The Evening critic., 1883-03-27
The standpIpe nu,, lie ratron.


TO The Editor of ne EgeHtng Critic:
With view to common fairness and to vim
dicate the truth of history, rather than from
any personal pride OF opinion or any desire to
condemn the independence OF the press,
shall feel greatly obliged II the following yer.
batim communication, furnished TO the Euen.
ing Star for publication three weeks ago, can
now appear In THE EVENING CRITIC:
To he Editor Of me star!
On the ID ultimo the star reported an in.
terview with Captain Phelps, in which he was
reported as saying that s'thls standpipo has
water scarcity. ST 1t has served the purpose
admirably but only Internationally" In
another interview with the star reporter on
tho 9Th ultimo Captain Phelps is reported as
thinking '1t perhaps advisable to attempt
more explicit statement" and saying that
.the supply. pipe leading to the pump, under
the most favorable circumstances, would
not carry a suf1cient quantity for the pump.
ing capacity. AS 1t is, that main is not half
nlied. %*@ Tho result is the pumps have
water connections in premises supplied from
the standpipe were found Detective" But
he adds: "It must be quite evident that were
the tank full to start With, and the water used
in season, 1t would meet most OF our require
ments," meaning, evidently, of himself ana
others connected with the standpipe.
In my unpretending little article In the Star
of the Oath ultimo, quoted a line from the
first OF the foregoing reported interviews to
own estimation, had been something more
than bugbear and q failure, which | sup.
posed was the real purpose OF his obtruslve
volubility on the subject. Ofcourse 1t was not
| the fault Of his standpipe or OF Its putative
| progenitor, II somebody had set up too much
nmp,ng ~ to e. stand there all the day
| wickedly wasting its exclusive, favor-bestow-
ing ben efactions.
On the Sd instant Captain Phelps again ap.
| pears In third attempt ito instruct the pub.
lfc," protesting to be aware that those who un-
| dertake to instruct the public should flrst In
| form themselves, adhere to facts, and indulge
l
| sentiment concur. That has always been my
rule and practice, although Captain Phelps
asserts that, In this instance, had "wholly
| neglected these wholesome precautions" In
| this he is mistaken. 1t Is not much my Gus.
tom to assume to instruct the people, who are,
on most subjects, as well informed as Captain
! Phelps and myself, and in many things much
better. Certainly he cannot claim to be en-
titled to a monopoly OF that duty on ac-
| count of his superior intelligence.
| The primary object OF the communication Of
| which he complains was 70 obtain tnforma
tion for myself and the public, rather than to
| tmpart 1t. was In search OF knowledge un-
| der difficulties. AS Captain Phelps had ven
| tured to introduce the subject Of the stand
pipe anew, 1t seemed possible that he might
| now be ready to divulge and explain some of
| Its hitherto mysterious concealments, OF which
the public should have been informed years
ago, when he was District Commissioner.
But, Notwithstanding his inslnuations to the
| contrary, the statement of my said article are
true In every particular. II he thinks they
| are not, let him come out like a man and state
| wherein they are erroneous. Throughout his
long and elaborate article on the subject he
does not specify single misstatement In my
one comparatively unimportant quotation
made from one of his reported interviews;
but had quoted 1t correctly, both as to matter
and authorship; and the Issue, If any, is be-
tween Captain Phelps and the reporter.
But do not understand him to deny its
authenticity, but he says he has taken occa-
| sion to correct II in a subsequent article. On
| review OF his said article think he will find
no correction, withdrawal or even qualification
thereof, unless y be incidentally and very
Captain Phelps also says, coupling me with
some other, to me unknown, correspondent OF
| the Star, "Their contemptible insinuations are
themselves" II he viii look over my said
article again, trust he Will ind nothing
s1nsinuaIion." except from T inferences Of ' HE a
own drawn from plain unequiyocal statements
OF fact. II there is anything of the kind, l de-
| sire TO have 1t considered as a statement and
| to be held responsible accordingly.
But cannot handy epithets with any man
| and 1t seems to me that he should long age
| have known that the practice is not the pecu
liar prerogative of honest truthful gentle
| men.
now reafarm every statement of my former
| communication, to which respectfully invite
| his attention. have no time to devote 4
| Quibbling and evasion, but any fair issue tina
he may raise will be met With kindness ant
| pleasure.
Respectfully, 8. G. CLARKE,
March 9, 1888.
/ The manner In which our District Govern
ment has been administered which Cap
| tain Phelps has been prominent factor-ha
| been oppressive and rutnou5 to our section o
the city, as was significantly admitted with
remarkable unantmity by the U. s. Senators
| pending the consideration OF the District Ap
| preparation bill on the 23d Of February, ul
timo, as published in the Congressional Rec
ord OF February "a, 1883; and this standpipe
is one of the notable illustrations. I vol
remember that the standpipe and the beauti
full residence of Captain Phelps went up a
the same time, seemingly as parts OF the sam,
enterprise; and also remember that, tnsteat
OF the promised relief for us, the standpipt
brought to our section dismay and disaster.
But apparently, the public have never beer
permitted to know at whose instance, by wha
authority, upon what order, under whose di
rection, at what expense and wi tn what fundt
said standpipe and Its working power, in
| GLIDING the engines, machinery, apparatus
and buildings were erected or procured.
Worry respectfully,
Il 8. O, CLARKE,