The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-17
Open Faucets Empty the City
Mains and Reservoirs.
SOME OFFENDERS TO BE FINED.
r..tesd of Turning on the Water to
leave Their Faucets Open and
soon Drain on the Entire Sup
NV Of Residence Part of Seat
s,e--Fire would BE Uncontrolled.

4. seeming retribution for the sin Of
ta,,Ioa faucets run through Thursday
nicht. even though In most cases 1t Is
lasld 10 have been for the purpose of pre-
vsntlug the freezing of pipes, the people
IN Seattle were without water to drink,
10 cook or with which to do anything else
III day yesterday and part Of last night.
r'here was not drop in the residence
rart OF the town, street cars depending
tor mower on plants using city water
we're delayed and other inconvenience
caused.
ssnartuent OF the city the inhabitants
have only themselves to blame for this
dcprlyation for II they had not let the
eater run there would have been the
usral plentiful supply. All they should
have done was 10 shut off the water at
Inc stop and waste cocks. after letting
the water in the pipes run of. thereby
nreyenting any freezing and In the morn
INK all they would have had TO do would
be TO turn the water on again. and every
thing would have been as usual
Az II was however, before morning
the reservoirs had been drained OF every
drop In them and the mains in the resi-
Dental part Of the city were emptied.
The business section was not at so great
n loss as 500, 900 gallons remained ia the
MAINS which would have been sufficient
70 keel, the fire engines at work for fye
"
among the homes fire would have had
nndisputed sway. except for such opposi-
lion az might have been made ny the
serious fire would however. have been
Of little avail. Briefly, II is stated, all OF
eeattie except the busiest downtown area
was absolutely at the mercy of any fire
that might have been started.
Capacity and the Drain.
The capacity or the reservoirs and
tanks Is 4. 900 gallons, including 50,0oo
gallons In the Beacon hill reservoir and
10000 gallons each In the Broadway and
Queen Anne tanks The mains hold
i00o.HN gallons more making total
available supply on hand of $4,000 gal
Ions, II all the receptacles are fun. This
y not enough to supply, Seattle for a
Is 100000, the excess over the reservoir
supply of which has to come from the
pumps. These are Kept constantly, az
work replenishing the decrease. and 70
run TO their fullest extent can handle
ldfooooo gallons a day.
II IL estimated that the area covered
BY the faucets in the houses that were
turned on through Thursday night Is
four square feet. The area OF the force
20 amply hair ~ thas f the
pumps had been Kept running at their
full speed they would have been over
GENE TO the extent of "A per cent. and
the contents In the reservoirs would have
steadily been lessened. until In three and
half days there was not a drop on hand,
nut tHt NhtHItH were nut fuuFins run
speed as there was thought no necessity
for II, and by early forenoon tina last now
came from the maine
Penalty for Letting water Hun.
There is a penalty fixed by municipal
ordinance for permitting the water to
run, which reads In section 10 of ordi-
nance T. AS as follows;
Within the property line y stop and
waste cock protected from frost must
which thu service pipes on the property
may be drained during freezing
weather. The superintendent shalt re-
fuse to turn on the water until the pro-
visions OF this section arc compiled with.
Section Is. providing a penalty reads:
II any person allows any faucet or
pipe 70 run open, thus wasting water, .
charge OF g. shall be imposed for each
ofYense. which shall be taxed against the
person supplied through such service, and
the water shall he turned off from the
premises. In no case shall the water be
turned on again until the charge has
been paid
Ali through Thursday night policemen
and special watehmen were teiephoning
Ia 60 headquarters that water was run
ping from faucets In houses on their
beats, and last night additional watch
men were pat into service TO locate the
causes Of as many OF these violations
rs possible. II Is said to be the inten-
tion Of the water department TO make
examples Of some Of the offenders.
tn discussing the shortage Of the sup
Ply yesterday one OF the officials of this
pie we're not too lazy TO 40 out OF doors
or into their cellars TO turn the watSg
on 81 the ston-eocks, this trouble could
not have happened. 1t II easier to let
the water run than 80 use wrench.
There seems nothing that We can do ex~
sept 70 make examples of some OF the Of
lenders. II Is easy enough 70 locate the
houses where water IL running In the
night ms even from the street Il can be
alstaetiy heard. and there is no iroable
therefore iu finding out who the people
are who are violating the law, " they
would use little care they would not
only be sure that their pipes would not
treese, bat we should have all the water
We needed The system cannot keen up
With the now oe water thar comes from
- many faucets ~ once"
People Who We're Assri~yea.
snt the people who woke up yesterday
morning aud found the water pipes on
strike We're IN no mood 90 deal with
ABSTRACT figures and ponder over divine
tstfihatien melted out 10 an Tor the care
lessiiNss 81 few. and early began TO call
w the clerks at the water ofiiee and tel
constantly from the moment the oelee
opened until the weary clerks were final
ace 90 announce that the water hHd
neen turned on, ana Gwen then one man
Mss Aeps busy receiving and daily regis
.esiag tho beiatea Kicks 1T the lndig-
rent water consumers who had not beep
sgy s g Sti the water Office by telephone
- ~ kinds % people called up the water
- thefe we're people who merely
wanted 'n know what ''Vou turned on
w water tor' Voopic who simply want
Y sst that they Thought h was a
saFHe ana "a disgrace. and who regret
WI tte's iuAhiity 10 can On person peo-
~ W. used bad language and who were
~ 81 bF the telephone Etrl while tn
Nssahg the Walls ~ wrath on tho whole
~ e0min3rtratiou. people who wanted
y kNe superintendent YoUngs advice
MI ~ own good IL he wanted 10 hold
tae!Nen rcur1r who couldn't under
Asaa hgt knew fhet re wouldn't have
sAnpsned bach East ard lastly
FWtaNHhG ~ ptuple who threatened 10