Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-23
General Craighill Urges That It Be
Completed at Once.
FINDINGS OF TIE COMMISSION
Full Text of the Recommendations
as Sent to Congress.
E S TIM ATES OF co ST

on certain Questions relating to an increase
of the water supply of the city of Wash
ington. The report is accompanied by a
report by Maj ]. G. D. Knight, corps of
engineers, formerly in charge of the Wash
ington aqueduct, with an Endorsement
thereon by Brig. Gen. T. L. Casey, form
erly chief of engineers. but now on the
tired list. These reports are the results of
Investigations made in compliance with
the provisions of the District of Columbia
appropriation act, approved March 2, 1885,
requiring investigation Of the subject
of the water supply Of the District of Co
lumbia, with view to Its increase.
The act required that the report to be
made to Congress Shall also be accom-
panied with the judgment of the chief of
engineers, and made to the Secretary of
War, who shall transmit the same to Con-
gress. with his views thereon.
Secretary Lamonts letter is brief and
purely formal. After giving a list of the
accompanying documents, he says: II also
transmit herewith the letter Of the chief
of engineers, dated the Goth instant, in the
recommendations of'which beg to express
my concurrence"
Gen. Craighill's Letter.
Gen. Craighill, chief of engineers, in
transmitting the report of the expert COM
mission to the Secretary Of War, gives a
brief account Of the latest history of the
Washington water supply system, culmi-
mating in the appointment of the expert
commission. He says that from Maj.
Knights report he was unable to say that
1t is impracticable or too expensive to re-
pair the tunnel conduit.
The cost of completing the tunnel pro-
ject," says Gen. Craighill SIS so much less
than the cost of any other project pro-
posed that it would be a most serious mat
ter to condemn this plan of water supply
without reasons more cogent than now ap-
In hn nth hor han nd c ha 1iSfrr Of
the tunnel plan existing in the minds of
many of our citizens, and which, formerly,
at least, possessed Congress, makes it nee
eSsary that the recommendation for it's
adoption, if this should seem advisable,
should be supported by facts, figures and
opinions SO weighty as to carry conviction.
Mere prejudice should not prevail to pre-
vent the completion of the tunnel If full
investiga tions show it to be economical
and otherwise desirable to use it. The city
of New York has now in successful use
in connection with its water supply great
tunnel in which, while under construction,
much more serious defects were discovered
than in the Washington tunnel, still un-
finished Before giving my judgment l
wished to have the advice Of a board con-
tanning one or more of the prominent civil
engineers of the country who have had
special experience with works for the sup
ply of water for great cities"
These views inspired the creation Of the
engineer commission, consisting of Maj.
W. L. Marshall and Capt Jas. L. Lusk Of
the corps of engineers and Mr.. A. Fteley
of the New York aqueduct commission and
Mr. Desmond FITZGERALD of the Boston
water works, with Capt d. D. Gaillard,
corps of engineers, as recorder. With ref
erence to the civil engineers named, Gen.
Craighill says that there are no other engi-
Eeers in the United States whose opinions
are entitled to more weight than theirs on
the subject before them. Gen. Craighill
states briefly the conclusions of the expert
commission in favor of the completion of
by law, l have the honor to render my
Judgment which is that the tunnel should
be completed as soon as possible" The
words should be completed soon as
possible" are underscored Attention is
called by Gen. Craighill to the fact that
the sum of $780, TAG of the appropriation of
1882 and subsequent acts, for increase of
the water supply of Washington, d. Co.
remains unexpended, and he recommends
that that amount be made Immediately
available for the completion of the tunnel
project, the money to be applied to such
parts of the works and in such order as to
time the Secretary of War may deem
necessary, to promote as soon as practi-
cable the completion of the entire system
of said works, the same to be done by con-
tract CT otherwise the Secretary of
War may deem best for the public interest
1.-The unfinished reservoir near Howard
University" Gen. Craighin says, should
be completed as soon as possible. The dam
at the Great Falls Is now being raised two
and one-half feet, and the work will be
carried through as rapidly as practicable"
The Commissions Report.
The report of the commission of experts
is dated January II. The letter of Gen.
Craighill, instructing the commission, said
''It is desired that the report of the COM
mission shall furnish the necessary infor-
nation for determining upon the feasibility
Of completing the tunnel conduit and, If
it be determined that the completion of the
tunnel is impracticable or too expensive,
what is the best substitute plan for bring
ing increased water SUPPLY from the reser-
voir in Georgetown to Washington by pipes
or otherwise
''In this latter case the commission will
consider the tunnel coaduit project, the al
tentative project submitted by Maj. Knight,
the flowing conduit project Of Gen. Casey,
the various plans submitted to Congress by
the congressional board of experts. and such
other projects as may be referred to them
so far as they relate to the particular
branch of the subject before them"
The commissions report is as follows:
The commission first examined carefully
the maps and profiles relating to the work
in question, and the printed reports and
testimony, and other available data bear
ing upon the subject. The distributing res
ervoir and the terminus of the tunnel at
the new reservoir near the Soldiers Home
were then visited and examined, as was
the territory lying between those reservoirs
and near the route of the tunnel.
Portions of several days were spent in
ascertaining the views of the officers most
recently connected with the Washington
aqueduct, and those in charge of the wa
ter department Of the District of Column
bia, both in regard to the details of the To-
cation and construction of the tunnel, and
the relation of the latter to the local sys-
tenn of water supply and distribution.
The whole length of the aqueduct tunnel,
with it's shafts, was carefully examined,
particular attention being paid to the con-
ditto CT the rock and the brick work and
rubble masonry in place. Owing to the
insufficient capacity Of the pumping plant
available, the examination of the tunnel
was considerably delayed thereby postpon-
ing the completion of this report.
In connection with it's examination, the
commission deemed it expedient to get the
opinion of Mr.. Thos. b. Main and Mr.. An
drew j. Sparrow as to the present condi-
tion of the tunnel, seven years having
elapsed since they were employed to make
detailed examinations and mea surements
for a joint committee of Congress- appoint
ed to investigate the tunnel question. The
report of these two gentlemen is herewith
submitted.
The commission believes that It ia given