Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-26
TO SAVE 4 PUMP.
Quite q Delegation Called ON the Com
mfssiOners for That Purpose.

Quite q Delegation Called ON the Com
missioners for That Purpose.
This morning the Commissioners heard a
large delegation OF citizens and property
owners from the neighborhood of 9th and Q
streets northwest. where a well has been
located for years. and which was yester-
day closed.
Mr.. II. J. Mattern spoke for the delega-
ton. He said he had lived in that vicinity
for thirty-slx years and had constantly
used the water from that well. There had
never been q case of typhoid fever in that
vicinity that he remembers. Other gen.
tlemen present had lived there half a CEN
fury and had been constant users OF that
we'll They were hale and hearty today
and had raised large. healthy families. The
well was an absolute necessity I'm that vi
entity, and TO close IL permanently woCld
be a great injustice 10 the citizens The
poor people thereabouts would suffer. for
they could not AFFORD TO buy ice, and the
Potomac water was warm and muddy. He
introduced the analysis made by Prof.
Hird Of the health department, in which
he certified that the water was in good
sanitary condition. This was made curing
last May. He could not understand Why
II was the Commissioners had gone over the
head OF their expert In such matters and
closed the well.
Commissioner Powell remarked that the
inspector OF cements and asphalts, who
Is also an expert on water, had made
another examination last week and had
found the water impure and unfit for drink
ing purposes. There il a sewer running
within fifteen feet of the well. and IL NAV
be that the water is contaminated from il.
IF that is 30, why not take up the sewer
and save the well? The taxpayers who
to expect good work, and IL the sewer is
faulty whose fault is it?' rejoined Nj.
Mattern.
Commissioner Ross said II upon exarni-
nation IL was found that the water was
not pure the citizens certainly would not
want the well kept open. He suggested
that Prof. Hird (who was presently give his
thoughts upon the subject
Prof Hfrd said there was no difference
between the report OF the inspector OF as
phalts and cements and his own. They
were made at different times and IL was a
well known fact that water taken at DIFF
ferent times produced different results The
water from the well in question was taken
at noon, when the well had been In use for
hours. He did not expect TO find IL bad
He thought before water was analyzed the
well should be locked for at least twenty
four hours and then a sample taken He
would like the Commissioners TO give him
authority to do this.
MIR. J. w. Gregg thought the Commits
sioners should not rest with an examina-
ton of the water. II there was a sewer in
the vicinity and there was reason TO be-
ueVe tnat the Well was conta minated from
II the sewer should be inquired into and
IL found leaky. repaired. Yes. repaired at
any cost. only save the we'll II was not
impossible to properly seal any sewer and
he thought that the best workmanship
should be used In their construction.
Commissioner Ross stated there was no
disposition on the part OF the Commits
sioners to prosecute the citizens by taking
away the pumps. There was q responsible
ity resting upon them, which they could
not dodge. and when a well was found con-
taminated and the water from Il unfit for
use II was their duty to close it,
Mr. Louis Behrens said the result Of clos
ing the wells would be a hardship TO the
poorer classes, who could not afford ice, and
would make many drunkards, for when
men could not drink Potomac water they
would drink beer.
The Commissioners were informed that
the well had been closed and the pump
removed. They promised TO wait two or
three days and then have another examina-
tion made Of the water. II the examination
disclosed no Impurities the pump would
be replaced.
Those present included Louis Behrens.
Chas. Hoyberger. J. w. Gregg. Louis Geb-
hard, Michael McInerey, VIM. c. Connor.
c. d. Sweet. w. Rosson, VIM. Fendner
H. Worthingtor. J. Boose. VIM. II. Fend-
ner Ernst Bergman, John Laubscher. w.
G. Perry. VIM. A. Torrey. II. J. Mattern