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

ed ashes and other solid bodies have been
found In the traps which deposits have ne
cessitated the digging up OF the pipes for
the purpose of removing the obstruction
The details of the work done I'm the de-
partment of asphalt and cements are set
forth in the report of Mr.. A. w Dow. in
spector of asphalt and cements. To which
attention Is invited.
Water Department
The condition of the water department
is very much the same as during the pre-
cedlns year. The area Of pumping service
was extended slightly in the vicinity Of
Iowa Circle, where the inconvenience to
householders from lack of pressure was
greatest However, the extension has not
bee sufficient to relieve the distress pre-
Vailing, but IL was all that was possible
as no more water is available for distri-
button.
1T has been found that the consumptfnn
of water between midnight ana m IS
practically two-thirds of what it is .urinr
The daytime and as the amount consumed
during these hours can almost entirely
be charged to waste. 1t is fair to consider
that two-tht"dS of the amount usei der
Ing the day It's also waste which would
MAKE at least three-fourtns of the tota
consumption pure wastage. The trouble
becomes much more aCcentuat"d during
extremes of cold and warm weather Iur-
lag warm weather the water is permitted
what cooler tor drinking purposes. and in
cold weather 1t is permitted to run t. pre-
vent freezing Of pipes
During the severe storm and extreme
cold spell of lasi February the pressure
IN the mains was SO reduced that it vas
impossible to use the fire hydrants in GER
tam sections of the city, and the Penn
syiNania Railroad Company had great DIFF
nculty IN obtaining enough water to keep
its locomotives running Should a similar
cold spell occur this winter the condition
OF affairs woClu be even worse. The office
Is constantly in receipt of requests to have
houses placed upon the pumping system
hut it is practically impossible to extend
that system further. as all water that ca.
be carried by the conduit is now being
distributed, 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served by them is so much withdrawn from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 more
water motors has been prohibited until
matters are better. A house toulouse in
spectfon affords but temporary relief, as
the people drop back into old habits, and
plumbing fixtures are again allowed to be-
come leaky. Where the waste Is willrul
a house-to-nouse inspection can render no
relief whatever, as the waste may be re-
sumed as soon as the inspector leaves the
premises. The establishment OF water
meters is the only check upon Nillful
waste.
Building and Building Inspection.
The force under charge OF the Inspector
of buildings is entirely insufficient to meet
the demands upon 1t. Owing to the greater
amount of building in the suburban dis
tricts than formerly it requires a 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 1t has been ascertaiued
that to give each elevator in the District
proper examination would permit him to
visit them but once year. The inadeQuacy
Of this supervision can be readily recog-
ntzed. On construction work the inspectors
are no more able to make proper examina-
tons than is the one charged with the work
of inspecting elevators, and much work is
probably done by builders which would not
be allowed We're the inspectors able TO
supervise 1t during It's construction 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-
plsh this end. 1t is hoped that Congress
will grant an increase in the force of in
spectors.
Parking Commission.
The Commissioners must again repeat
their former statements that larger funds
are necessary to enable the parking COM
mission to properly do It's work. and the
point has been reached where the amount
appropriated is no more than sufficient to
properly care for tees already set out and
to replace losses occurring among them. II
the appropriation is not increased it will
therefore, be impossible to continue the
work Of setting out trees along streets not
now provided with them.
Highway Extension Plans.
The highway plans for the entire Dis
trict west of the AnacostIa river have been
completed and approved by the highway
commission and placed on file in the sur
yeyor's office as required by law Consider
abba work has also been done in the prep
aration Of plans for the portion of the Dis
trict east of the Anacostia, and it is hoped
to have them completed and properly re-
corded during the coming winter"