Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-26
A HARVEST FOR PLUMBERS,
The Water Department. Overrun With Conn
plants OF Frozen Pipes.

The Water Department Overrun With Conn
plants OF Frozen Pipes.
A broad complacent smile extends over the
counteuances Of the plumbers these days. The
cold weather is the plumber friend. It freezes
the water pipes and cuts OF the supply Of water
70 the householder. And the latter, with team
in his eyes and with abject mien, pays court TO
his plumber. who, after much percussion,
promises to doctor the pipes and send in his
bin when the job Ia completed. II there ia only
. small burst in the pipe, according to the gem
orally accepted notion. the plumber insists upon
tearing up the whole street and yard and put
ting in dozen lengths or 20 Of pipe before he
will allow the water to flow.
When the District building opened this morn
ing there was large crowd OF impatient men
and women waiting for chance at the water
department. But this is no new sight, for ever
since the cold weather set in there has been an
endless throng OF people imploring, cajoling
and intimidating the water department to rush
to their aid. As q result the water department
has been taxed to its utmost ard the clerks are
losing Eve pounds of flesh per day answering
complaints and issuing permits TO open the
streets. The universal cry is, "Give Us water
our water pipes are frozen"
1.-The water department cannot undertake to
thaw out the pipes for you," replies the clerk
to one Of these persons, and he in turn is given
tongue lashing something after this manner:
Cant thaw out the pipes? Then, Sir. 1 won't
pay my water bill. I am taxpayer" (every
one who has a complaint says that, ''and will
have you to understand that for six years I
have paid my water rent. Do you suppose for
one instant that I am going to pay for some
thing do not receive? No, sir; you can't bull
doze me. The water in my house had better be
running by tomorrow, that's all I've got to
say"
The clerk is very glad to hear her concluding
remark, and turns to the next one.
The next day, after having slept over the
matter and paying extra to have the water
brought from the corner pump and cooking on
the psrlor stove, the lady relents and reappears
at the Office Of the water department. This
time her manner has changed and she is as sub
servient as lamb. She says:
well, here l am again" The clerk knows it
and smiles to himself. He knew she would re-
turn. Really, sir, l cannot bear this condi-
ton OF affairs any longer. There is not drop
Of water in my house and words are inadequate
to express the trouble am in. Oh, sir, can't
You do something for me?'
NO. madam, the water department cannot
help you, he replies in frigid accents. 1.-The
best thing, in fact, the only thing You can do,
ia to call plumber
The lady comes very near fainting at the
mention Of that dreaded name, and visions Of
large bills dance before her eyes. She staggers
out Of the building, and after declaring that she
will not have a plumber writes this message on
q plumbers slate:
''For heavens sake call at once ut 1865 Blank
street Matter OF Importance. Don't fail to
call at once"
II cannot begin to tell you of the number Of
complaints We receive every day. said Z clerk
in the water Office to THE STAR reporter. From
the moment the Office opens until the building
closes there is a constant stream Of people
You know there is a regulation which prohibits
the opening Of streets between the LIST OF De-
cember and the LIST OF March unless in the
case Of an urgent necessity. These frozen
water pipes, we take it, come within the latter
clause, and up to date at least q thousand per-
mits have been issued for opening the streets.
Everywhere you go you will see holes in the
pavement and sidewalk. The most trouble
comes from streets that have been recently
graded. In these cases the water pipes were
not lowered. and the result is that they are
near the surface and freeze readily. The frost
extends down three feet in some localities and
to greater depths in more exposed places. Never
since my connection with the water department
have l seen such q bad condition Of things"