Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-20
ABOUT GEORGETOWN
Completion Of the Water Works for
Fort Myer.
An INTERESTING SYSTEM.
Plans for a Boys Gymnasium in
Peck Memorial Chapel.
PROSPERITY ON THE CANAL.
PROSPERITY ON THE CANAL.


After an expenditure Of nearly cas-, 900 Fort
Myer has been supplisd with Q system Of water
works that has been pronounced by the depot
quartsrmaster who made the final inspection
for the government perfect In construction and
therefore most satisfactory In result Day be-
fore yesterday the Finishing touch to the work
was given and Contractor Rezin W. Darby i'm
mediAtely turned it over. The house contain
ing the pump and other machinery il located
on . part Of that land to the east Of the south
ern end Of the Aqueduct bridge which the
government acquired the purchase OF the
structure. To passersby on the road above
only the top Of the tall brick chimney can be
seen, the rest being hidden among the trees
that thickly screen it on the west.
Just to the rear il the receiving reservoir,
hole 81 by feet cut through solid rock. Into
this il brought water from the Potomac be-
yond, through . terra Gotta pipe twelve inches
In diameter. In order to prevent the entrance
Of refuse into the pipe and reservoir 1t was
found necessary TO build . Golfer dam in the
river at o point about 150 feet from the shore.
First ten piles thirty feet in length were driven
to depth Of twenty feet. Then they were
tightly boarded in, the interior divided into
two compartments, the channel end furnished
with grated opening for the water to enter
and the side nearest the land opened suff-
GENTLY to allow the pipe through which the
water is carried to the reservoir to shove Its
mouth or opening in.
dam, which ia fourteen feet long, ten feet high
and three feet wide, il merely . screen to pre-
vent the further passage Of what leaves, &c,
steal through the first grating. Then, imme-
diately behind this, there is q hne network.
which stands the last guard to the entrance
nj nj n a n Conduit
runs from the Golfer dam to the receiving reser-
voir IL was found necessary to blast again and
again. The height of the water in the recepta-
Gle varies with the rise and fall Of the tide.
No power is necessary to bring it from the
river. as the conveying pipes are laid three feet
below low tide, and il, therefore, has down.
bill time of it. From the reservoir the water
is drawn through . suction pipe twenty-one
feet long to the pack plunger, which 10 one OF
the most powerful pumps in use in this part Of
the country. Nine-tenths of the pumps, 1t Is
said, have the water they are to force on . level
with them, but before this little giant begins
his work Of sending 300, 600 gallons per minute
to the fort, 1S9 feet higher in elevation and
10.5O0 feet away, be must first bring 1t up from
o hole twenty-one feet below him.
The boiler used in connection with the works
Is q nxty-hve horse power one from the Coates
Vile boiler works
The engine rests on q floor equal in height to
the highest point the Potomac has ever reached
When the six-inch pipe leaves the engine
room It passes through the principal street Of
Rosslyn and finally by . turn reaches the old
Alexandria turnpike, which IL follows closely
until the northern wall Of Arlington cemetery
b reached, when it cuts across the country and
enters the fort proper at point close to the
spot where the old water tanks (supplied BY
wells) stand Moving due west it finally termi-
mates behind the new brick riding school,
where il emptiss into tank capable Of holding
Do. 900 gallons.
Fire plugs connect with the pipe all along
its course through the fort
The wells with which Fort Myer is supplied
keep constantly stored In the two big tanks
near the fsg stat, ready for immediate use, over
30, 900 gallons Of water. This, with o like
SO. 900 gallons at all times to draw from. At
every low point on the line Of pipe that runs
from the engine house to the tank there has
been placed four-inch blow OF and at every
high point an air valve. The water supplied by
these pipes il not to be used for cooking or
drinking purposes, as the fort is supplied with
many excellent wells, bat for the use Of
horses, for irrigation purposes and to be called
in service in tine of FIRE.
The machinery at the pump house was put
mp under the superintendence Of Engineer
James Bright, assisted by Mr.. A. b. Shanks.
both Of which gentlemen are now in charge for
the government Mr.. Bright was formerly post
engineer for Fort Myer.
During the time Of the entire systems con-
struction on an average Of sixty men were daily
employed. 1t is contemplated at no distant
date to extend the water works from their
present terminus at Fort Myer through Airing
ton cemetery proper, the cemetery addition
and down to the old reconstructed Fort Nc
Pherson, which will soon be planted with trees,
flowers and shubbery-
From the emhsnkments Of Fort Mcpherson,
. place seldom visited the finest view Of WASH
ington city obtainable may be had
Along the Canal.
Business on the Chesapeake and Ohio canal
yesterday was described by one Of the COM
pany's representatives as being $50, So" 1t
was not remarkably good, considering what
some days tho past month have brought forth,
nor was il remarkably bad. In q few, words,
yesterday was an average day.
Boats arrived yesterday in Georgetown, a.
follows: Louise, Capt. c. W. Brown; A. Knott,
l. g. johnson, Capt R. Eaton; No. Ill. Capt
J. johnson; A. B Agnev, Capt. II. II. Myers;
). Hanwsy, Capt J. Higgins, and Consolida-
ton No. II, Capt II. SenseL
Boats to clear Georgetown yesterday for
Cumberland were A. W. Nicholson; Capt.
W. Hill: No. ia, Capt G. n. Grim; No.
1872. Capt. Hammond; No. al, Capt. J. W.
Taylor; G.. Q. Nicholson, Capt. ". Keesucker;
W. A. Leetch, Capt O. 6hsfer; No. 127. Capt
r. G. Svaini C q F. Bsale, Capt. +. Hod; Con-
Capt. n. Wilson, and N. J. Adler, Capt. q. Rey-
nolds.
Boats to leave Cumberland for Georgetown
on July IS were A. II. Dowden, Capt W. Eagle,
lis tons; W. B. Orme, Capt r. Eaton, ia tons
w. r. Coulshan. Capt Woodward, 112 tons;
Little Rob, Capt Benner, III tons; No. 104,
Capt Benner, ia tons: No. 12S. Capt Yose, 1ls
tons; W. L Jacques, Capt. B. Bender. Ill tons;
Consolidation No. 8, Capt. ]. W. Swain,
III tons; No. ITO, Capt C. Swain, 112 tons; J.
J. Alexander, Capt. Renner, 11S tons; Fred
wieland, Capt. +. Bowers, lis tons; john
Lsetch, Capt r. Eaton, Ill tons, and 1S4, Capt
y. Swain, ia tons.
To Improve the Building.
The lower part Of Peck Memorial Chapel,
which since its erectment has been used for
storage and like purposes, is being cleared out
and greatly improved for the benefit Of the
Boy Club. who will use II as gymnasium.
The interest at first displayed by Rev. Alvin
Smith, the pastor Of the church, in this organ
ization has so increased that every leisure mo-
ment 10 now spent in planning pleasant sur
prises for the boys. Having at college taken .
leading part In athletics, he is determined tha.
those now under him shall be treated to an
equal amount Of physical fun, and out Of his
determination has grown base ball Mines foot
ball elevens. soldier companies, calisthenic
clubs and other such athletic diversions. Out
ings are Of almost weekly occurrence.
News Paragraphs.