The times., 1899-10-21

protection for the water-battery magazines
completed
AT the close of the fiscal year the arma-
meut of 1928 had been increased by three
l0-inch disappearing guns and one 4.72-
inch rapid fire gun. The fourth temporary
S-inch rife on non disappearing carriage
was mounted during the early part of the
fiscal year but two of the foGr guns have
been dismountld and shipped TO other
points Two 10-iuch disappearing carriages
and one 1O-inch gun were on hand June
so 1899 One of the carriages and the
gun are intended for the left half of re-
doubt B, and the other carriage for the en-
placement under construction in bastion
of the main work.
AT cost of 81, ,96215 an extension OF
sixty feet was made 10 the tank for the
storage OF torpedo cable, built during the
fiscal year 1898
The mines placed in the channel were
removed five being exploded in position
and the others taken up with a view to re-
moving the charges. After one mine had
been successfully unloaded, it was Nconsid-
cred iuexpedient to unload the remainder.
and they were therefore destroyed by ex-
ploding them in groups,
The District Water supply.
Attention is also called 10 the water sup
ply of the District of Columbia, the waste
by extravagaut persons and suggestions for
remedying this evil Following is an eX-
tract from the report on this subject:
The consumption and waste Of water
were measured on June q, 1899 and found
to be so 079. $50 gallons per diem. This s
the largest June measurement ever taken,
and, estimating the present population OF
the District at $50 600 there is obtained
~
17S gallons. OF this amount 14729, 1875
gallons. or % per cent, were used between
a m and u noon, and 9,724607 gallons
or 10 per cent between II midnight and 8
a. m showing that there is a reckless
( waste of water in the District, due prinCi
pally to defective plumbing and wil.ful
waste Careful and trustworthy invest-
cations made in various cities in the
! United States show clearly that per cap
tia daily consumption OF 100 gallons is am
pie for all domestic, business, and public
: purposes and that any considerable in
crease above this amount must be atrib-
uted to waste
This extravagant use of water has be-
come a serious menace to the supply OF
water by the Washington aqueduct with
its present capacity-76, 900 900 gallons
and at the rate of increase per decade for
the last ten years, 1889 1899, p 0G0. .0GO gal
Ions, he ultimate limit would be reached
in about twelve years. The present con-
sumption and waste have also an impor-
/ tant bearing on the subject of filtration.
/ Congress has called for a report on this
subject. and the matter is now undergoing
| investigation. II is probable that the cost
/ of filtration will be about So per million
! gallons. or at the present rate of consump-
| ton, about $500 per day, or $4,000 an
nuaIly This is a large charge, and can
| only be reduced by a reduction in con
sumption.
! In the opinion of the local engineer Of
/ ficer in charge of the aqueduct the existing
| conditions suggest two remedies-either
! the reduction of consumption TO reason
| able rate, 100 gallons per capita per diem.
! by the use of meters. or tho increase OF the
! present supply to keep up with the present
demand by the building of second con-
I duit from the Great Falls OF the Potomac.
/ The necessary surveys of practicable routes
! for this conduit should be taken in hand
I at once, and an estimate for this work IS
submitted by the officer in charge.
Estimates are submitted Tor repairing
! the by-conduit at the DalecsrIial reservoir;
! for building a combined ystorehouse and
stable at Great Falls for pro teCttng the
/ inlet to the conduit at Great Falls; for
preliminary surveys for additional conduit
/ from Great Falls. and for operation. main
! tenance. and repair of the Washington
auueduct and its accessories, all of which
/ have my approval, and Of which full eX-
plantations will be found in the report Of
/ the officer in charge.
This work is being prosecuted under an
act approved June 80, 1898 making appro-
/ priations for the expenses Of the govern
ment OF the District of Columbia for the
fiscal year ending June 80 1898, and for
other purposes which authorizes and di-
rects the Secretary of War to resume work
on the Washington aqueduct tunnel and
its accessories and the Howard university
reservoir. and to prosecute and complete
/ the same, the work to be carried on in ac-
cordance with the plans Of the board Of
| experts as set forth in its report dated
January II, 1896"
Work on the Aqueduct.
Speaking OF the Washington Aqueduct
the report says:
"Gatehouses and other buildings were re-
paired. The former were repointed and COW
cred with wash of Portland cement the
latter Including the Office at Rock Creek
| Bridge) were repainted or whitewashed
! Twelve hundred feet of new fences was
| built and about 4.5 miles of picket and
board fences was repaired and whitewashed
| During the past year, not including the
occasion when the water leFel was lowered
for the purpose OF measuring the con-
| sumption and waste of water, the extreme
| fuctuation OF the water level in the dis
tributng reservoir was l.0 feet.
The by-conduit around the Dalecarlia
| reservoir is not available for use in its
present condition. and is so weak as not tc
| be water-tight 1t requires Strengthening
and in some places considerable rebuilding
Six hundred cubic yards of flint stone was
crushed and spread upon the Conduit Road
during the year, and 3.116 cubic yards was
purchased for matchmaking this road
Travel on the Conduit Road has increased
so greatly during recent years that it i;
impossible 10 keep it IN its present condi-
ton out Of the present annual appropria
tion for operation, preservation. and repair
Of the Washington Aqueduct without det
riment to other more vital parts of th'
system.
''As the keeping OF this road in proper or
der is a necessary item in the repair an'
maintenance of the Washington Aqueduc
as long as il is kept open to public traffic
it is not deemed necessary to submit
special estimate for this purpose. Th
road is essentially a part of the Aqueduc
system. and the expense Of improving
and keeping il in order would seem prope
charge 10 the improvement, maintenance
and repair Of the Washington Aqueduct
and the estimate includes this expense
General repairs such as cleaning Ou
culverts and ditches cutting down bushes
and trimming slopes were made to the en-
tire road between Georgetown and Grea
Falls"
The Aqueduct Bridge.