Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-12
Colonel Elliot's Last Report on the
Washington Aqueduct.
CLEARING OUT TEE MAIN CONDUIT
Raising the Height Of the Dam at
Great Falls.
TO TEST THE TUNN L


Elliot, corps Of engineers. in regard to the
operations on the Washington aqueduct
and for the increase of the water supply of
the District of Columbia. Col. Elliot retired
on the 31st ultimo and was relieved of
charge of the above named works on that
day by Maj. knight Of the corps of engin-
GERS. By special act of Congress Col. Ell
liot WILL however continue in charge of the
Improvement of the Dalecarha or receiving
reservoir until the completion of the pro-
ject The report made by him today relates
to operations on all the above named works
during the month of March.
Clearing the Conduit.
By the act of March 2, 1895. the sum of
$4,000 was appropriated for removing the
accumulation of deposits in the conduit.
This work was commenced March II. At IL
o'clock midnight the stop planks at the
head of the conduit at Great Falls and at
its outlet into the distributing reservoir
were put down. At 1915 am. the waste
gates at waste weirs. Nos. 2 and were
opened.
The tunnel leading from the distributing
reservoir to the new reservoir near Howard
University and the thirty-inch main were
also brought into use for emptying the con-
duit of its 3O,OO0,O00 gallons of water, the
former discharging through the Rock creek
shaft and the latter through the blow
off" at Foundry branch AT am. the
workmen properly provided with lanterns,
hoes and shovels, were able to enter the
conduit and commence the work of loosen
ing up the deposits. Between that hour
| and pm, when the requirements of keep
ing up the supply. to the city made 1t neces-
sary to order the workmen out of the con-
duit, the work in the by-conduit around
the distributing reservoir and in the main
conduit from this reservoir to manhole 65-
g. distance of l 800 feet-was thoroughly
completed. At o'clock pm. the water
was again admitted into the conduit at
Great Falls, and, the waste gates at waste
weirs Nos. and 3 remaining open, the
loosened deposits were flushed out until 8
o'clock pm. The waste gates were then
closed, and at midnight March IS the con-
duit had refilled and the supply into the
reservoir was renewed. The amount Of
water consumed and wasted in the city
during the twenty-four hours that the flow
Of water into the distributing reservoir was
shut off was measured and found to be o0.-
24s,OO0 gallons. Col. Elliot says 1t is pro-
posed to continue in April the work of re-
| moving the deposits.
To Raise the Dam.
In compliance with the directions of the
chief Of engineers, project for the eX-
penditure of the appropriation of S125,OO0
for raising the height of the dam at Great
Falls was submitted to him and received
his approval. The recommendations that
stone from the government quarries at
work be done by days labor. were also ap-,
proved. These Quarries are on the Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal. eight miles above
Great Falls. A master quarryman has
been selected, and, with a gang of work
men, he has commenced the work of clear
ing up the lower of the two quarries, and
of preparing the sites for the necessary
shops and buildings. The lumber for the
buildings and the tools and materials for
quarrying have been purchased and sent
to the works. Col. Elliot says it is pro-
posed during April to complete the neces-
sary buildings, to commence the Quarrying
of stone and to do other necessary pre-
paratory work.
The work of repairing the Conduit road
between the two reservoirs and on the
eastern slope of Dalecarlia Hill was COM
pleted Slight repairs We're made to the
road between bridge No. 3 and the foot of
the hill this side of Great Falls. The work
of raising the brick lining of such of the
manholes on the line of the Conduit as
were too low was also completed during
the month
A system of marking the flood lines in
the gorge of the Potomac just below Great
Falls was commenced. and the flood line
of 1889 and of the high water of 1894 were
marked. The marks are brass plates stamp
ed with the dates of the floods and strong
ly bolted to the rock.
A project for the expenditure of the
5000 appropriated for protecting the con-
duit at waste weir No. 1, near Great Falls,
was submitted to the chief of engineers
and approved by him.
The Receiving Reservoirs.
In regard to the progress of work on the
receiving reservoir, Col. Elliot reported that
the lining of the drainage tunnel through
the hill east of Little Falls branch was
continued; below the springing line of the
arch it was carried distance of 1S3 feet,
and above the springing line it was carried
distance of 212 feet. The excavation for
the foundations of the portal walls of this
tunnel was completed, as was also the con-
crete foundation for the east portal and
wing walls. The stone facing on the up
per side of the dam across the mouth of
Mill creek, to protect it from wind waves,
was completed. The concrete stop wall on
the valley side of the shaft in the valley
of Little Falls branch, the excavation for
the foundation for which was carried
through the permeable strata to solid rock,
end the v4ng walls, extending from this
wall to solid rock in the hill in the rear of
the shaft, were also completed.
Proposed Work In April.
During April 1t is proposed to continue
the work on the dams and ON the open
channels around the reservoir that was
suspended during the winter; to commence
soiling and seeding the embankments and
the side slopes of these channels and other
embankments: to continue the lining of
the tunnel through the hill east of Little
Falls branch and the portal walls of this
tunnel, TO fence lHe TcSSTVOlr lduQS on tne
easterly and northerly sides of these lands;
to make the necessary preparations for the
works to be constructed at the north con-
rection," and to complete the flume leading
from the portal of the main drainage tun-
mel.
To Test the Tunnel.
The chief Of engineers has approved the
project of Colonel Elliot for the expendi-
ture of the appropriation of $4,000 for
testing the incomplete tunnel leading from
the distributing reservoir to the new reser-
voir, near Howard University. He says
it is proposed during April to commence
the work of removing large mass of rock
and earth that fell to the bottom of Foun-
dry branch shaft several years since by
reason Of the decay Of the wooden lining
of the shaft, and to commence the work
Of pumping out the tunnel
One Criminal Caught.