National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-26

The continued recurrence of the heavy
rains which Of late have visited this section
Of the country should be warning to the
citizens Of Washington and to all those
holding lgh official position that greater
safeguards are needed to protect our water
supply. Every one Of these storms washes
into the reservoirs and conduits vast
amount Of deleterious matter, loose soil,
decaying vegetable matter, the oxcreta of
animals, fertilizers, &c. The condition of
affairs at the upper or receiving reservoir
is such as to call for immed ate action.
Capt. symons speaks as follows Of this
reservoir in his last annual report
This reservoir is simply the natural valley
of Powder Mil branch, across which q dam
has been thrown. The bottom aud sides are
without paving or pudding, aud II receives,
besides the waters supplied to It by the con-
duit oil the waters flowing in Powder Mill
branch, Mill creek, and the other streams of
the basin. Powder Min branch has n drainage
area Of nearly 5000 acres, and Mt ordinary
timesis a stream Of considerable size. Attimes
ofstotm and freshet the volume Of water flowing
in 1t is very large, and II brings down with II a
great amount Of sediment. This sediment.
flowing in for many years, has nearly filed the
whole upper end of the reservoir and converted
IT into marsh unfit for the proper storage of
water.
The same thing is true TO Il lesser degree of
the other streams lowing Into II. These
streams, discharging their urbid Hoods into
the reservoir aler every rain aud creating strong
currents therein, interfere very materially
with one Of its most important ninctions-that
Of n settling reservoir In order that II should
properly and in the most perfect manner full
I'll its Office ns settling reservoir these streams
should be kept out OF It, aud II should be
dcepened about the edges aud It's banks paved
with stone.
Besides interfering with the settling OF the
water in the reservoir these streams are liable
to dangerously pollute it. The country
drained by them is becoming more ana more
populated each year, the number OF domestic
animals is increasing and 50 is the use Of fer.
tili2ers to remarkable degree map is
given herewith of the country draining into
the reservoir. 1t should need no argument to
convince anybody Of the great desiability Of
| excluding the drainage of this country from
the water supply Of the city.
The length of these LEANS Is not sufficient
to render innoxious the Impurities contained
in their waters. II IS no, an uncommon thug
for dead animals to be found IN these streams
and their presence may be undetected for days.
The recent terrible experience at Plymouth
Pa shows how necessary and desirable it is
to guard in every possible way the water sup
P',ru 1,,,, W u voni.nt''.'y, ,,.,
roios ts cbIoG rr' rrnn, Tnnon,h,r =, "s I,n pu,-
| inc The remainder Of the vcor IL has n d,cidc1
! vGiue Is storage bas,n and I'm eouallzinp and
increasing the pressure on the city supply
/ pipes.
In order TO render TINS receiving reservoir as
.nciSGI as II Is possible ana practicable To- do
, ;,,t,. ,i,,oi q, 40 @
| ton a. scdlmcn, cnI ,I,o grorytI oC oo,,,,,o
plant. should be repaired by dredging. and the
recurrence of this should be prevented by
/ turning the streams which How into 1t and
causing them to How around 1t ana discharge
oitCc''y INTO a ho'utaI wafer courSe below the
,. ro,. .h,I5 Soion Seio"n ,"s oOsau,,nS tne
nrcy.nt ony usc or thcr ,vI,Ich co,,iI o,,sn ",
anv rollntion or fcnr of nol,ntion
Tbo os,;,,o,od oo,t ~ ,,o.o ,,,,,u,..,
,oon+s is sIgo noo on on,onnt ,,r,Iot Iii
,,,t tt,i, ,,.or,,oir i,to
l,,5 r,oo,,I,,. an.5,.to,, a. 49,, e.,''' Nv
! L., -, 800 1,,a ,a.,ta =, v,1-,'.-,l
,r,,,,t No, st,r, ,toir ,,.oo o5 49,, Wv
nooa oro,,or 7, +. not ' 600 w
oo,,so ,gia 80 a., Ia., a,a SSt DH-,
| .-..s
So ~ t.0le, -',l, 'le',s'"''
,,ar,s o1,, ' w. w., w ,.,as .s @ % ANU w, We