Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-21

aqueduct for the benefit of the soldiers at
Fort Niger. Va, might appear to be a simple
| and Insignificant matter; but 1t Is not, and
| the apparently innocent-looking proposition
| to that end, made known by the publication
| in yesterdays Star, has already provoked
| chorus of indignant protests from the citi-
zens of the District. They naturally view It
as a serious menace to their present water
supply. and will endeavor to defeat it on
that ground. They argue that the present
supply of water is barely sufficient for the
needs of the people for whom the system
was established, and that 1t can stand no
additional drain, matter how small 1t
may be.
What 1t Would Lead to.
The extension of the service to the mill
tary post on the Virginia shore of the Poto-
mac, while not specially serious drain In
itself. is strenuously objected to on the
ground that 1t will prove the opening wedge
to still further extensions OF the service to
small towns and villages in the vicinity
measure similar to that now before Con-
sress passed the House at the last session
and reached the Senate before its full sig
ntficance was realized. 1t was In the army
appropriation bill, and when attention was
called to IT, the Senate promptly struck 1t
out and the House concurred in its omis-
sion from the bill
More Need Last Year Than Now.
There was decidedly more reason for the
project at that time than there is now
Ihen there was no water supply what
ever at the post. and considerable trouble
! was experienced in meeting the necessary
wants of the garrison In that respect The
proposition was defeated, however, on the
general ground that IL would tend TO i'm
| pair the water service Of the District
Since then pumping plant has been es-
tabllshed at the post, and there is no long
| er any lack of water there. The officers
or the garrison are not satisfied with pres
emit arrangements, however, and IL Is due
| to their constant appeal for better service
that the War Department recommended
the tapping of the Washington main. They
no longer complain of q scarcity OF water
1t Is now altogether a matter of quality.
The pumps supply an abundance of water
for all ordinary purposes. but 1t is alleged
that II is not fit to drink.
Gen. BntcheIder's Recommendation.
Acting upon these representations, Quar-
termaster General Batchelder submitted the
| in the following words:
'The estimates OF last year contained
an item for supplying Fort Myer with
water. by making connection at George
town with the large main of tine Washing
ton aqueduct.
This having failed to receive the ap-
prevail or Congress, and the necessity for
an immediate increase IN the water supply
for the garrison being imperative. the hon.
| orable Secretary of War directed that water
south end of the Aqueduct bridge whence
1t Is forced through six-inch iron pipes
| into tanks at the post.
This arrangement is not entirely salts
| factory, and II Is hoped that Congress will
| authorize a connection with the large main
| Of the Washington aqueduct, IN accord
ance with the original plan. which met the
full approval of the chief of engineers and
was strongly urged by the surgeon general
of the army. The connection can be very
easily made, and at slight expensc
THE daily consumption of water by the
$50 officers and soldiers of the garrison
probably within 10000 gallons) would be
relatively so small as to be Insignificant,
50 far as regards the demand it would make
upon the Washington aqueduct.
Owing to the situation Of the post, II
has been practically impossible to procure
supply of pure water in any ether man.
ner. every known method having been ex
hausted,"
Doubtful If Gen. Casey Would Now
| Use 1t.
As stated in Gen. Batchelder's report.
1.-THE original plan" for making connection
with the main of the Washington aqueduct
met the full approval of the chief of engi-
neers. The plan referred to was made over
year ago, at a time when the post was
practically without water facilities Of any
kind. Gen. Casey, chief of engineers, is
now confined to his house by Illness and
| cannot be seen personally on the subject.
In his office, however, it is stated that the
matter has not been presented to his con-
sideration since the establishment Of the
existing pumping plant near the south end
of the Aqueduct bridge, and that 1t Is ex-
tremely doubtful IL he would now lndorse
the proposition to supply the post from the
Washington aqueduct under existing cir
cumstances and conditions.
Col Elliot on District Deficiency.
As one of the strongest arguments against
further drains on the water supply system
Of the District, Star reporters attention
was invited to the last annual report of
Col. George II. Elliot corps of engineers, in
charge of the Washington aqueduct. In a
chapter showing the necessity for raising
the height of the dam at Great Falls, in
order to increase the water supply, he said:
During the last summer and fall the Po-
tomac at Great Falls was at lower stage
than has ever before been known within
the memory of the oldest inhabitant. On
seventy-two days the gauge above the dam
showed a depth of water on the dam of
only about seven inches, and on five days II
showed but six inches. The crown of the
conduit arch at Great Falls is Isl feet
above datum and the crest of the dam is
14S feet above datum. The conduit was
therefore Tin respect of Its diameter) only
about three-fourths full at it's head. A sim
liar deficiency now obtains every year dur
ing the time of low water at Great Falls,
and at such times, the weather being
usually hot and dry and the consumption
and waste in the city greatly increased,
have found ever since 1 laid the 4S-lnch
main that the height of the dam is not
sufficient during a considerable portion of
every year to enable the conduit to deliver
into the distributing reservoir much
water as is now consumed and wasted In
the city, and at the same time keep up the
head in the mains to 1+6 feet above datum,
which is necessary for the supply by gray
ity of the high northern portions of the city
and of Capitol HILL"
The Remedy.
1.-THE only remedy for this deficiency, which
reduces pressures evcrywhe-e in the city
and Is annually increasing. is one that must
be made before any further steps are taken
for increasing the supply from the distrib
utinI reservoir, either by the tunnel to the
new reservoir near Howard University, or
by another main. 1t is the raising the
height Of the dam ut Great Falls. In other
words. before providing additional means
of supplying to the city more water from
the distributing reservoir. II will be neces
sary to be able to send more water from
Great Falls into this reservoir.
The following is an estimate of the cost
of raising the height of the dam:
2,13i cubic yards of stone masonry
AT ............................ 81 600
;},i'S5 cubic yards Of riprap. at 81. G6G6