Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-06
COL. LUDLOW'S PLANS.
HIS FIRST ANNUAL REPORr.
Various Projects 81 ImprOverneNs Su,
gested 10 COnaresu,


Various Projects Of Imprsvsmsns sux.
gested 70 Congress.
HOW HK PROPOSES TO IMPROVE ruK w.rve svv-
ckn.sE ssTEas nNp THE FLATS IMPROVEMENT
TIE EXTENSION OF STREETS AND Ayprrs-1tr,-
Lie BUILDINGS ON TIE SOUTH SIDE OF THE AVE
NUE-A BOULEVARD or TIE MALI.
Col. Ludlow finished his first annual report az
Engineer Commissioner Of the District early th,s
morning. 1t was appended to the report PREPARED
by his colleagues and delivered to the President.
The text OF COL Ludlow'sshare OF the Commission
ers report Is as follows:
wkrxR sUYPrY,
IL has not needed the successive animal reports
OF the commissioners OF several years past to call
attention TO the serious ahortcomfnQs Of the wafer
dstneution and Is necessary only at this time to
ing complaints Of Its chronic inadeuuacy and he.
qdent lallure The actual amount OF water deliv-
cru 20 Ine city oy It's existing aqucduct-estimated
the citizens living within reach OF the mains-is 80
a9gss IN excess OF any possible present require
cause, should be attributed the marked or exas.
peratlng denciency I'm pressure and delivery over
tain sTons ar r Of the s The Q,
Inuch interest In extensive tracts in the north
west, southwest and southeast and In the vicinity
greatly below that which the static head,
due TO differences OF level would call for
higher ahan ns f oer s ana supply snT IS
actually intermitted altogether through the
greater portion OF the day. This condition Of
anars is one that at some period all cities reach
not the less soon that the actual available supply
Is ample 10 meet every need for many years TO
come IL is the familiar fact that want coexists
70 sewer, without having discharged any useful
junction whatsoever In its course, wiz not rise
into the supply pipes OF dwellings, nor I'LL their
flushing tanks and bath tubs-that no luxury OF
modern fittings and multiplication OF plumbing
ANNUAL Taer rn % pse Win
avail TO secure the desired and desirable abun-
dance-wnch the greater part OF the volume
reaching the city Is passing rapidly from the
mains into the waste conduits The actual
amount OF this waste cannot be less than two
through the Aaued,lct the statistics up
on this subject are found In numerous
Where the and
catchment areas are comparatively limited, and
where In consequence, as need demanded, greater
per head varies from 10 to 80 gallons per day,
Notwithstanding that, as in Paris, large amounts
are used fof ornamental purposes and Tor washing
and most Of the English cities less In America, on
the other hand, where the sources are more ample
and rivers and lakes OF magnitude can be drawn
upon indefinitely, no care has, rule, been
cSed to determine the real requirements and regu-
late the use Of water until a dangerous scarcity
was experienced Having reached that point, in
the absence OF exact Information as to real uili-
cation and dreading the popular opposition to re-
tenn, whether by pumps or gravity, has been taxed
TO the utmost while strenuous efforts were max
tionai areas OF water she'd I'M In consequence. the
draught upon the mains has reached amounts
quite out of proportion TO real uses.
