Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-21
Story of the Prevalent Failure of
Water Supply.
THE STARS COUPONS TELL IT
Distress Everywhere Throughout
the Nations Capital.
THE MENACE TO HEALTB


tress throughout Washington in the pres
ent water famine, a house-to-house can
vass. as there was recently for charity's
| sake, would forever silence it. Indeed, it
| would be quite as wise to take such
course to prevent3o0, 600 people from all that
a water far re means to the health condi-
tions Of the city as it is to canvass to get
| aid for 5000 poor people.
Something similar to a house-to-house
canvass is The Stars "Water Coupon Pc
tition," which is now coming in constantly
increasing numbers. The volume OF COM
plants is steady, broad and loud. 1t comes
from people of every class. And a great
variety of Interesting information comes
with 1t. One thing is the surprising num-
ber Of people who have put gas engines or
force pumps in their houses to pump water
to tanks in the upper floors. from which 20
and bath rooms.
make their homes habitually convenient,
and they live on the lower level of the city,
where such a necessity is surprising. On
Massachusetts avenue, which may be
slightly more elevated, there are continual
complaints, which are well illustrated In
| the remark of the widow of the late Justice
Miller when she says: Since last Decem-
Der we had water freely only on the base
ment floor, and 1t never comes above the
first floor"
Distress Uptown.
Congressman Cooper lives on 14th street
Just above Thomas Circle. He says his
apartments are on the third floor, and for
three weeks there has been no supply OF
water on that floor except as 1t has been
carried there. Mr.. Robert I. Fleming. the
architect has no water on the second hoor
of his residence at 1O1s 18th street The
trouble owners of rented properties are
having is illustrated in a statement from
Mr.. W. E. Schneider that his apartment
buildings on Q and on 18th streets. as well
as the Norwood Institute property, on q
street, have been intermittentiy short OF
water, and tenants are constantly pleading
for relief.
N. Studer, the florist, says water failed
recently in his greenhouses, leaving so,ooO
feet of valuable space unsupphed ana 1 ex-
posing him to possible loss OF $Io'oc9.
Mr. Chr Heurich has no water in his beau
tiful house above the first noor. Many cil-
zens have long ago abandoned bath rooms
on the third floor. Some elegant houses
fitted up with all modern conveniences.
especially some on Capitol Hill. do not get
water to wash dishes in their ltchens,
and three times day dishes are carried
down iato the basement wash rooms TO be
washed. Mr.. Charles A. Boynton of he
Associated Press states that February AZ
the water supply in his house failed en-
tirely for the best part of day and there
made the situation alarming. gentleman
living at 2000 Sd street says his neighborS
are obliged regularly to employ men and
boys every day to- bring water to their
houses, for they are sometimes without any
for week at time. If fire should break
out in that part of the city there would be
great difficulty in fighting it with water.
Uncle Sam Uses Water.
People living in East Washington per-
ceive a slight increase in their supply at
night when the navy yard closes. which
suggests that it would be profitable to secure
statistics showing Just how much Uncle
Sam uses in all his department buildings.
many of which are practically manufac-
tories, like the government printing office.
bureau of engraving and printing and navy
yard shops. The government has thirty or
more printing offices in various bureaus.
all making a large use OF water.
The more the facts come to the surface,
the more the public knows the situation.
the graver becomes the responsibility Of
those who prolong the suffering.
Territory Involved.
The territorial classification of the COM
plants would add much to clarity general
impressions in regard to the prevailing
scarcity Of water. 1t is not Capitol Hill
alone that makes outcry-and they come
from that section by hundreds-but there
Is q broad section between 18th and 18th
streets from H street ncrthward to r that
is suffering. Civil Service Commissioner
Lyman, on N street, in the northern edge
of this region, says that for one week dur
ing the last cold spell his water closet on
the second floor had no supply OF water.
Paymaster Shock of the navy. at 140i 18th
street, says water has to be carried to the
second floor Of his house, and the supply
on the first floor is feeble and uncertain.
r. B. Hine chief engineer, United States
navy. living at 1925 18th street. says that
for nearly two months the water has sell
dom reached the second story OF his house.
Arthur Dunn, at 1929 18th street. says his
water closet is without water and a men
ace to health DR.. Toner, on Massachusetts,
avenue near 18th street. says that during
February water would not reach the second
story of his house
c. Wythe Cook at Thomas Circle, has
a faint Intermittent flow on the second
All along Q street from 18th to 10Th peo-
pie complain of no water for closets during
the recent cold snap. Maj. John NJ. Car
son Of the Philadelphia Ledger says that
at his house. 1882 Vermont avenue. there
is no flow in the tank for flushing water
closet. and the greater part Of the day
there is no water at all on the third floor.
Vernon Seminary I1OO NJ street. writes
that much Of the time It Is Impossible to
get water on the second floor OF her resi-
dence. and she has been obliged to put In
a force pump to supply the second and
third floors.
Time of Deprivation.
The duration of entire deprivation varies.
In some extreme cases. as appears above.
people have been without water supply
three weeks at a time. In others 1T was
but q few hours. 1t seems impossible that
houses in the heart Of the city should
ever be more than q day without water.
This happens In the case Of hundreds of
second floor supplies. Justice Field OF the
Supreme Court for several days at a time
has water only in the basement OF his
house Mr.. S. S. Gardner, at 21S Maryland
avenue, had no water for his water closets
for ten consecutive days. Numerous cases
are similar.
Every complaint on The Stars coupons
represents more than an individual condt-
ton. 1t stands not only for a household.
where q number of lives are concerned and
endangered in case Of contagion. but IT
stands, usually. for q nefghborhood dis
tress, for IT is the minority and not the
great mass Of people who take the trouble
to cut coupons out Of newspaper and
mail them. It may be confidently believed
that the complaints and petitions that are
coming to The Star represent a condition
of things far beyond any ordinary. sparse
ly sporadic distress.