The Washington times., 1895-02-07
WATER FILLS THE TUNNEL
Capt. Powell and Col. Elliott Tell
of Plans for Testing.
EXPERTS REPORT DISCREDITED
Both Officials Believe That the Three Engi-
neers Were Mistaken and Their sngges-
ticns Are Uncertain and Unreliable
Danger of Contamination by Drainage
from the Graves in Oak Hill Cemetery.

The history OF the construction Of the great
tunnel from Georgetown to Howard Univer-
sity. given in THE TIMES recently, attracted
general attention TO the project for spending
SO. 900 in testing it TO see whether The .00o,
600 and more put into it cannot be made avail
alde TO help supply water 10 the city. In that
case it might be hoped 10 get water above the
second story and to escape general distress in
unusually dry seasons, such as last sGmmer,
when a number OF trees in Washington died
for lack OF water.
It should have been stated that the frauds
which caused the abandonment OF the tunnel
were discovered ly ''some discontented brick
masons." 1t is understood that their diseon-
tent was caused by the fact that they had
been disch charced.
To find out in what the plan for testing the
tunnel for which so, 600 is asked. a reporter
OF TIE TInrEs called on Commissioners Powell
at the District building. and on Col. Elliott.
OF the War Department, at his Office near
Rock Greek. on ii street. in Georgetown.
To the FIRST question Capt. Powell replied
that the matter was in the hands OF the War
Department.
.'But You had some idea of what was pro-
posed before you made the recommendation.
You intend to have It inspected by engineers,
OF course, said the reporter.
10 HAVE TIE WATER PUMPED II.
''Yes; and then to have the water pumped
in to see whether ii will do TO use"
In its present condition."
-'Yes."
'But what about the report OF the three en-
gineers. Wilson. Flad and Craft They say
plainly that the tunnel IN lis present condl-
ZION cannot possibly be used. Do you think
they were mistaken.
They may have been. They said the water
would leak out and inJure surrounding prop
ertY. lut il never has. although the tunnel l.
full. Tney seem TO have been mistaken about
that. We want 10 try the tunnel under pres
sure and If 1t leaks s. as to lose 40 per cent,
say, OF water sent into II, OF course It can't be
used.
'.Bu; it had been hIled before IL was in
spected ly the Senate board OF experts,
hadn't ity''
'-Ao. ] think not
''Thc senate report saws ii took a month TO
pump 1t out. il IS now tut Of water al any
ruieg
YES water that leaked in
Col Ell Oft said when asked about the plan
81 have known very little OF the tunnel. Ii
was abandoned before / came here in 1859.
What Is desired now il to ill il with water
under the pressure due to tie bead of water
IN the distributing reservoir. that Is 10 say
1z6 feet above low water at the Navy Yard,
ana see whether il would leak 10 such an ex-
tent rs 10 render il useless.
EXPERTS REPORT UNRELIABLE.
Doesn't the report already made to the
Edmunds committee show that the work is
worthless in its present condition."
'Well. that report is not exactly iniallible.
We can't entirely rely on what the board OF
experts said. Gne OF their suggestions, for
lusIaGce. 10 make the tunnel available was
TO put in a siX-ioot steel pipe. This you
know would bs iiable 10 break as our mains
occasionally do. and then 1 don't know how
we should 60 10 work 20 repair it. 1t would
be imI ossig!e in that narrow tunnel, with
long distances between the shafts. some OF
them a mi.e long, to get one section OF the
pipe Cui and put another in. as in ordinary
repairs. That suggestion appears to me in
practicable AMI with others ike Il stamps
tie report as uncertain and unreliable
They say that 10 tunnel was ever sue
cessiul for carrying water under such Il pres
sure as this would be subjected 10. Is that
true?'
Il think SO. The only tunnel Of anything
like the depth OF this Is the great SutrO tun-
mel for draining the ComstOck mine. and il
made no difference whether that leaked. as IL
was only intended to draw of waste water.
The Croton tunnel is not nearly so deep.
The head here would be about I70 Ieet giving
an enormous pressure.
Iii il should prove 10 lie as bad as the board
OF experts supposed, have you any idea what
it would cost 10 put it in condition 10 be ser-
Viceable,"
mo; / have made no investigation"
''Ihe experts placed the figures al
100000
Il should think that would be largely in
excess Of the need.
an objection 10 The tunnel not noticed by
the Senate experts is that ii runs almost
under one side OF Oak Hill Cemetery. anC
the water might be contaminated by drainage
from the graves. 1t is noticeable. also. that Z
tunnel into which water seems to leak freely
almost without pressure may be expected tc
leak much more rapidly when subjected 10
pressure Of fifty pounds 10 the square inch.