Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-25

|
Washington ana Georgetown high ser
| vice, pipe distribution, repairs material,
| new work, contingent expenses. &C. AZ, SOC 81
Interest and sinking fund on water stock 4s,796 o.
Total ..........-............... .$07, 1858 81
Cash balance on hand June 80. 1882. - -s47,172 81
| SUMMARY STATEMENT OF PIPE DISTRIBUTION.
| 36-inch diameter .................. 49, 500
30-lnch diameter. 2O150
20inch diameter 10 $50
innh AZ noe
and innn as oao =,
9ahu inch ulaineter... OK, e4l
~ PC
ny VI anus. ole
Watar tai.ers On ses
""Oei eaheIS. @O,4fo
| FUND NEEDED FOR LAYING NEW MAINS.
| With the present schedule of rents for the use
OF water, the water fund is gradually accumu-
| 1ating small reserve. The absence of suf-
| hcient one now embarrasses the laying of new
mains. Originally the cost of this was betrayed
by the issue and sale of water bonds The tax
upon property adjoining the line of the new
main was colectible in five annual instalments,
and, when collected, with interest, was more
than sufficient, ordinarily, to meet the expense
| which had been incurred in laying the main.
and, consequently. to redeem the bonds. This
tax is now cOectiblein four annual instruments
with the option, as heretofore, of paying all OF
/ lhc tdA upOu COlUpleIlOu Vi The WORK, WIFI
rebate. No bonds can be issued. All re-
celp!s on account Of the water fund are now
eXpendbe under the several heads of apprOpri-
alton each year, but cannot be used FOX
laying new mains. The interest and the
| sinking fund on the outstanding water
bonds require reserve of about S44.6l0.
Prudence suggests further reserve for emer-
| gencies which may occur at any time in q system
of water supply. With this margin secured
there is as yet nothing left for immediate ex-
/ ta,-
| has not yet accumulated such reserve to take
the place OF the original provision tor the issue
| of bonds.
1t is suggested that as the expenditure is or
| dinarily amply secured by the tax which is
| levied upon adjoining property. Congress be
| asked to authorize the use of the general re-
ceipts of the District OF Columbia for this pur-
! pose when necessary, the amount expended to
De repaid from the proceeds of the tax.
| THE SEWERAGE SYSTEM.
| limited appropriation for the maintenance
and extension of the sewerage system has been
available during the last fiscal year. II has been
necessary to continue the ''permit SYSTEM for
the extension Of the sewers-a very unfair but
unavoidable means of eking out a slender ap-
preparation. 1t consists in exacting from appli-
cants for such extension of the public
sewers the estimated cost of labor. to be
paid in advance, the District of Columbia
purchasing the material from the appropriation
available, and defraying the cost of labor from
the fund 80 paid in. The system works hard
| ship i'll this that the benefit is shared bv all
parties on the new line of sewer, while the pay
ment is made by one or more whose desire, for
| the improvement is equal to the sacrifice
| Without this system the small amount hppro-
prlated for this purpose could not be expended
with any just discrimination among the many
applicants. II One-third of the cost were taxa
BILE against adjoining property along the
line, and the consent of the owners of a ma
| lorlty OF that property were made prerequisite
| to the execution or the work, there would be no
larger amount paid in but it would be fairly
divided. The check unOn the extension of i'm
provements would probably operate beneicially
In preventing the unreasonable extension to
remote localities of improvements. which by
concentration can be made to benefit more
people who are willing to pay for them
The old sewers of Georgetown .are rapidly
lalling into condition of decay. which will
necesstate thorough and expensive REPAIRS A
| large proportion of the fund for maintenance
has been applied to such temporary repair as
was absolutely necessary to prevent destruc-
| ton. Some of the older sewers of Washington
are In similar condition, and in many localities
large expenditure will be required to perfect
| these old sewers and adapt them to modern re-
| qurements 1t is suggested that as soon as the
rot,eh wood pavement shall have been replaced
and the necessity for this heavy drain upon the
| revenues shall cease the annual appropriations
IOr maintenance and repairs of sewers should be
greatly increased. - -, 90 = -
SEWER WORK IN PROGRESS.
Work upon the Boundary ntercepting storm
sewer is progressing at three points under as
many contractors. The progress is unqueston-
ably slow. The first OF outlet section. twenty
two feet in diameter, is completed The sec
ond section. twenty feet in diameter, is
nearly completed, only fifty feet of in
vert and eighty-One feet of arch now
remaining to be constructed. OF the
third section, twenty feet in diameter, l 800
lineal feet have been constructed On the fourth
section. twenty feet in diameter, a beginning
has hardly been affected. only 100 feet Of
sewer being now completed. In all 5000
lineal feet of this intercepting sewer have been
completed.
1t is probable that the slow rate of progress ia
due to the competition among bidders which
puts the price of work at a minimum and the
lnadeqnacy OF small annual appropriations. The
reduction OF rates Of pay by competition makes
the contractor apprehensiye of loss and enyen
ders mistaken economy. The amount of each
annual appropriation will not Justify the mr.
chase OF such an outfit as would be warranted
by the immediate appropriation OF the whole
cost OF the work all to be expended under one
contract To meet the latter objection in the
case OF the fourth section, the work was adver-
tised to include the expenditure of such appro-
pratiOn as might be made the ensuing year and
the contract SO drawn. 1t has not proven
effectual in accelerating the rate of PROGRESS
HOW TO PREVENT DELAYS
Under provision common to all these con-
tracts, certain contractors have been displaced
from the work and other parties substituted.
This, again. appears to have had no effect what
ever In expedltng the work. 1t is probable
that In such cases Of manifest inability to cope
with difficulties Of considerable magnitude. a
delinquent contractor should be replaced by
hired labor organized under the direction az
this Office This, with due regard to equitable
claims on the part of the contractor, and with
out resort to indicative damages against him.
This course was adopted in repairing the Tiber
creek sewer on North Capitol street. q work of
equal magnitude with that of constructing an
equal length Of the Boundary sewer. and pre-
senting greater difficulties. The contractors
were unable to make any reasonable progress
and declared their inability to do the work at
their contract rates. 1t was taken in hand with
hired labor and rapidly completed at less than
the contract rates.
The loss to the District Of Columbia
Dy the delay In Boundary sewer results from
the steadily increased rates Of successive con-
tracts, due In part to the general rise m prices
curing the long interval, and in part to an ex-
a&gerate0 Impression of difficulties IN no an