The morning times., 1895-09-15


off at the foot of Seventeenth street.
VALUE OF SAND.
The use of fire sand makes the surface
more imperviuus 10 moisture. and prevents
to large extent the rotting of Trinidad
pavements, provided they receive proper
, compression.
Long time tests have been started on
! certain brands of Portland and natural
cement, and will be continued for five
years
Public wells analyzed during the year
are given as 1874, of which SO were good,
Al suspicious, and % Condemned.
AS previously directed the Inspector has
given u good deal of attention to an invcsti-
CATION of the action of the Potomac water
on lead pipes.
Not long ago the Commissioners amended
the plumbing laws, so as to giye authority
for the use of cast iron pipes in the water
service, in addition to lead pipes.
There was a chance that enough lead
might be communicated through the drink
ing water to poison some delicate per-
son. and the inspector was ordered TO
test the water taken through lead pipes,
under all conditions as to time ard source
of supply and surroundings.
There is a diversity of opinion as to the
quantity of lead that is required To dam
age health, but taking the most conserva-
tive estimate, it is conceded that not
enough was found from any one test made
to cause the water to be injurious.
In order to have the conditions as nearly
equal as possible to thnse OF actual service,
the inspector, for the purpose OF making
his test, had one new forty-fuot lead sery zee
pipe attached in Anacostla and fifty feet
of new lead pipe was also attached to the
high service main at the U street pumping
house. That contained in the latter pipe
was under high pressure, while the other
was low pressure. and each had Travelled the
maximum distance in mains.
WHERE DANGER LIES.
The great source of danger, the inspector
says, is where the coating becomes detached
by a rapid flow of water after the pipe
had been in dlsuse for some time. He cpn-
sders the matter of sufficient Importance
to warrant a continue nee of tic inves;.Ga-
| ton.
In addition to having already supplied the
| District water service with new 8, 200 900
gallon pumping engine and outfit, the
! Commissioners have advertised for pro-
posals for furnishing another OF 5000, 900
| gallons capacity.
The first-named engine will undergo a
ten days test as to its power, beginning
Monday. and at its conclusion will be
put into use to supply the high-service area.
| The one advertised for is to be used in sup
plying the middle service.
These new engines are to take the place
of the old Gaskil engines that have been
| in use for great many years, and besides
being too small are now about worn out
and practically unfit for use.
They broke down NOT long ago, and with
the consent of the contractor the new en-
gines were employed to meet the emer-
gency and prevent the city from going with
cut water.
The Gaskell engines will be thoroughly
overhauled and kept in reserve for pos
sible emergencies.
The attorney for the District, Mr.. S. T.
Thomas, has returned to the Commission
ers with an opinion the papers referred to
him from the excise board in respect to the
application of William 7. Whelan for a
barroom license at the Portner Flats, No.
80 Seventh street southwest.
FAvoRs wHELAN.
whelap's contention and should the excise
board have no other point against him than
the one upon which the opinion is formu lated
he will doubtless get his license.
Objections were raised to the granting
of Whe laD's license, upon the grounds
that under the liquor law, as amended,
hcenseis prohibited to an applicant whose
place of business is within 400 feet OF
public school, private school, or house
of worship, and the Portner is within 400
feet of private academy.
Attorney Dona aldson, Who is said to rep
resent rival saloon-keeper, named Sol
onion, in opposition to the applicant, had
long conference with Mr.. Thomas yesterday
and endcavored to convince him to his way
Of thinking.
Failing in that he called on Commissioner
Powell and asked for permission to read
Mr.. Thomas opinion, but his request was
refused. He stated that he wanted to file
a brief with the excise bsJrds and for that
purpose desired to know the position
taken by Mr.. Thomas. MI Madigan OBJ
1ected to his inspection until the opinion
formally comes into the possession of the
excise board.
Mr.. Thomas takes the ground that what
Congress really did in amending the excise
law was to Increase the number of rooms
required for hotel from twenty to twenty.
five, and that il it had been intended to
apply the amendment as prohibition
against hotels, it would have been SO
stated in terms.
HOTELS ALWAYS FAVORED.
Hotels, he says, have always been favored
In the application of the liquor laws, from
early times to the present, and even under
the District law the hotel is permitted
to dispense liquor on Sunday, If sales are
made to guests only.
Hedecides that the Portner is not affected
by its proximity to the Sacred Heart Acad-
emy.
President Mcpherson has submitted to
the Commissioners his annual report of the
operations of the Industrial Home School
for the past fiscal year, from which these
extracts are taken.
"Our own wards at the beginning of the
fiscal year numbered 62 and we had IA
of the Board of Guardians, making rs.
We received during the year IL Others
OF our own, SO, and of the Guardians, 1S.
We discharged In the same year, 4S, of
our own, 81, and of the Guardians, FL,
and we had at the close of the year 80
Inmates, of our own wards IS, and of the
Guardians. H.
"Of the 81 wards whom we discharged,
were placed in situations 10 earn monthly
wages. One OF these had been with US
six years. and each of the others three
years. Six were placed In homes where
they will be properly cared for and pre-
pared to earn a living; four of these had
Il n Ud fry<, fs.p