in different part
of the city with modern Improvements. Ihes
Buildings are mostly being erected in Localities
y "he;e there are 10 pumI = which VIII make
can be supplied with Potoma &c water.
AN UNPLEASANT STATE OF AFFAIRS WHAT
HAs BFCoME OF TIE BOORs?
i md the records OF past transactions in this /
on &C very imperfect, especially prior to the ap-
poln,ment OF my late predeceS 1r. There seems |
10 have Deen no system for keeping the account |
OF the 1lilee. No record OF water mains laid be-
pears 10 tbs ot.te; and the onlyr cord of the l
main laid and frC-plugs set prior ID Decembe. |
II, 1e6G, II contained in printed report of the
Water Registrar, Mr. Randolph Coyle, now d,
ceased.
rx1Esr OF TIE WATER SYSTEM.
lie total number o. feet CT water mains laid
from 1859 up to the present me, (Which j. only
an approximate estimate.) amoun-s to -31Co1
feet, which is comp osed of the follow n. =,
;@Yr, VIZ: Of3O-inch MAN. 80 feet; of J,inch
main, 5,iI feot; OF Pinch main, 50 1Gi fce;;o
10-inch main, 90 feet; OF snch mIin, - } he,
Of 6-iDch main, IJ2.OCi foet; OF Inch IL I,
5000 feet. Total, 23D,0iG feet. There is about
80 80, feel e. 81 Inch PIE not ,rcladed IN the
a .abular statement of the eya.t numi r o. |
feet of the various size pipe now in use, with the
date il was laid.
NOT KEPT A THE LAW PEe-IRts.
Had the bOOfs OF the office been h pt 9s the
law requires, With map OF not more than 25J
feet to the inch, drawn With liu"S show Igs'l
the mars, fire plugs, stop C1cF@, &c. it would
be but the work o. few mOmeD'' to- we an <
act report Of all the mans laid, VIII the sac
OF each.
y SETv TnOUsAND DOLLARS OF WATER TAX
IN :rRYAEs THROUGH NEGLIGENCE
The amount due for water tax III rot vary
much IRON $4,000. The clerks OF the ONCE are
engaged taking of an eXaCS account OF the
amount out, landing, both for waser tax and
water rent. which hope ID be able to prefent
at yopr next meeting. Nearly one-half of rue
aILOLut due TOR water tax, Is of the a. e sment
OF July l. 1866. the last instalment of which fell
due the rst of July, 1870 The law requires the
Water Registrar to furnish the Tax Collector
tax, With the amounts due, rom lch delinaent
BIG SCREW LOOSE.
This has never been done, ami though the
finance Of the corporation have be N for several
ye ars in deplora bic condition this large amount
has been allowedto stand year al ler year on tie
tax look without any effort seeming 70 have
CT Circulars through the PC { Offce.
EENT BCOKs IL A BAD WAY.
The rent books are in a very nut lated and
confused condition, being sadly behind the time =
rev set of books &c imperatively dema nded.
They should be furnished in seq IN for e the
INST OF January neat, the lime when the Fly
rem become due. A new set OF boOFs with
such improvements as would ia cIIjtate the IL
lee, on of rents, am satisfied would be profit
able investment for the corporation.
ONE THOUSAND HOUSES IN ARREARS POR WATER
RENTS.
On the sd of June, the day entered upon
the duties OF Water Registrar, there was
UPWARDS OF one thousand houss atrears Tor
water rent, ranging from SIX months ~ four
years. By employ ing an extra hand } visit the
houses and iurn of the water, / have be en- able
to collect about one.third OF the number. 1 hope
TO have the entire amount collected by the fist
OF January. The water IS now being tn, ned OIL
from all hous es where the rent is UDp lid fast
ss thu Water Taper and his assistant can get
round - them.
SOURCE OF TROUBLE.
The allowing OF Two more houses TO be
supplicd from one tap 's source OF great trou-
bic. and Il a principal c.pse OF nom PAYMENT
OF rent Property supplied in this way o, Ten
changes hands. One consumer paws while
another does not; and, in order to compel The
delinquent 10 pay, are obliged 10 shut Of tha