The Washington times., 1895-02-21
Board of Trade Asks Congress
to Appropriate $4,000.
NEED BETTER WATER SUPPLY
II This Work Is Done There Would Be
Plenty of Water for Every Section of the
CitV-CoL Elliott and Capt Burr Ex-
plain the Value of the Improvement
Addresses by Many Leading Citizens.

1noSe urSo lno conference comInltteo Oh THO
District appropriation bill to restore tho item
| of S125,000 for raising the dam at Great
Falls and to keep the Senate amendment pro-
| viding S25,000 for testing the Hoxie-Ly-
decker tunnel from the distributing reservoir
| to the new reservoir near Howard University.
In the absence of President Warner Mr..
| George T. Drnlop was called upon by vote
to preside. bat Vice President Theodore w.
| Noyes came in and Mr.. Dunlop asked him to
take the chair. Secretaries Wight and Cur
! ley were present. After Mr. Wight had read
the minutes of the last meeting Mr.. Archi-
| bald Greenlees chairman of the committee
on water supply, made report. He said 1t
/ has become evident that even under favor
! able conditions the supply is insufficient, and
| In very cold weather or when the river is low
/ II is distressingly inadequate and there is
a serious menace to public health.
FULL AND CONSTANT SUPPLY.
The modern home requires full and con-
slant supply OF water and sewers should be
| freely and constantly flushed. No city could
be more fortunately located to secure plenty
OF water. There is money for the work, tho
method has been clearly indicated, and pub
! lie sentiment is demanding action.
The thing to do is found in Col. Elliot's
annual report for 1894. He recommends
, that the dam at Great Falls be raised two
and half feet, and has been urging it since
| 1891 No increase of water supply, he says.
! is possible without raising the dam. This
recommendation is approved by Gen. Casey,
| chief OF engineers.
| Col. Elliot SAYS: "The object of raising the
| water at the intake OF the conduit is to in
crease the velocity through the conduit, and
thus the water in the distributing reservoir
may be kept up to its proper height OF 146
feer If this will not restore the pressures
/ in the city (Which by reason OF the rapid in
crease in consumption and waste are con-
! stantly faling) TO what they were when the
/ forty eight inch main was first put in opera
ton in 1890 it will be necessary Mt once 10
| finish the tunnel connecting the distributing
reservoir with the new reservoir near How
! ard University, or to lay another forty-eight
! inch main from the distributing reservoir to
! and through the city"
The action of the Senate in cutting out The
! appropriation of S125,000 is then summar-
J lied. The committee has sent communica-
! tion TO the conference committee urging the
restoration OF the appropriation.
HE QUOTED SENATOR PROCTOR.
As to the necessity of immediate acquisI-
ton OF the Great Falls property, Mr.. Green
lees quoted Senator Proctors report OF May,
1894. as follows:
''If the entire power at Great Falls is ac-
/ quired, we believe il will be ample Tor electric
| lighting and pumping purposes for the city.
! Tho Greas Falls Power Company have very
recently obtained new charters from the
| legislatures OF Virginia and Maryland. Their
purpose is evidently to develop the power
| and supply it directly, or through other
! companies, to the city for lighting and other
purposes.
There are no improvements now at Great
| Falls. except the aqueduct dam, built and
owned by the United States. II the govern
ment is ever to acquire control it should be
done at oEce, before any outlay is made by
the other owners"
| Mr. Greeuiess concluded by saving:
Again. no delay should be permitted on
account OF any claims for damages that NAV
| be made by parties claiming riparian rights
at the falls. All such claims can be settled
as well after the dam is raised as before The
comfort and health of the city are para
mount and all questions of damages should
be subordinaied TO these"
Mr. Noyes then stated that Col Elliot
was present TO answer any questions. To
DR.. A. 3. Fardon, in regard to compile
ton OF the Hoxie-Lydecker tunnel. Col.
Elliot said he believed that there would be
no leakage from the tunnel when put under
pressure from the reservoir as in actual
operation. This opinion was derived from
use in the city's water system.
LACK OF MONEY AND AUTHORITY.
In reply to Mr. JOB Barnard he said the
only reason for not beginning the work OF
raising the dam was lack Of money and au-
thority from Congress.
In answer to a question by Mr. Arthur
Cowsill he said two lines of iron pipes could
not be satisfactorily used to conduct water
through the tunnel. He felt sure however
.Iz-e. y l.,f
come satisfactory, the new reservoir coulc be
filed from it, and the city abundantIy sup
piled with water. But after all the thing TO
do for immediate supply of sufficient water
is 10 raise lhe dam
Gen. John B. Cotton, who is interested in
the Great Falls Power Company, raised the
question whether the item of the appropria-
ton bill for raising the dam ought not TO
state exactly how high the dam should be
raised. ae feared an injunction might de-
lay the work.
To Mr. William A. Meloy Col. Elliot said
that raising the dam two and a half feet
would increase the water supply by 20, ,000. 900
| gallons day. With the dam raised he could
have kept the distributing reservoir filled
and would have supplied many high localities
| during the cold weather
President Babson. of the East Washington
| Citizens Association, was called upon, and
| said there were acres of lots not SUPPLIED
| with water mains, and scores of houses which
| do not get water on the second floor. A
| semi-water famine has long existed in that
| section, and now prevents improvements.
MB. DoDGE's EXPERIENCE.
Mr.. w. C. Dodge said when he built his
house water could be thrown twenty-five
feet above the roof, but the city has grown
so, thus taking off the pressure, that he can
not now get water on the second floor. He
| then introduced the resolutions referred to
above as adopted.
Capt. Edw. Burr, of the District engineer,s q
| office, spoke of the necessity of an equal dis
| tribution- The District authorities are do
| ing their best for this. AS to the large fund
in the Commissioners hands, this cannot be
used without special appropriation by Con-
gress. He thought the work of raising the
dam could be finished, if necessary. in less
| than two years.
Col. Elliot called attention to the fact that
the Hoxie-Lydecker tunnel would be equal
TO twelve forty-elght inch mains, and said he
thought this bold and unheard-of project OF
Col. Hoxie's is not bad one: it was only
bad in its execution.
MIR. Thomas w. Smith said the completion
Of the tunnel and filling the new reservoir al
Howard University would put water on the
top floor in every house within the boundary
except one.
DIR. Magruder said he had spent $500 last
summer to carry water to the second floor OF
his house, opposite the Arlington Hotel. In
$780,, after the forty-eight-inch main was
laid, water went up to the caves, fifty.
three feet. 1t has gradually fallen, till in