The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-12

| Complaint is being made in Southeast
| Washington about filling up certain wells,
which have been used for years by the
| people in that section of the city, and
from which they have obtained their sup
! ply of drinking water. C. W. Dickey, in
| writing to The Times about the matter,
says that the people in his neighborhood
are enquring as to the utility or the
authority for filling UP wells in B, Elev-
enth. and Fourth Streets southeast. Con-
tinuing, Mr.. Dickey says:
This seems to many of us a high
| handed proceeding especially at this sea-
| son of the year, in view of the overtaxed
| condition Of the waterworks of the city,
| and in view of the deplorabie condition
| of the hydrant water, which has been
| aptly characterized as hardly fit for bath
| ing purposes during many months OF the
| year.
| Most of these wells nave been in Use
| from the time of the earliest Inhabitants,
| well-springs OF health and fountains of
| purity, and, without a word of warning.
| some insists come along and proceed TO
| fill them to a level with the surface. Is
| this not a usurpation of the rights OF the
| people and plain violation of the prin-
| cples of popular government perpetuated
holders of the Commonwealth judges OF
the conditions affecting the public welfare
in their respective localities and RESPONSE
BILE for ills resulting thereto?
IF any printed statement were posted
showing to the people danger from the use
OF these wells. if such statement were
certified to by medical and chemical ex-
perts the case might be different, but in
the absence ef such statement We can but
H. nf hnen lie
as a plain disregard of the rights of the
people in not permitting them dice in
the regulation of their local affairs"
A reporter for The Times yesterday CALI
ed upon w. a. Mcfarland, the Superin-
tendent of the Water Department, and en-.
Quired from him the reason for the filling
up of the wells in the streets mentioned.
Mr.. Mcfarland referred TO the records of
his office and gave the reporter the follow
ing information:
Water from the well on Eleventh
Street, between B and c Streets.
has been subjected TO four separ-
ate analyses by the chemists of
the Engineers Department and in each
instance the water was reported suspicious.
The Health Department has also reported
to this office that the water in question is
suspicious. On the strength OF these two
recommendations We have condemned the
well and have ordered IL filled up"
Being asked to explain what was meant
by suspicious water, Mr.. Mcfarland
said that a certain method was followed
in his office in condemning a well which |
has been in use for long time. I'VE send
samples of the water to the chemists of
the Engineers Department and the Health
Department, respectively" he said. This |
is done in order that there may be no
40 don time
it serious thing to close a we'll in To- |
cality where the same has been in uss for |
a long time The Potomac water is none |
of the best, and there is the question of |
ice. which TO poor people is matter of no |
small consequence. The truth is, We do not |
close a well until the proof of its impurity |
is Overwhelmingly demonstrated by |
chemical analysis. a suspicious well Is |
one in which the chemists find the bacillus |
coli which alone shows the presence of |
animal excrement in the water.
THE well on Eleventh, as well as that |
at the corner of Sixth and B Streets south
east, the record shows to be full Of the
bacillus COLI and in the case of the latter
the Health Department condemned the well
last March as being unfit for use. The
bacillus coli is present in the water OF these
wells, and instead of acting in highland
ed manner the department has been slow
to act on the Recommendation OF the cnefn-
lists. II any fault attaches 1t is in the di-
rection OF neglect in not closing the wells
months ago.
When 1t is taken into account that the
wells in these streets are below the sew
ers and that the latter run through the
streets close by the wells, 1t is easy TO see
how the wells become contaminated. There
are no sewers that do not leak more or less.
and the wells are poisoned before the in
nocent people who use the water are aware
of the danger that turks in the drinking
cup. 1t is the hardest thing in the world to
convince people that water which is clear,
cold and sparkling, and which they have
used for years, is dangerous to health and
life" '9ss%1
Mr. McFariard stated that the well in
Fourth STREET.-THE which MIR. Dickey re-
ferrei, had notbeen condemned, though its
water was regarded as suspicious by the
chemists. s'a1-