The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-11
TIE WATER SUPPLY.
Annual Report of the Department to the
Comnnissionerg

Commissioners.
Captain james J.. Lusk, in charge of
the Water Department, has submitted
his annual report to the Commissioners
for the last fiscal year He states that
he has adhered closely to the arrange
inent adopted by Captain Symons in his
report of last year and has repeated sew
eral recommendations made by him.
The report shows the comparative
change in the number of water takers in
the different sections of the city. Every
section increased except Georgetown and
the northwest,
The total revenues last year amounted
to.S233,OO The estimated revenues for
the present year are $253,00 and for
next year S200.000.
A supply main is recommended to con-
meet the 30 and SO inch. 1t is to be laid
on Seventeenth street and is regarded as
highly important because it would be
useful to minimize the inconvenience
arising from local break in either of the
large mains. He says recent experience
shows that when an increased supply Of
water is turned on considerable proper
ton Of the old mains will be ruptured.
To deal vigorously with this m after an
ample supply of material and sufficient
available funds should be had TO insure
prompt action. He says the water di-
vision would experience lasting benefit
If u portion of the general fund of the
District could be used in the extinguish-
ment of the debt of the department.
This would be no more than fair, he
states, MS for years the water fund has
borne the expense of furnishing water
without cost to churches, hospitals and
/ - ,,,;l
public works, and thousands of families
which use water from street hydrants.
He shows that the cost of laying mains
and erecting fire hydrants during the ten
years from June &c. 1878, TO June 80,
| 1883, exceeded the Waterman tax by
| S24, 46S.7S. He concludes from this that
the Waterman tax should be increased
from / to II per cent per square foot of
land abutting on the street supplied with
mains.
"A nearer approach to equity in the
rates for domestic use of water" he
says, could be effected by using the
schedule partly upon the number of
water fixtures employed instead of en-
tirely upon the number of front feet and
stories. >
lie shows by correspondence with
nearly forty American cities of $4,000 or
more inhabitants that the water rates Of
Washington are decidedly the lowest.
The water rents last year fell below
the estimated receipts.
lie repeats the recommendation of
Captain Symons that some officer of the
General Government be given authority
to make and enforce regulations TO pre-
vent the waste of water.
In regard to public hydrants, he says,
in many cases they are undoubtedly
necessary. Generally, he says, they con.
stitute a widespread and expensive nui.
sance. These hydrants, he says, should
be self-sustaining.
THE SEWER DIVISION.
He reports that. owing to the insult.
ficiency Of last years appropriation re-
pairs to several important sewers had to
be postponed to the present year. A
sewer for Anacostia that will cost $40 600
he says. is needed Sewers on Champlain
avenue and Superior street, in the county
he says, are intended TO provide trunk
line for Il rapidly-growing district. 1t il
also intended to build sewer along Rock
Creek from p street to Woody lane at /;
cost of $4,000.
Tharp's Fine Imported Wines, liquors
For the very finest Wines liquors and cigars
go to the old and reliable establishment o.
James Tharp, at SlS Il street northwest. The
celebrated Berkeley always on tap.