Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-23
THE WATER SUPPLY,
Reports on the Bill Providing for Its
Increase.
WATER RIGHTS At TIE GREAT FALLS.
The Proposal to Make the District
Pay One-Half
CONTRARY TO PRECEDENT.

During the latter part Of December Sem
ator Proctor introduced a bill in the Sem
ate. by request, entitled "An act to increase
the water supply of the city of Washing
ton and for other purposes" The real
substance of the bill is to enable the At
torney General and the Secretary of War
to obtain a title for the United States by
right Of eminent domain or otherwise to
such lands and water rights at and above
the Great Falls on the Potomac river as
they may deem necessary for the present
and future supply of water for the District
of Columbia. The bill also provides for
condemnation proceedings and the appoint
ment of three commissioners by the Secre-
tary of War and the Attorney General to
conduct these proceedings, and the levying
OF one-half the cost of the work on the
District.
The bill. after being referred to the COM
mittee on the District of Columbia, was
later sent to the Commissioners for their
investigation and report.
Capt. Derby's Report.
AS is usual in such cases. the papers
were first referred to Capt. Derby, the en-
gineer in charge of the water department.
4
THE question Of what right the District
Of Columbia has in the water rights Of
Great Falls on the Potomac is one on which
the water department of the District is not
informed, the supply of water having here
tofore been entirely furnished by the United
States under the management of the chief
OF engineers, L. s. A. Doubtless copy of
this bill has been sent to the Secretary of
War for examination and report There
can be no doubt that the United States and
the District of Columbia should own the
rights to at least twice the amount of
water that Is now daily taken from the Po-
tomac. say 3,ODOOO gallons per day, and IL
We do not now own these rights it would be
more economical to secure them now than
later. AS to whether it would be advan-
/ tageous to the District and the United
States to own more OF these water rights
than the amount above mentioned would
depend on how much water there Is avail
able and how much 1T would cost to get
control of it, The bill provides (section 3
means of throwing light on these points
ard this result at least is most desirable
The period of ninety days suecied in sec
ton ] is too short and should be increased
/ to one year. AS under section the Dis
trict Is required to bear half the expense of
carrying ont the act. the board provided
increased by the addition of the Commits
sionerS of the District of Columbia. All
parties concerned should certainly have
voice in determining the important question
as to whether the proposed purchase Is
worth the cost of it. There are many legal
questions involved in this bill and a refer
ence to the attorney for the District would
appear to be desirable"
Attorney Thomas Opinion.
The opinion of the attorney was next
called for. and this afternoon Mr. s. T.
Thomas submitted an opinion on the sub
ject. He reviews the Legislation regard
ing the Washington acQueduct:
Since the time when, in 1919. Congress
appropriated money to LAY pipes to supply
the Presidents house and the executive
departments Of the government with
water" many plans for a water supply had
been proposed to Congress, but nothing of
any consequence was accomplished until
1852 40 Stat, 99. In that year the civil
and diplomatic appropriation bill contained
an item of 5000. "to enable the President
of the United States TO cause the necessary
surveys. projects and estimates to be made
| for determining the best means of affording
the cities of Washington and Georgetown
an unfaiing supply of good and wholesome
water, report thereof to be made to Con-
gress at its next session."
This appropria tion was the beginning OF
what has since become one of the grea test
aqueducts of modern times.
After reciting other legislative acts and
acts of corporation councils. MIR. Thomas
continues:
1T will thus be seen that the plant which
supplies this city with water is the property
or the ln1te0 states. tne Legislation pro-
posed by the present bill is departure from
the policy of the United States in regard to
the Washington aqueduct I. maintained with
out interruption for more than forty years
With the exception of the worthless Ly
decker tunnel constructed under the act
of July IL. 1882, this District has never
been called upon to pay any part of the
expense of constructing the Washin ston
aqueduct. 1t can never use the water Il
source of revenue, and its expenses far
except in regard to the worthless tunnel
above referred to have been limited to the
cost of laying mains for the distribution of
the water after 1t is brought to the city
However, if the District is to be again
charged with half the expense of enla rgins'
the Washington aqueduct at Great Falls
1T seems to me that it would be eminently
proper to amend the eighth section of the
bill so as to enable it's Commissioners to
participate in deciding the question wheth-
er what is desired by the bill is necessary.
AT least two of the Commissioners should
be added to the board provided for In sec
ton one. OF course with the growing of the
city there is a demand for increased water
supply, and the land and water rights pro-
posed to be acquired by the present bill
VIII at some time be necessary to increase
that supply, If it is not now necessary,
and the sooner, in point of economy it is
acquired, the better. But it does seem to
me in so important matter as this which
involves departure from a policy which
has prevailed for nearly half century,
and charge against the District of Column
bia of one-half Of the expense of enlarging
the aqueduct at Great Falls it is manifest
ly proper that the Commissioners should
be consulted. And then. too. as pointed
out by Capt. Derby. the time, ninety days
within which the Attorney General and the
Secretary of War shall specify the metes
and bounds of the land required ia too
short. 1t should be at least six months or
one year"