Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1882-06-24
w SATTTRDAY JNE "a 1882. NO.44

whole country instead Of the special posses.
sion of the few whose lives chance has placsd
in the shadow of its greatness?
The point | wish to make in the very few
minutes have is simply this | have no
personal knowledge Of the legislation OF
which the gentleman from Georgia Mr.
Blount) has spoken at such length, | mean
the legislation by which the Forty-titth Con-
eress committed the Federal government to
the payment Of halfthe expenditures OF the
District of Columbia. That was a policy
entirely and absolutely distinct from that
other policy of 1859, when the government
deliberately determined that the wholeques-
ton of the water supply should belong to 1t
and be under Its control. The purpose rs
stated in the act itself, thepurpose as under
stood 70 have been always declared and iol-
lowed out, was that the appropriation maize
BIZ Congress for the construction OF the ioto-
mac water-works was FOR the supply o. the
public buildings and for other public puF-
poses; and then, as has been said, Is mat
ter Of grace and iavo. the people OF Wash
ingt0n and Georgetown were allowed the
use of the surplus supply There are some
statistics here showlngtoa very striking oe-
gree the progress and increase OF this city
At the outset. when the watcr-wOrks went
into operation in 1859, there were three hun
dred and fifty-four persons only who took
the water thus supplied. Now, more than
% 900 people derive their supplies from this
source. Since tha. day, under the pT0ri-
sions Of the original act, with full Submls-
sion to the control Of the whole system By
Congress. there have been constructed one
hundred aud seventy i've miles oi water
mains, excluding service pipes. Ihe iacts
showing the proportionsin which these have
been constructed are almost startling. !
read from paper the statements contained
in which have taken occasion to verify,
There have been laid this city l75 miles
of water mains, excluding service plpes;l
of them tie United States has
constructed and paid for 5.l7 miles,
e. $50 Of 3)-;nci and l3l o'
% inch mains; the balance, 1898 miles,
including 2.l2 of 3i-inch mains, has been
paid for by the inhabitants. We, these be
long to the general coierumcnt, and are
completely subject to the control and dispo-
sition Of Congress. All new distributing
mains within the city are laidal the expense
solely of private property-owners, and yet
when laid belong 70 the government.
Now sir, under the operation Of the law,
Notwithstanding this mcnscdisproPortion
it is in the power Of the goyernm mt is the
sole owner Of these water-works, Whenever
it may so determine TO cut off the supply
which howr through these l69 miles OF
mains which have been constructed as have
said by the city authorities Of Washington
and Georgetown If it be the purpose OF
Congress now to go back upon the princi-
pie which was declared in 1852 IL etheT
words, if it be its policy to abandon the en-
tire ownership and control of the water
works, Let that be made ? distinct measure.
You cannot charge Washington end George
town under the provisions of the original act
with one-half of the increased appropEia-
ton thcn made, or anysubsequeut appropri-
alton, unless you give them equitable rights
ard a propor,ionato control Of this great
Cnterpl.ro