Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-06
THE OF WATER SUPPLY.
Meeting of the Senate Mmittee-
Views of General Meigs.

randa from Gen. Meigs upon the question of the
extension of the Washington aqueduct were
before the senate committee on Water Supply
WAR DEPARTMENT,
QUARTERMASTER GENERALS OFFICE,
WAsHINGToN. D. C., october 1st, 1879
Committee on Water Supply:-Dear sir:-I have
the honor TO submit for consideration OF your
committee some notes on the question Of tne
higher grounds of Washington city. / beg
leave to refer also. in this connection, to col
ored contoured map of Washington handed to
boundaries of three great divisions OF the city.
depending upon levels above tide, which should
each have separate and distinct connection
with the reservoirs @ m or conduit at iull height of
mains from the conduit itself, if continued,
along the bluff north Of the city to feed the
larger mains already in use. These connections
being made, the closing of certain stop-cocks
will completely separate the three districts
and the three services-high level, middle and
low level after which the city viii be fully
supplied, even IL the extended conduit brings
from the Great Falls, for some years to come,
no more than it did on 24th June last, viz:
26,000,000 gallons per day.
This separation cannot be made so long as the
mains leading from the distributing reservoir,
and alone bringing water to the city, are con-
nected at any point this side OF the gate-hOuse
Of the distributing reservoir.
am, very respectfully, your ob't servant,
M. c. MEIGs,
QuartermaSter General, U. S. A.
EXTENSION OF WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
See report of Commissioners of District of
Columbia to Senate committee on water supply,
about 10Th of september, 1879.
The Commissioners reiterate their estimates
of last spring, VIZ. that il the washington
conduit is brought to town, which they recon-
mend as best, it will require an expenditure of
ST, 100000, and completion of the dam at Great
Falls to the Virginia shore, 100000; total,
S1,300G00.
modification In their original project and esti-
mate, and argue that it is too much money to
hope for.
Let us compare the estimate With that of
General MeigS, in his letter to Senator Rollins,
that was, that to extend the conduit to Tenth
and Boundary streets would cost S46O, 900, and
would relieve existing distress and provide for
the M future {Mis. Doc. No. 5s, Forty-tifth Cong,
The commissioners estimate cost Of the ex-
tension OF conduit to connect with their new
Commissioner Twining, Mis-. Doc. No. .6, Forty
fifth Congress, third session, 25th February,
1879, page 4. summary S545,031.
This conduit, the commissioners state, Is
5000 feet longer than the one recommended by
General Meigs to terminate at 10th and Boun-
dairy streets. Its total length is 2l,100 feet,
which at s545, OBJ costs per foot s25.S3. Deduct
cost which Is 5000 times S25.S3, $77, 400, and
the conduit to 10th and Boundary streets will
cost according to the commissioners own esti-
uldIC, ScfOJVol, lCoS 9t vi SfOi,04l, WHICH
differs from the estimate of General Meigs only
s7541. II. as he believes, his mode of crossing
Rock creek by wrought iron pipes is cheaper
than to cross it by gang OF large cast iron
mains, this difference will account for the diff
ference In Lle two estimates and for the fact
that General Metgs' estimate is rather the
cheaper of the two.
The people of the city of Washington do not
complain that the water supplied is bad, but
that they desire more Of it than they get. The
Commissioners go aside from the main ques-
ton, which is to increase the supply IN the
elevated parts Of the city, and argue I1at if the
whole supply is Increased then the reservoirs
will not be large enough, and they insist upon
a resei 1oir, which according to the estimates
will cost, including gate house, land damages,
private houses and Improvements to be de.
stroyed to make room for it, and extra length of
conduit to fill it, and of 4s inch main to empty
It, the sum Of s59O,6OS, as follows: (See Lieut.
Hoxie's repolt9
Work on reservoir. Observation-Disclosures .s357, ,O67
Gate-house NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 5000
Land about the reservoir, 30 acres. ..... 10000
Land around reservoir, 44-1O acres. Il, ,045
Imp; owed property in reservoir. .... 81, 900
5000 extra feet Of conduit at $25.S3 per
foot. ........................ 77,4so
1900 extra feet of 4S-1nch main at