Evening star., 1898-10-25
WATER FOR THE CITY
Need of Another Conduit Only a
Question Of Time.
GEN. WILSON RECOMMENDS PROVISION
Operations During the Year on
Local Engineering Works.
THE MEMORIAL BRIDGE

Gen. Wilson's annual report, made public
today, contains a number of chapters re-
lating purely to local works.
Measurements Of the daily and hourly
consumption and waste of water were
made on June 22-23 and 2S-29 1898 and a
mean of the two results gave the daily con-
sumption as 47,2sS, 733 gallons an increase
above that of the preceding year. Based
Upon estimate OF 264 ,302 consumers of
Potomac water, this corresponds to per
capita daily consumption and waste of 40
gallons. Based upon a population of $780,
1S2 in the district of Columbia as deter
mined by the police census taken in April,
1897 with an estimated increase in popula-
ton of 1900. irrespective of their source of
water supply, ii corresponds to daily per
capita of 16S gallons.
AN extensive series OF gaugings by cur
rent meter observations in the conduit at
two stations disclOses the fact that at the
lowest stage of the Potomac. with al de-
posits removed from the conduit and the
distributing reservoir about two feet below
its present level q Is feet above datum) the
conduit is capable of discharging into that
reservoir about 7G59O,N0 gallons per day.
This represents the ultimate capacity Of
the conduit. and the present daily con-
sumption is about 62 per cent of this
amount. Ten years ago il was but 81 per
cent OF the Same amount. The necessity,
therefore. fer the construction OF new
conduit between Great Falls and the dis
tributing reservoir is only a question of
time. and l strongly recommend that pro-
vision be made for this work in tie near
future
THE new conduit should be completed
and ready for operation before the daily
consumption equals the maximum capacity
OF the present conduit. To make the pre-
liminary surveys and plans acquire the
necessary lands and no
will involve operations extending over sew
eral years therefore the Inauguration of
this work should be 10 longer deferred The
officer in charge states that estimates for
the preliminary operations will be submit.
ted in the next annual report. The trunk
r aims leading to the city. however. are al
ready overtaxed in supplying the present
consumption of a little more than Al 400 900
gallons per lay and every increase N their
volume of flow will be marked by a rapid
decrease in pressure in those parts of the
city supplied by gravity alone. 1t appears,
therefore, that while the conduit Is capable
of supplying nearly 3O.mU.0O0 gallons per
day In excess of the present rate of con-
SUMPTION the trunk mains Will receive but
little benefit from the Increased discharge
of the conduit until some method is pro-
vided for bringing an additional supply OF
water from the distributing reservoir into
the city.
An expert commission was appointed to
meet in Washington in December. 1898, to
report upon the feasibility of completing
the tunnel conduit After careful study
of the subject and a thorough inspection
of the tunnel conduit and the works con-
nected Herewith the commission submit
ted its report The estimate of the board
for completing the tunnel was 1897 S37, and
the estimate of Colonel Gaillard for COM
pletng the Howard University reservoir
is sos 013.3O. The completion of this res
ervor is essential part of this system.
The following estimates are submitted
for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1900:
,lati,, c,;y t,nt
tunnel according to the estimate of the
board of experts, $303, 40: for completing
the Howard University reservoir accord
ing to the estimate of Colonel Gaillard,
S19S 013.30 total, $5O1 ,423.3O.
During the past year, not including the
occasions when the water level was low
cred by the supply being shut off for the
purpose OF making repairs or of removing
deposits from the conduit, the extreme
fuctuation Of water level in the distribut-
ing reservoir had a range of but O.45 foot,
as against 1 foot for the preceding year.
All deposits were removed from the con-
duit, and the interior was carefully Scraped
and swept. The officer in charge reports
that it is now an easy matter to keep the
conduit clean by annual removals of the
deposits.
the conduit shows that none of the cracks
plastered up in 1896 have reopened and
that no new ones have developed
The Memorial Bridge.
In regard to the proposed memorial
bridge across the Potomac from the naval
observatory grounds to the Arlington es-
tate General Wilson says:
"A preliminary estimate made by Colonel
Allen shows that bridge at the locality
with masonry piers and steel superstruct-
ure, capable Of ornamentation, having
three fixed spans and one draw span with
roadway of forty feet width and two side
walks, each ten feet in width, and with
approaches affording the same width of
travel way, can be built for about $1,3S5, ,Hg3.
Il concur in the opinion of Colonel Allen,
however, that the character of bridge
should not be definitely decided upon until
after the subject has been given further
study and Gale ulations and estimates have
been made, in order to admit of compari-
son as to economy, architectural merit, and
utility If all the work incident to the
proper study and determination of the mat
ter is done by the engineer department
further apr opration of 5000 will be need
ed. but to invite competitive designs and
estimates, to oe submitted in accordance
with general specifications prepared under
the direction of the engineer department,
which is the preferable course, the sum Of
$500 will be required to defray the neces
sary expenses, including prZes.'
General Wilson speaks Of other local
bridges as follows:
Plans are submitted for a bridge across
the Eastern branch of the Potomac, in line
with Massachusetts avenue extended east
ward with fixed spans and having total
length, including approaches Of 2,517 feet,
and width of fifty-two feet between rail-
ings and the cost of its construction Is
estimated to be S441 20S. The plans pro-
vide accommodations for ordinary highway
traffic and for street tracks as
quired by the law; also for the construc-
tion of a draw should one be required in
the future
The estima ted cost of a bridge with a
draw Swing span on pivot pier) is $416-
S43, but the necessity for a draw is not now
apparent.
Colonel Gaillard submitted designs and
estimates for both the stone arch bridge
and steel bridge with stone foundations at
the locality indicated.
The estimated cost Of a stone arch bridge
over Rock creek at Massachusetts avenue
is $56S.545 and for the steel bridge $199, 204.
General Wilson says: In transmitting
this report beg to state that in my judg-
ment the interest of the public, the dura-
bility and permanence of the structure, as
we'll as harmony with the apparent future
conditions at the locality, will be best Sc
cured by the construc tion Of the stone arch
bridge at the site selected; then too, the
very material difference in the expense for
maintenance and repairs leads me to think
that in the end a stone bridge will be the