Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-14
sscr to increase The water supply.

In The preamble Of the act or Congress providing
Tor the construction of the Potomac aqueduct, III
stated that the object OF the work was ito afford
The cities OF Washington ard Georgetown an un-
failing and abundant supply OF good and whole
some water" That there IS not, and for several
years has not been any such supply, or any ade-
GUate supply, IS notorious and admitted fact
There Is no difference OF opinion among engineers
as % the main re lures OF the plan which must be
adopted TO secure the result end that is by the ex
tension Of the nine foot conduit from the present
distributing reservoir to some point north or the
city and Is far east as 10th street This is the
opinion Of Gen. Meigs, who planned and directed
the construction Of the present aqu7du,t: of Gen.
Casey. who Is now In charge OF the water works;
o. Ma iOT TWining, the engineer commissioners; and
II received the unanimous endorsement Of the SEN
ate District committee I'm n report made in 1879.
There is a difference of opinion as to whether it
will viii not be found necessary to stu further
aXtcnd the conduit easteTly and construct an addi
tiona reservoir at It's eastern terminus also, to
thu best method OF improving the dam, and as to
whether any and what changes should be made in
the present distributing system; but there is none
as To the proprety and ultimate necessity of ex-
tending the conduit as first Indicated. Why, then,
should not this construction be commenced and
prosecuted to completion without further delay?
III something additional is found to be necessary 1t
car be done IN the future, when the necessity.
shall have become demonstrated, without any in
crease OF expense by reason OF the delay. But
the main work, upon which all are agreed, should
not be delayed by reason OF difference of opinion
on other and minor matters.
There Is no difference OF opinion that the ex
tension OF the conduit TO 10th street. and connect
1ng II with the present distributing pipes viii
afford an abundant supply Of water at all points
In the city and 1t ali times when the conduit is
opt fun at It's TN. To secure this supply in
the dricSt part OF the summer, in Improvement OF
the dam may, and undoubtedly VIII, be found nee
eSsaTy. To secure increased purity in this supply
additional reservoir capacity my be needed. But
inasmuch as differences of opinion upon these
points have it is believed, hitherto prevented the
passage of any bill upon the subject it is better to
let them be the subject OF separate legislation and
not PERMITTED to embarrasS the main proposition.
a bill has been recently introduced into the Sen
ate by Senator ingalls, ana in the House by Repre-
sentative Barr. which provides for this extension
ofthe aqueduct, and as il provides for nothing else
and therefore avoids all subjects upon which there
Is, or has been any controversy, we may hope for
its speedy passage. The cost of the work. taking
the average OF the estimates OF the engineers
S75O,eCO. II this bill can be passed early in the
present session, the work, requiring about Is
months for its completion, may be finished in time
TO give Us the needed supply in the summer OF
1883.
A bill for the Improvement OF the Potomac dam
has also been introduced 10y Senator Rollins and
should become law. But II this is too much for
Congress to do in one year 1t Us have the conduit
extension, which Will OF itself afford full relief ex-
cept for short period In a dry summer.