Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-03-16

Cash on hand January list, 1SQ.n,,. 81 ,136 ~
THE CAPACITY OF THE AouEDucr.
The surface OF water at the receiving reser-
vOir is 141 feet above mean tide at the Navy
Yard; the curbstone at the corner of High and
Bridge streets, Georgetown, is 20 feet above
tide at the same point; at the Circle, Twenty
fourth street and Pennsylvania avenue it Is 81
feet; at the corner of Fifteenth street and New
York avenue it is AZ feet; at the corner of Ninth
and q streets it is 50 feet; at the east front OF
the Capitol it is IS feet; at the Navy Yard gate
1t is Al feet; and on top OF the pipe at the lower
end of the Navy Yard (the end of the Aque-
DUCT it Is foot AZ inches above tide-water.
The distributing reservoir, two miles above
Georgetown, comprises an area of fOrty-four
acres, but is not now in use, in consequence of
having been worn out and no money appropri-
ated to repair it; therefore all water now is
either directly from the Potomac or the re-
ceiving reservoir, near the Little Falls, which
ever for the time being Is the clearest. 1t is
thirteen feet, giving it a capacity of 800 900 900
OF gallons, sufficient at the present rate Of con-
sumption for twenty-five DAYS; hence, in case
point, no Inconvenience would be experienced
for that length Of time; but at present. should
an accident occur to the aqueduct, we would b.
entirely without water, having none stored for
use. 1t is also proposed to divide the distribu-
ting reservoir into two sections, so that in case
OF a freshet we would use pure and clear water
in the other section was settling. At the Great
Falls, the dam, as now constructed extepdN
from the Maryland saOre to Conn's Island !.
distance OF 995 feet, and gives head OF six feet
OF " ater In the aqueduct, or a daily supply OF
about fifty million gallons. 1t is contemplated
ultimately, to build the dam entirely across the
river to the Virginia shore, Of sufficient height
to insure supply equal to the full capacity of
the aqueduct, which Is about eighty million
gallons daily.
WHAT Is YET NEEDED.
Other portions of the Washington alueduct
are yet unfinished and are as follows:
At Great Falls, part of tunnel No. requires
arching
Stone bridges I and 2 require coping.
Stone bridges and require parspets and
The roadway over the conduit (being used
for public highway should be macadamized.
=, AT Georgetow1, the high-service reservoir
The necessity OF completing the unfinished
fully shown in the annual reports OF the engi-
neers in charge, and detailed estimates OF the
cost submitted to Congress.
The conduit, from Great Falls to the distrib-
uting reservoir, has q diameter OF nine feet
with fall Of nine and a half inches to the mile
and can discharge into the reservoir, with the
present height Of the Potomac dam, over fifty
million gallons Of water daily. From the dis
tributing reservoir the water is conveyed to
Georgetown and Washington through two iron
mains of twelve and thirty inches diameter re-
their utmost capacity for several years, and
there has been q constant complaint from th-
consumers of the deficient supply. The only
remedy for this Is to complete the distributing
reservoir and lay another main Of thirty or thir-
ty-six inches diameter from the distributing re-
servoir to Capitol Hill.
Since December, 1863, the supply of water has
been uninterrupted the amount daily consumed
is about twelve million gallons-less than one
fourth Of the amount at present supplied by the
conduit; the surplus, for want of mains to bring
1t to the city, Is wasted at the several waste
weirs of the conduit.
The quality Of the water consumed il similar
to that In the river at the Great Falls. When
the river Is swollen during freshets the water i'm
the city 10 muddy and impure. This will be the
case until the distributing reservoir is com
pleted.
Appropriations have been asked for the last
hve years to complete the aqueduct, but have
not been granted by Congress. 1t is to be hoped
that the necessary eum will be appropriated at
this session, and tn, work completed.
Several members OF the District Committee
few days since went over the whole line Of the
AQueduct, and examined the work with care.
The committee have had quite an extensive task
on their hands in overhauling the entire history
of the Aqueduct; and though the charges they
were called upon to investigate proved to be OF
the most frivolous and worthless nature, they
have had an opportunity in following them up
to acquaint themselves thoroughly with the
extent. character, aud usefulness of this grand
work which contributes hourly to the comfort
and convenience Of every man, woman, and
child in the two District cities.
Dalia w MoorA,a