Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-15
Management OF the Water Depart.
ments
ANNUAL REPORT OF REGISTRAR COX.

ANIMAL REPORT OF REGISTRAR COX.
The annual report Of the water registrar.
Thomas C. Cox, was laid hefore the engineer
commissioner yesterday afternoon, showing
the total length OF water mains laid In the Dis
trct the past fiscal year to have been lie miles.
There are Sill ffre-pugs IN the Dis.
trct, nearly all OF the McI LELAND patent; OF
these, sixteen have been erected the past year.
There has been inserted In the same time thirty
"T'' branches two finch, five 12.inch, one 6xla
inch, two 4xl2-inch "Tr branches and one IL
inch ~" branch. There are In use two hum
city Of Washington and forty mine In George.
town: Twenty.one new have been erected
IN place OF old ones and SIX new erec ed
There have been go taps made Of q. ( and
inch diameter. There have been turned Off for
non-payment Of water rent, $40; from vacant
flushed, 2,4co; tire plugs repaired 100, and n.y.
drants repaired, 900. There are ABS pumps In
use in the District; nine were erected the last
Iscal year. on pumps there have been i,ols
repairs made. Amount Of money collected by
the collector Of taxes for the water department.
for taxes rent, taps ana permits, 500 i59 60. Ex-
peISes for the same period as above--office
rolls, $40; contingent expenses, Sll604: in
spectors and laborers rolls, S32 259 6S: material
ois soa Is sS ne ana refunded
for water mains laid, was sll.4325S. The
amount OF outstanding water main tax and in
tefest on same june 3oth. was sll1,St9.1o. The
amount OF such tax collected from July, 1878,
TO september so, 1879, was, together VITA inter-
est, s22, lSo.46.
THE CHARGES FOR WATER RENTS
The report says: 1.-THE charges for water
rents, when compared with those of other cities,
show that they are less by two-thirdS than in
any Of them. The argument used against pay
ing any increased rent is that Congress having
Brought the water into the District at the ex-
pense Of the United States, the charges OF the
department ought to be nominal. 1. During
the time OF the comprehensive Improvements. q
large number of tie streets were graded In
which the water mains were not lowered. The
consequence is, that during the very cold
weather OF last winter the water froze in the
pipes, they being so near the surface, and IL
was common thing to have gang OF fifteen
or twenty men working day and night repair
have to be kept oiled and flushed 50 that Trey
llay be in perfect working order. 5. We have
more than 500 large STOP cocks, which have to
be oiled and kept In repair. 4. We have 239
hydrants, which have to be kept In repair. BY
reason OF the fuTloughlng OF number OF our men
the department has been greatly embarrassed
and very many complaints have been made con-
corning hydrants, pumps, &C., being out OF
order. BY dlltgent work, after taking on some
CT the furloughed men, we were enabled at last
to make all necessary repairs. The furloughing
OF the water inspectors has proved great in
convenience to the department In its opera
tons. It Is true the police assist, more or less,
but with the small force they have aud the eN-
tenstve territory to guard, they cannot do efii-
Gent work for the water department. Besides,
the inspectors have been regularly drilled to
their work, and go about their duties In the
best manner and remedy many abuses In the
wastage Of water. 1t will be seen that
TIE REVENUE OF THE DEPARTMENT Is MADE
QUATE
to its wants, for after paying out to the sinking
fund $4,000 per annum and over $40, 900 interest
on water bonds, there is not enough left to
keep up so extensive a system OF supply and
keep two engines pumping water continuously
for the high grounds. The water fund has been
running short each year for number of years,
and the deficit has been charged up to the
general fund. but the law is enforced
which requires the department to be self
THE REGISTRAR OPPOSES FREE WATER.
1t has been suggested that the water should
be free, and the expense Of keeping up the sup
ply be charged up to the general fund. This
would be manifeStly unjust, as there are
large number Of Taxpayers who have no faclli-
ties for using water, and they could not be eX-
pected to help to pay for an expense In which
they have no direct benefit. When the water
was first introduced there were from three to
four thousand takers, but now there are about
seventeen thousand. This accounts, In great
degree, for the scarcity Of water in certain
locations. If Congress will cause the dam at
the Great Falls to be raised and larger sup
ply Of waterto be brought, l feel satisfied that
no complaint will be made about the charge for
water. The trouble Is an Inadequate supply.
THE STAND PIPE is DOING GOOD SERVICE
for large portion OF the city. have no heSI-
tation In saying that if it was dispensed with,
1t would bring down upon the heads of the Dis
trct governors such storm OF indignation
that there would be no small number OF per-
sons advocating to have it rebuilt and put in
expected to supply more water than the limit