Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-26

| proper consideration. with due, elaboration
routes is essential. These surveys should
| be taken in hand at once and an estimate
| of 5000 is submitted for such surveys.
| The By-Conduit Weak.
! 1.-The by-conduit at the Daiecarlia reservoir
| was constructed for the purpose of passing
| the water supply from the Great Falls
around the Daecarlia reservoir during
! periods when it might be necessary to
! empty this reservoir for purposes of clean
| ing. etc. In its present condition 1t is not
| available for use, and is 50 weak as not to
| be water-tight 1t requires streng thening
| is an important part of the aqueduct sys-
TEN and should be placed in a serviceable
condition. An estimate of $4,000 is submit
ted for this work.
"A suitable storehousa and stable should
be ere ;ted at Great Falls for the storage
o. tools and implements and the stabling of
the watchman's horses. which horses are
necessity to the Waterman for proper per-
Torrance of his duties. For this an esti-
mate of $1,000 is submitted
Estimates are also submitted of So, 900
for the operation, maintenance repair, &c.
OF the aqusdUct and its accessories, includ-
ing the Conduit road. and of s5ED for pro-
lection of the Inlet to the conduit at Great
Falls
According TO the report the condition of
the water served to the people of the Dis
trict during the past fiscal year as regards
clearness, was as follows: Very turbd, 81
days: tu-bid. II days: slightly turbid, II
days, and clear, $50 days. Total, 365 days.
work on the Tunnel.
Col. Miller gives a detailed statement of
the progress of the work of repairing and
completing the tunnel conduit to the How
ard University reservoir. under the general
project, which includes lining the unlined
portion of the tunnel with brick masonry,
including invert, and backing the same with
rubDle masonry or concrete; constructing
an invert in portions of lined tunnel where
none was originally built; repairing the de-
fective lining already built by removing the
timber and loose stone backing a,.d replace
ing 1t with rubb.e masonry or concrete, or
grouting where necessary; arranging the
drainage of the tunnel west of Rock creek
shafts that all drainage MAY be- collected
at the Rock creek shaft pump; lining the
portion of the tunnel in the vicinity OF Rock
creek shaft with iron, finished on the in
terror with brick masonry; filing the voids
in backing. where dry rubble was used, by
Srouting same; constructing the necessary
accessories, including gatehouse b!ow-oft at
ROCK creek air shafts, &c: preparing How
ara University reservoir for me reception
of water and the laying of the mains neces-
sary for furnishing the supply.
Favorable progress has been made in the
work, with every indication of satisfactory
and prompt completion So far there has
been expended on this enterprise the
of s151,23S, of which s1O5924 was paid for
labor and $51.314 was paid for materials.
1T had been the practice" said Col. Miller,
TO do all work underground by the light
OF miners lamps and torches. This means
of illumination is very poor for mechanical
work. The fumes and smoke from blasting
added to the smoke from torches and lamps
rendered the atmosphere under ground, es-
pecially when the barometric conditions
were unfavorable to ventilation, very Of
fensive and discomforting to the workmen.
An investigation Of the subject of lighting
the tunnel by other means, more especially
at the locality where the mechanics were
at work, brick and stone masons, and the
workmen on the iron lining, resulted in the
selection of acetylene gas as the most
available and economical in this special
emergency. Accordingly an aetylene gas
plant for 300 burners was erected at Cham
plain avenue shaft and one for sixty lights
at Foundry branch. The engine houses at
the shafts, the head houses and localities in
the tunnel when required, are lighted by
this plant. Gas pipes were carried down
Champlain avenue shaft and along the tun-
mel both in easterly and westerly direc-
ton. with cocks for burners at proper in
tervalS. every thirty feet, and this system
Sutficed for illumination from Rock creek
shaft TO Howard University. a distance of
over two miles. The plant erected at Foun-
dry branch was in like manner utilized for
the illumination from that point in both
directions
BY connecting with the stop-cocks by
means of a rubber hose a movable light
chandelier or Christmas tree of any re-
CURED NUMBER OF BURNERS IL USED lluS con-
centrating the Eight in the immediate vicin-
ity of the work, and also enabling the illu-
mination to be carried into the cavities or
crow nests. SO called. behind the defec-
tive old lining. This method of Illumination
has proved very satisfactory and quite
economical. Ii is especially valuable
aiding good work to be done and facilitating
a thorough inspection of the same
Total Appropriations Asked For.
The total appropriations made for increas-
ing the water supply of Washington amount
to $I94 Al. The amount expended during
the past fiscal year was S136291, leaving
unexpended balance July 1 last of s65S 1tD,
against which there are outstanding liabil
tiles of s9.I T95. leaving an available bal
aT}ce of s:tS2.3G5.
1t is estimated that s3O1 1893 will be re-
quired to complete the existing project, in
Guiding the Howard University reservoir.
The estimated amount to be expended in
the current fiscal year is $4,000. and the
amount that be proftably expended in
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1901, is
$1S9, 034.