steadily risen I'm course Of time to so, 80, 100,
and, as in the OF Washington, even $50 or 160
gallons The following is the daily supply to the
cities named: Boston, 90; Buffalo, 100; Chicago,
III; Detroit, IA: Milwaukee, 106; New Haven,
100; New York. 100; Philadelphia, 20; sc. Louis,
10 nj vol i'm nj Of log htS nnnr
nous volume is inadequate to furnish the supply
for actual and pressing necessities. In some Of
bly, Providence, where intelligent and successful
effort regulate the matter has established valu-
BILE data-the daily delivering is between 35 and
10 gallons-athough large quantities are used for
manufacturing purposes, and there Ia no CON- |
plant OF scarcity nor undue domestic economy
practised. IL may, therefore, be reliably assumed
that 40 gallons per day per head OF population is
ample even in manufacturing city. IL this |
amount be compared with the 15O gallons drawn |
In Washington, the difference represents a clear
waste OF not less than 100 gallons per day. The |
sources OF this, as is usual, are probably |
slider that the existence OF rusty and rotten |
mains laid many years since and imperfectly cast |
portion, and that the impervious coating Of con-
crete pavementS covering the streets avaiS to
cea the fact. 1t is very probable that such is the
case. although TO what extent can be matter OF |
surIiise only. But there are visible and obvious
sources OF waste which would rapidly account for
a large proportion OF the whole Defective plumb /
ing Is partly responsible and the tens OF thousands
OF leaky appiances-each with its perpetual |
stream-in the aggregate waste large amounts
A still greater amount Is due 10 appliances left |
running at full head either by intention neglect.
With twenty pounds pressure only water closet |
or hydrant will flow some 600 gallons per day land
n there are but 600 or these very moderate sup
position, six millions OF gallons, One-siNth OF the
this cause alone The hotels and other Large |
buildings where water Is freely used are probably |
s as1 as u mn mus a the sPca
these large consumers would at once check tue ex-
eessiye draught. Dat t is La the great Federal |
buildings that the useless flow is even to the |
largest extent. The numerous employees and
crowded condition OF these huge offices make need
ful many closets and urinals, and as a rule the |
consumption enormous. The sole remedy is the |
modification Of the plumbing arrangements, and |
IL this respect much popular Misrepresentation ex-
lists. \ constant flow is supposed to be desirable
while ia fact IL is not the continual movement OF
charge, putting the pipes under pressure that |
produces the maximum OF effect with the mini |
Inura OF consumption: Then again the numerous |
forms .! automatically operated closets filling
and emptyfng at frequent Intervals. without ref
erence 20 their actual use, waste arga quantities
or water.
These matters can all be regulated in course OF |
time, and s,fne or them are even now within |
the control OF the District authorities, |
bur Congress only can grant the needIui |
aid by appropriations or direction In the more i'm
pcrtant cases. In view nj the interval that must
eiapee before the completion OF the new aquetiuct
and reservoir, and % the real sufficiancy OF the
existing supply, were it properly utilized it Will
pTdtllEdDic means 10
strict the waste, and delight the housekeeper
within the city boundaries with the unaccustoined
luxury OF a free and rapid delivery. Beyond the
boundary, upon the higher lands not aItainable
by the gravity flow. the sole recourse must be To
plIEping stations taking their supply from the
aIueduct ana delivering To the greater elevations
The suburb known as Mount r. elsant, for EXAM
PIE Is without either city waterur sewerage !acili-
tls. and these nuclei OF population are rapidly
increasing, bJ;H in number and area, but |
"a brief period can elapse before the de-
mand Tor these necessities OF civilization
must be answered, or the DEVELOPMENT
OI the District and by possibility the bubble
health be Affected In view OF these impending
expenditures and the necessity OF new mains
and OF the Increased charges against the water
revenues, GGe ~ the division and OF the cost OF
the news aqueduct and Its adJuncts between the
feieral ana District governments, and OF the fact
that the water rentals inuSt meet all District
expenditures Tor the water service, tt may prove
10 DC neesiiul That these rentals be increased i
This actiOa the commissioners would reluctantly
adopt, but resetthe1-s feel assured that the very
nofisrate charges now made IN the District could
Do saticiently Increased without causing undue
have the water at any rSASoGa BILE cost and would
greatly prefer 10 pay the rates charged In other
cities could an ample supply thereby be secured
AT the present time OF the higher levels OF WASH
ington and Georgetown two pumping stations
exist wherein the water Is forced into the mains
These stations, upon the operations OF which con-
siderable areas and large population are en-
vice Inadequate and their reliability dubious AT /
each station Is single pump. without reserve of
ANY kind or possibility OF succor In case must at
some time happen. the long and hard ma
Chine shall break down. The obvious remedy Is the
erection % an additional engine ut each station