Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-05
Subjects Considered at Meeting Held
Last Night.
WATER INTERNATIONALLY CONDEMNED
Interesting Report From the Com
mittee on Public Schools.
THE EMBERS PRESENT

greatly interested in what proved to be a
very able discussion of two topics of local
importance. One was the increase of the
city's water supply and its publication
with some strong comments adverse to the
proposed meter system. Resolutions were
adopted favoring the completion of the
Howard University reservoir. the purifica-
lion of the water supply and expressive of
the opposition of the board to the general
introduction of water meters in residences.
There was a report also Of the committee
on public schools which dwelt specially on
one phase of the work of the schools-the
manual training-and what was stated by
the committee and followed up by an ex-
tremely able presentation of the subject by
Mr.. w. II. Singleton, was supplemented by
a display of articles in wood and iron made
by the pupils of the school and stereOpticon
views representing the school on o street
in contrast with the fine buildings provided
for such schools in other cities in this coun-
try. Resolutions were adopted urtng gen.
erous appropriations for the public schools
and especially for the manual training de-
partment.
Mr.. Theodore W. Noyes. president of the
board, presided. The minutes of the last
meeting were read by the secretary, Mr..
George H. Harrics, and were approved.
An amendment to the bylaws was adopt
ed, extending the provision Of the COM
mittee on river and harbors to include the
Anacostia fats.
Report ON Water supply.
The report of the committee water
supply was read by the chairman, Mr.
Archibald Greenlees. 1t stated that the
committee could only report progress, as
the last report presented the condition of
today. The principal work now, the report
stated, was the completion OF the Howard
University reservoir, and the failure of
Congress to take action was due more to a
lack of attention than to any other cause
1t was further stated that longer delay
would be ineXcusable- commission had
decided that the completion of the reser
voir is what ought to be done. and the
District Commissioners would urge il. The
House District committee had been inter
viewed by the committee, and favorable
expression had been ELECTED, according to
the report. There seems to be an impress
sion with the congressional committee that
there was an undue waste of water in this
city, but this was not correct, as the re-
ported per capita consumption included the
amount used in the departments, the leak
age from the pipes and the waste In large
institutions.
The report then touched upon the aues-
ton of water meters and the conclusion
was reached that their introduction is not
required at present, and certainly, it was
stated, care should be taken to ascertain
first of all. if the proposed meters are truth
tellers. 1t was deemed better to increase
the water supply by the city, and as water
available was practically unlimtable, there
ought not to be an effort made to limit the
supply.
The Methods Described.
After reading the report Mr.. Greenlees
proceeded to describe the method of water
distribution through the high. medium and
low sections Of the city, and the use of the
pumping station to force the water to the
higher levels. He then explained from a
diagram, which he said had been prepared
by the artist of the board of trade, tie
effect of increasing the height of the dam
at the Great Falls, which he said served
to keep the water in the reservoir the
full height. In sending the water through
the seven miles of pipes, he stated, as far
as Capitol Hill, for example, there was a
loss of pressure, but if the water came
from the Howard University reservoir. as
proposed, then the pressure would be more
adequate for the service. Hence he said
the Importance of completing this proposed
extension.
He said if the distributing capacity of
the city was improved the supply of water
could nearly he doubled. He spoke of the
abandoned tunnel. which, he said, in its
entirety cost over two millions of dollars.
The Howard University reservoir cost
about $T50OG0. and then there was the cost
of the Great Falls dam included in the
total amount, and the construction of the
great main down New Jersey avenue, and
the amounts for those works being ex-
Guided, the abandoned aqueduct represents
a cost of eleven or twelve hundred thou
sand dollars. half of which was paid by
the District. He had heard it stated that
the tunnel cost two or three million dol
lars, which was an exaggeration.
Alleged Per Capita Consumption.
Mr.. Greenlees also spoke on the subject
of water meters and said the alleged per
pita consumption of LIS gallons was OBJ
tanned by measuring the flow Of water
from the distributing reservoir, and divid-
ing the amount of water by the number of
inhabitants. Surprising those figures to be
correct, he asked how much was to be
charged to defective pipes, to the waste in
the departments and in the various in
situations. He thought that il was unjust
| to blame the domestic consumer for the
| entire waste and for this reason impose
the meter system upon the public
In England, he said, where the subject
| had been carefully studied, the remedy for
waste of water was not found in the
adoption of meters. but in care i'll putting
| in the proper fixtures and providing for a
proper inspection.
Mr. GreenIees estimated that at a cost of
| $50 for each meter the net expenditure
would be over million of dollars. all to
| be paid by the consumers, and not by the
government. He ADDED that for less than
| the same expenditure, half of which would
| be borne by the citizens, the Howard Uni
versity reservoir, according to the figures
| already given, could be completed, and the
needed increased water supply could be
obtained, which would be sufficient for
years. Mr.. Greenlees referred to the recent
refusal of Congress 10 adopt the meter
system, and said that the present must be
| looked upon as a most inopportune time
| for bringing up such a measure.
Water Publication.
DIR. Joseph Taber johnson, a member of
| the committee, then spoke of the purifica-
| ton of the water supply. He said the more
he studied the subject the more impressed
he had become with the great and pressing
Importance of this subject. He quoted fig
rres showing the number Of deaths from
typhoid fever, which were due. he said,
mainly to impure water. He said this was
preventable disease, and he went on to
quote figures showing the money loss that
came from he prevalence of this disease.
While those figures applied to the entire
country, yet in the District alone there
were two hundred deaths in one year from
this cause alons. The loss of the earnings
Of these people and the expenditure for
sickness he estimated to be about $300.0o0
Dr. Johnson said that he calculated the
entire cost to the District from diseases
due to polluted water would be about
half a million of dollars a year, which
would pay one-half of the cost of the pro-
posed filtration system, which, it was be-
u