Evening star., 1894-03-20
FORT MY ER'S WATER
A Proposition to Get 1t From the Wash
ington Aqueduot
Capt. Derby Says 1t Would Reduce the
Local Supply-Not N Very
Good Precedent.

Ever since the United States government
took possession of the Arlington estate and
established a military post upon it contigu-
Gus to the cemetery the forces accommo-
dated there have suffered from an INSULT
cient supply of water. When the place was
known Fort Whipple and devoted to the
purposes of a training school for the raw
recruits of the signal corps, hue and cry
went up about the character of the drink
ing fluid the boys were Obliged to drink
This remonstrance, however, was attrib-
uted to the general discomfort of the re-
cruits, many Of whom enlisted in the signal
corps under the impression that 1t would
serve easy entrance TO an ofncer
quarters after awhile. and too late discov-
cred that their military standing and the
duties they had to perform We're not what
they We're cracked up to be, as the signil-
cant saying goes.
CUmpInint Years Ago.
When the signal corps was divided sew
eral years ago and the weather bureau
made distinct from the military branch
of the institution many of its members
still had the taste of Fort WhippIe water
in their mouths which had become fixed
there many years previously and it was but
natural for them to wander what battal-
ion of cavalry would do for water when
Myer, as Fort Whipple is now named, would
be occupied as a cavalry barracks.
Ever since the cavalry have been sta
toned at Fort Myer, therefore. there has
been an altogether inadequate water
supply, and last summer there was down.
right suffering among the men and horses
on account of it. The men were compelled
to take their animals to water at a stream
some distance away. as well as to carry
water for their own consumption from this
city. Many measures were considered by
which sufficient supply of water could be
secured for the fort, and the boring Of
artesian wells was at one time contem-
plated. although in a vague sort Of manner
To Connect with the District supply.
1t appears from a perusal of the army
appropriation bill that the War Department
authorities now propose to meet the neces-
sity by securing a regular contribution
from the water supply Of tho District of
Columbia. On page II of H. r. 6373 there
occurs provision for ''the supply of the
post of Fort Myer, Va, with water from
the main of the Washington aQueduct"
This plan is not favorably considered by
the District officials. for the local supply is
not what 1t should be, and to lessen it
would not be desirable.
Would Lessen the District supply.
A Star reporter called the attention Of
Capt. Powell to the item in the army ap-
preparation bill providing for the laying of
water main to supply Fort Myer with
water from the Washington aqueduct, and
asked what effect this would have on the
city's supply.
1T would have this effect" replied the
captain. Every gallon drawn off for Fort
Myer would be that much less for Wash
ington. and we need every drop we can get
and thousands of gallons more. l think
the District would suffer by such an ar
rangement."
The opinion Is also EXPRESSED that the
diversion of the Districts water supply
into Virginia, no matter what the necessi-
ties of Fort Myer may be, would establish
a very bad precedent