Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-25
Facts Bearing ON the Senate Bill 70 In-
crease the Water supply, &c.

The water-works belong to, and are controlled
by the u. s. government.
The law for their construction provides that
the government, In all its departments. is to be
supplied first and then if any be left, the citi-
zens may have 1t under such regulation as the
government may impose.
When the works went into operation in 1859,
there were 354 citizens who took the water. Now
there are 10000.
The government has expended. So, 7S4, SAG. ~
The citizens have paid, up to 1879. ,353, 33l Il
The citizens paid in 1879-'SO. 800. 196, 500
or almost 500 900 year
The necessity for an increase admits of no
question. In not one of the departments or the
Capitol, can the water be had without the aid Of
steam-pumps, at a large annual expense; and it
is only by depriving the citizens of the water,
for which they pay the full rate annually in ad-
vance, that the Capitol grounds, the Botanical and
Propasating gardens and the public grounds and
fountains can be supplied as well as the ish-ponds
and ali the reservations and public buildings.
Great difficulty was encountered during the past
season in the Capitol grounds and parks in
keeping the grass and shrubbery alive for want
of water. The same is true in regard to the
parking, the thousands of young shade trees,
and sprinkling the streets. Private fountains
are not allowed to be used at ALL
Up to within few years, the supply was
ample; to-day there are thousands of dwellings
in which the water will not flow into the boilers
connected with the ranges, nor into the water
closets.
During the hot weather of last summer there
were 100 children in the Waliach school building
aud not drop of water would flow in the
water-clOsets or urinals on the ground floor, and
in many of the school buildings it will not at
any time flow in the teachers closet on the
second floor.
In order to get along at all, we were obliged
to get the Commissioner of Public Buildings
| and Grounds, and the Secretaries OF the various
d0r.o rt r0li hn faI
to be shut off entirely and still the suffering for
want of water was intense.
That the scarcity of water is not due to the
use or waste of it by the citizens is shown by
the official report OF Col Casey. On the 18th OF
June, 1880. he measured the quantity flowing
from the reservoir: it was IS, TAO, 1873 gallons
From IL o'clock at night to 6 IN. it passed out
| at the rate of $40, 800 gallons per hour.
(See Appendix N. N. of the Annual Report of
| the Chief of Engineers for 1880. p. 2349)
The citizens were not using it then to any
considerable extent, because they were in bed
and asleep. Their spigOts were not left running
to prevent freezing then, because it was in June.
| II now. it runs out at that rate over and above
what the citizens use during those hours, of
course it does SO at all other hours. In twenty
four hours that would amount to % 301 .Sl6 gal
Ions, thus leaving but 3. 43S 3S3 gallons for the
citizens, or but 1875 gallons per CAPITA instead
| OF 1861, as has been supposed.
1t is clear that something must be done. and
| that soon. The bill introduced by Senator Har-
| ris-Senate bill ], 427-wii afford a complete and
| adequate remedy, and nothing less will. 1t will
provide all the waterneed for all time. both for
| the government and the citizens. 1t has been
| thoroughly considered, and is approved by all
the authorities and the citizens. The total cost
| is less than million and a-half, and that ends
| the whole matter.
| Rome had a water supply of about 400 gallons
per capita. Water is as necessary to life and
health as is air. Shall a great nation like ours
| hggle over little matter like this when life
and health are at stake!
| The water works have already cost over
$1,000, 900, and afford daily supply of &c. 600
| gallons. BY expanding 81 100000 more the
daily supply can be increased to so, 600, coo gall
| Ions. The difference is between distressing
| scarcity and bountiful abundance, both for pub
| lie and private use. By what other expenditure
| can 80 much be had for so little?
| AS to the prOpriety of the completion of these
| works by and at the cost of the general govern
| ment without additional tax therefor upon the
inhabitants Of the city. in addition to the fOrci
| bic reasons stated in the report of the Senate
committee, the following facts should be consid-
cred:
l. The construction was undertaken by the
general government, and primarily for its own
| benefit. The original act restricts the use Of
water by citizens to the surplus remaining after
government needs are fully supplied. The
| works when completed, even if paid for in part
by local taxation, will belong exclusively to the
| general government and will be controlled and
disposed of at the will of Congress.
2. There have been laid in this city It's miles
of water mains Excluding service pipes); of
| them the United States has constructed and paid
| for 17-1OO miles, /. e., 5000 of 3O-inch and
l $500 of 20-inch mains-the balance, 1863 $500
| miles, including 12-1OO of 36-inch mains-has
| been paid for by the inhabitants. Yet these
belong to the general government, and are COM
pletely subject to the control and disposition of
Congress. All new distributing mains within
the city are laid at the expense solely of private
property owners.
3. An annual tax in the shape Of water rent is
| imposed upon the citizens, averaging, for the
| last two years. S13S.OOO per annum. From the
| money raised by this tax the general expense of
| the water system is betrayed. In the estimates
| for appropriations upon the half and half princ-
pie. Congress takes no account of this tax-that
| is. no appropriation of government money is
made against it. 1t stands, therefore, as an an
nual payment by the citizens on account Of
| water supply. 1000 Is interest at the rate of
| 3.65 per cent on g 500 OOO On the plan. there
| fore, Of equal divisions Of expense (and no one
doubts that more than half the water is used for
public purpOses), the government should ex-
pend S., SOC. 900 in construction to Offset this
annual tax for care and maintenance.
CITIZENS COMMITTEES OF WATER SUPPLY.