Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-09
Don,t Reduce the size of the Pipes.

Don't Reduce the Size OF the Pipes.
In his letter and memorandum addressed to
the Senate committee on the District, relative
to the water supply of the District, published
In THE STAR of Monday, General NJ. C. Meigs
says
at is easy to point out another and consld-
cradle economy 10 be effected IN the annual
expenses OF the water department of Washing
ton. All street distributing pipes laid for years
not Intended as main feeders are inches In
diameter. Georgetown has an ample supply OF
water through 4-tnch pipes. Philadelphia Bal
timore. Cincinnati, Columbus, Rochester and
many other cities much more closely built and
more Gensely populated than Washington, in
which. Also much more water is used for man
ufacturing purposes, make large use Of finch
street pipes. In those cities are many miles OF
4-inch pipe doing satisfactory service. Column
bus, Ohio alone has 1917 miles of inch pipes
AS the 6-inch pipe costs just & more than tue
finch pipe, saving Of !. the whole expense OF
laying street pipes can be hereafter IN ide by
using finch Instead of 6-incA pipes. Tnat IS TO
say $40 600 raised by water tax on land Will go
as Tar In 1uch pipes as SIS, 600 under the pre-
sent system II cannot be doubted that this
economy will commend itself as juulciou5, at
least 10 all lot owners who expect within few
years TO be taxed for the purpose OF extending
lie street pipes -
Gen. Meigs is first class authority upon most
water-supply matters, but in this case he is at
fault. re refers to Cincinnati, Rochester and
Columbus as cities using small pipes, but he
could hardly have been more unfortunate in
otltCliDS HIS chdLuplcS III SluCluuiIl tut
water is pumped by very powerful engines into
distributing reservoir, and the supply for
domestic aid that for lire purposes are sepa-
rated. The file-plugs are fed by tuetue- inch
mains. laid for that purpose only, and which at
many points show pressure Of 130 lbs. to the
square inch. In addition to these large mains
and fun complement Of f1re-piugs there are
numerous cisernS throughout the city, which
are always kept in perfect repair. In both
Rochester and Columbus the Holly system,
with Its continuous, direct pressure from
pumps, is in use, but In neither city are four
Inch pipes used TO any extent, and no new ones
are being laid.
We now have over 100 miles of and 6-inch
pipe which are called upon to supply water for
both domestic and fire purposes, and at no point
Is the quantity sufficient, for the reason that
fully two-thirds is wasted in friction, in pass
Ing through small pipes We would impress
upon Gen. Metgs and the gentlemen of the Sen
ate committee the fact that with our present
system OF supply. neither six or four-inch pl5
have sufficient capacity to supply our fire
engines in the event of fires, and this point
should have great weight with them In deter
mining the much-talked Of question. If 1t be
economy to save $1,000 In laying pipes, and
thereby leave 100000 worth of property with
out adequate protection in case OF fire, the
Generals plan may be good one; but If prop
erty Is to be considerer as well as personal
comfort and convenience, then the four and
even six-inch pipes we now have should be
replaced by those OF greater capacity.