Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-25
WHY THEY ARE MAD
A Spring Said to Have Been Tapped for
the Presidents Use.
Three Hydrants Formerly Supplied
by Ii Are Now Dry-What One
Man Says About 1t.

ne TeSlOentS OF tne SectlOn or the city
in the neighborhood of 18th street and New
York avenue are just now up in arms over
what they regard as an infringement OF
their inalienable rights. and are taking ad-
vantage of the other right OF petition guar
anteed TO them by the Constitution.
For such a length of time that the men,
ory of the present generation goes back
not to the contrary, the people in that
part of town have regarded themselves as
particularly fortunate in that they had the
advantage of the finest water supply OBJ
tainable in the District. This clear cold
and refreshing beverage came TO them
from big spring on the east side of
Franklin Square. Now II is all but cut off,
and-they are mad.
Within the confines Of Franklin Square
are two fine springs, which were long since
bricked in, and the water therefrom piped
10 the White House, so that whatever
troubles have involved successive Presi-
dents they have at least enjoyed pure
spring water at all times. Old residents
say that the fact that there were two such
springs in the square had much TO do with
its reservation public property. With
those two springs the neighbors have moth
ing to do, and they are not disturbing them
selves in the least over the fact that the
President can have the best Of water if he
wants it.
Another Spring Tapped.
But under the asphalt On 18th street
about half way up Franklin Hill there is
another spring which has such a flow OF
water that ii has supplied five hydrants in
the neiShborhood ever since il was arched
over in the days of Governor Shepherds
regime. OF these hydrants, one is at 18th
and New York avenue, two az 18th and
New York avenue Zone on the north and
one on the south side Of the aveuueI at the
corner of 18th and CT and one at 18th and
+. Time and again the water has been
ana!yzed ard prom olnced absolutely pure
1t has been regarded one of the special
attractions of life in shat ighborhood,
ard is even said to have added 10 the value
of property for blocks around.
Now, of all these hydrants, only two are
running. The others are dry, and great is
the neghhorhood grief.
1t is said that some days ago a force Of
men in the employ of Col. Wilson, the su-
perintendent of puolic buildings and
grounds. tapped the main and diverted the
stream into the pipes which lead to the
White House. Ii was explained that the
President and his family needed more wa
ter.
What One Resident Says.
A man who lives adjacent to one of these
hydrants said to a Star reporter this after
noon: We people would like to know Why
Col. Wilson should have tapped our main
1t is outside of his bailiwick, for 1t was
arched in at the expense of the city, and
properly comes under the jurisdiction of
the Commissioners. I'd like to know what
the superintendent Of public buildings and
grounds has to do with that spring. 1t is
well outside the limits of the square. We
are signing petitions galore addressed to
the Commissioners asking them about ii.
We are in earnest about this thing for that
water has long been one of the choicest
llesslnSs of life around this part of the
city Two springs ought to supply the
White House. unless they need pure spring
water for use in the stables as we'll We
q he
Presidents horses"
What Col. Wilson Says.
Col. Wilson, in charge of public buildings
and grounds, said to a Star reporter this
afternoon that not a single drop of water
from the springs In Franklin Square has
flowed to the White House or any other
public building for week past. the flow
having stopped in some mysterious way.
Connection with those springs, he said,
was made many years ago by virtue of an
act of Congress, approved May 25 1881. ap-
propria ting $500 for conducting water in
pipes from square 249 CFranklin) to Presi-
dents house, and public Offices, and the
construction of reservoirs and hydrants."
The pipes. he said, were laid ever so long
ago. he didn't remember the year. and the
government has exercised control over
them ever since. The water was used for
the White House and the State Department
only when the regular supply gave out and
it was untrue to say it diverted to the
Presidents stables. Although the springs
are running full he said. no water had
flowed through the government pipes for
over a week. So it was not true to say
that the water was being diverted for the
benefit of the White House.
He had heard. he said, that pipe from
one of the sJSings ran into one Of the pri-
vate residences in the neighhorhood. but
he didn't know whether IT was so or not. 1t
had also been reported that the water from
the springs had been used to water the car
horses on the + street line. He said in con-
clusion. that, although the government
actually controlled the springs, it was not
getting the least benefit from them.