The evening times., 1899-01-06
RECONSTRUCTING THE
LYDECEER TUNNEL
Preparing to Pipe the Waters
of Rock Creek.
Engineers Fear an Excess OF
Pressure.
Water supply of the National Capt.
tai Far Greater Per Capita Ihan
Tint Of Other Cities.

The engineers engaged in the recon-
struction Of the Lydecker tunnel are pre-
pairing to pipe the water of Rock Creek,
which for some time has been breaking
through the roof of the tunnel near Oak
Hill Cemetery. One thousand feet OF PIP
ing will be required. Should the matter
have been unknown much longer the en-
gineers say that the pressure from the
inside would have destroyed practica iy
the entire tunnel along the section under
Rock Greek. In connection with such
work it is always an excess CT pressure
from the inside that is feared.
On the Foundry Branch, Cnamp4aln
Avenue and Rock Creek tunnels nearly
400 men are now employed. 1t VIII re-
quire nearly four years to complete the
work and in all probability another mil
lion dollars will be added to the miiilon
that has already been expended. but
Washington, when the work is finished,
will be the best watered city on ea-th py
many gallons per capita.
Even at the present time the National
Capital is far in advance of other cities, the
supply being close to 130 gallons per capita
per day The London water supply is but
36 gallons per capita per day. The supply
in Paris is even less.
WashingtoniaDs are the most extravagant
consumers of water in the world, SO the
engineers of the water department state
The Government departments are parlicu-
Iarly extravagant, the consumption ana
waste aggregating stream ike mIii
race There is a tremendous waste through
out the city in general.
The new reservoir at Fourth Street
northeast. which is to be established IN
connection with the Lydecker tunnel serV-
ice will largely increase the supply and VIII
be supplied through the distributing reser-
yoir on the Conduit, which is TO be one toot
lower in point of elevation than its feeder
Ii has been contended that had the pump
house. located on Street near Fifteenth,
been located close to the Conduit Road res
ervoir much of the difficulty in certain sec
tions would have been averted, but pend
ing the construction of the tunnel these
upper sections of the lower service terri
tory must drag along with only meagre
supply of water while other sections revel
! in extravaganza.
The Lydecker engineers left the tunnel
| in a deplorable condition from the stand
, point CT the careful engineer and brick
masCn. Great holes were bricked up with
| cut any substantial support from the out
| side This work presents fine front, but
strike it. and il gives forth the sound Of a
paper box. In excavating for the tunnel
! by blasting often great holes were made
! and when the masonry Of the tunnel was
built these hcles were left on the outside
which rendered the shaft not sufficiently
| powerful to resist the pressure from with
! in.
The workmen formerly employed filled
| these holes with empty cement barrels
| which while they prevent rocks from fail
| ing on the tunnel, do not strengthen il
sufficiently 10 resist the water pressure
| frcm the inside.
The work CT replacing these empty bar
reIs and ether light material with more
| substantial backing is now going on. The
walls are not being wholly destroyed, bu'
| in putting in this backing only portion o.
| the walls are being torn out.
The most glaring evidence Of the pooi
| engineering skill displayed by the origina
contractors On this work is shown in the
| irregular course followed by the three
| branches of the tunnels. They zig-zas
| alcng in a serpentine way. if a saw
| tooth track was the most desired of al
| drink streams.