Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-05

loi the purpose OF assisting the engineer
officer I'm the preparation Of plans for a
modern drainage system. Since his dopar-
tur" the duties OF the office have been per
formed by Mr.. %. l.. Ingalls, who submits
the report in the absence of Mr. McCufnb
purlng the year the large Rock creek
anu Is street in'ercoptinT sewer was eN-
tended from 18th and Water streets across
the old naval observatory grounds la near
list and Water streets a distance Of IN
IeeI me Tiber-creek and New Jersey ave
nue. hish-leVel intercepting sewer has been
competed between 2d and streets south
east ana Delaware avenue and c street
southwest distance Of $40 feet Work Is
sun sun IN progress ON this sewer. which passes
through the western portion Of the ,'auit,I
grounds. OF the mort herly portion of this
sewer 60 feet have been completed
ne length of sewers constructed during
the fiscal year was:
D. Si'i ,,.s .''''-'..-.........- al4o
tpe sewers. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1851
Pipe sewers relaid OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. II 346
Total OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. G5.G-7
This makes the present total length or
sewers In the District OF Columbia as fol-
lows: Main sewers, 452.2i9 linear feet
$3.50 niles; pipe sewers, l.622.sj6 linear
feet C307.3G miles,.
The recommendation is again renewed
that Congress grant authority where work
Is done under the continuous -contract sys-
tenn TO accept a bond from the contractor
OF requiring him to give bond for the en-
tire amount of the contract when contract
Is made. 1t is believed that the District
VIII be equally well protected by the
arrangement proposed, and as II Invariably
has to pay the cost OF CARRYING the bond
the contractor taking this into considera-
uon In his bid-the saving to the District
would, In large contracts, be an item OF
Importance
Plumbing Operations.
During the year 1900 inspections OF
plumbing were made by the office. II is be-
lieved that the work of this division has a
considerable bearing upon the health of the
community, and the number Of calls for IN
spections Indicates the reliance placed ltpou
the office by householders anxious to secure,
sanitary plumbing. The work of the office
and or the plumbing board is shown I'm de-
tail in the report Of the inspector, Mr. g b,
Ball.
The plumbing regulations require that a
trap snail be placed upon each house sewer.
and there is strong local sentiment
against abolishiug this constructlon The
trap is. however. responsible for great
deal of digging in the streets, which would
be avoided were the trap omitted and II in
wolves considerable expense to the pronarty
owners. on" great disadvantage of IN,
trap is the ease with which II can bo
choked. and it has been found since the law
was passed enabling the health officer 10
require the owners Of buildings to Introduce
sewer and water facilities into their prem
iSes, that in the poorer classes of houses
the owner is frequently put to considtrahlo
e t,s,,,ei IN digging up these traps. In a
number of cases where tenants We're -K-irt-
ed ashes and other solid bodies have ha.n
found in the traps which deposits have nc
cessltated the digging up OF the pipes FOR
the purpose Of removing the obst rtlctfor
The details Of the work done in me 10
partment OF asphalt and cements ara ST
forth in the report OF Mr. A. w Dow IN
spector of asphalt and dement's. to whfcl
y cd
Water Department.
The condition of the water department
Is very much the same as during the pre-
cedins year. The area Of puInJ ing service
was extended slightly in the vicinity ~
Iowa Circle, where the inconveni..,,,, 3,
house holders from lack of pressure was
greatest However, the extension has NOT
en- sufficient to relieve the distress mr.
NalIlnS, but II was all that was possible
button.
1T has been found that the consamp,t,,
OF water between midnight ami : a IN =
practically two-thirds OF what il is .Iurfna,
Tie daytime. and as the amount consumed
during these hours can almost entirely
be charged TO waste, IL is fair to consia r
That tWo-third5 of the amount .tseI dor
ing the day is also waste which would
make at least three-fourtns of the total
consumption pure wastage. The truabis
becomes much more acceutuated tiu-ln.
extremes OF cold and warm weather Iur-
l1g warm weather the water is permitted
to run for the pulpose of having IA some
what cooler tor drinking purposes aad In
cold weather it f. permitted to run to nr,-
vent freezing Of pipes.
During the severe storm and extreme
cold spell OF las February The pressur,
IN tins mains WAS reduced that il was
impossible 10 use the fire hydrants in GER
tain sec lions OF the city, and the PENN
SN .Nania Railroad Company had great ,if-
ilculty IN obtaining enough water to Keen
its locomotives running. Should a similar
cold spell occur this winter the condition
of affairs UOilu be even worse. The nrtlc..
Is constantly ia receipt of request TO have
houses placed upon the pumping system.
hut il is practically impossible to extend
that system further, as all water that can
be carried by the conduit is now being
and every gallon which Is
taken by the pumps to supply the region
served by them is SO much withdrawn from
the section OF the city supplied by gravity.
which portion is now the one that suffers
the most. The Introduction of any moro
water motors has been prohibited until
matters are better. A house toulouse in
spectiOn affords but temporary relief "a
the people drop back into old habits. and
plumbing fixtures are again allowed to be-
come leaky. Where the waste is wfllrul
a house-tc-nouse inspection can render no
relief whatever, as the waste may be re-
stunned as soon as the inspector leaves the
premises. The establishment of water
meters Is the only check upon Willful
waste.
Building and Building Inspection.
The force under charge of the inspector
Of buildings is entirely insufficient TO meet
the demands upon it. Owing to the greater
amount of building in the suburban dis
tricts than formerly it requires greater
length Of time for the inspector to make a
given number of eXamina tons. One assist
ant is required to devote his time entirely
TO elevators. and it has been ascertained
that 10 give each elevator in the District IL
proper examination would permit him TO
visit them but once year. The inadequacy
Of this supervision can be readily recug-
nized. On construct work the inspectors
are TO more able to make proper eXamina-
lions than is the one charged with the work
Of inspecting elevators. and much work Is
done by builders which would not
be allowed were the inspectors able to
supervise it during its cons truction while
the defective work is exposed. Strenuous
efforts are made, however. to keep the Of
fee on an efficient footing, the inspectors
cheerfully working over hours to accom-
plish this end. 1t is hoped that Congress
will grant an increase IN tho force of in
spectors.
Parking Commission.