Evening star., 1901-04-30
FILTRATION PLANT
Details Of Project Approved by the
Secretary of War.
MERITS OF THE DIFFERENT SITES
Enlarged Capacity Of the Works
Provided For.
GEN. WILSON'S COMMENT

engineer officers appointed to select prop
er site for installing filtration beds for the
water supply of the District of Columbia.
After a careful considera ton of all the
features of the case, which are discussed in
detail in the report" General Wilson says.
''the board recommends that the filter beds
be located on site 3, to the east of the new
reservoir, and that squares 26, q, % and
80, in Edmonston and Stellwagens addition
to LIE Droit Park and squares 13. IA, ID. 16
and 80 of Dobbins addition, be secured for
the purpose
The squares indicated comprise all the
land not now owned by the government,
bounded by Howard University reservoir
and Cincinnati street on the south, North
Capitol street on the east, the Soldiers
Home grounds the north and Howard
University reservoir on the west; also a
strip of land between the reservoir and 1st
street and north of Baltimore street.
The land to be purchased has been ten
dered to the government at ~ cents per
square foot, which is considered" Gen.
Wilson states. "a reasonable price. and
probably as low as can be Obtained by
condemnation proceedings"
Gen. Wilson's Remarks.
In approving the report of the board of
engineers Gen. Wilson says:
THE board was formally notified that
1T is the wish of the chief of engineers that
the inquiry of the board shall be broad and
thorough. and that, keeping in view "a wise
economy, the site recommended for selec-
tion shall be the best, in the light not only
of present conditions but also of the prob
able future development of the systems of
water supply and water distribution of tire
District of Columbia
THE board reports that many sites were
offered for its consideration, most OF
which We're rejected, owing to their gen
eral unsuitability for the purpose, due to
location, Typographical features or engi-
neering difficulties presented.
Three sites finally remained for close
comparison, each of them having been
prominently mentioned for the purpose cen
templated. These sites are as follows:
Site %. That known as Stuhblefleld
located in the state of Maryland, twelve
miles from the new reservoir, and three
and one-half miles this side of Great Falls.
Site 90. That to the north of the new
reservoir, and bounded by the Soldiers
Home grounds, Whitney avenue and Belle
vue subdivision, 7th street, Morris street
and the lew reservoir land.
Site G'p. That to the east of the new
reservoir, and bounded by the Soldiers
Home grounds, North Capitol street, Gin
cinnau street lst street. Baltimore street
and the new reservoir land
The board of engineers to select site
for the filtration plant was composed of
Lieut.. Col. A. NJ. Miller, Capt. Lansing II.
Beach and Capt. d. d. Gaillard, with First
the corps of engineers, United States army.
The Three Sites Considered.
In considering the desirability of the
three sites that We're selected for careful
study, the board says, the site known as
''Stubblefeld' had the advantage of great
area, available for filter beds, and a low
cost of land.
It's disadvantage would be that to afford
the same amount of sedimentation as that
offered by the reservoirs now in or
der construction there would be required
basin or basins ninety-two acres in area
and twenty feet deep; that it has not rail-
road facilities for hauling construction ma
terial and in case the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal should be discontinued-and in
any case dur the winter-the only means
of transportation from this city to the
site would be by wagon, with haul Of
eleven miles, and that after filtration the
water would have to be carried through
reaching the new distributing mains. Not
only would there be risks of deterioration
and conta mination by inf1ltration, but
water lost by leakage en- route would have
a greatly increased value. due to the cost
of the process Of filtration through which
it had passed.
Referring to the features Of the site north
of the said reservoir, the board says there
are no engineering difficulties to prevent
the establishment Of the filter beds at this
site. An estimate of So, 466, ,2775O is made Of
the cost Of filter plant at the north of the
reservoir Of which amount the cost of land
-2O6O.5 $50 square feet. including streets-is
given as $500 1s2.s so, and grading 1888 9O7.
The third site and the one recommended,
which Is east of the reservoir has an esti-
mated cost Of So, 402 042 "a for it's compile
tion. or this amount $3.50, .sS is for land,
including streets, except 1St and Detroit be-
tween the reservoir and 1st street and
S2l9,3OO for grading. Some work has al
ready been done on this site in accordance
with an approved project.
Owing to the lower elevation of the water
level In the clear water basin Q49 feet
above elevatiom, only areas lower than
seventy feet above datum could be eff
All areas above this level would have to
be supplied by pumping. The elevation of
the site north of the Reservoir being 175
feet above datum, would supply all areas
gravity.
Estimates of Cost.
The estimate submitted for the construc-
tion of filter beds at this site provide for
net filtration area of 2692 acres, and the
purchase of sufficient land (453 acres) to
increase the net filtering area to 932 acres
thus making it of the same capacity as
the filter beds at the site north of the res
ervoir and allowing for the same future ex-
tension.
The difference in court between the site
north Of the reservoir and that east of the
reservoir Is $64,G3436 In favor of the latter
which advantage Is offset to the extent of
$62,361 difference in cost of pumping in
favor Of the site north Of the reservoir on
account Of the difference. in height of the
two locations. This brings the final diff
ference In the cost Of the two sites to ST.
1867 .96 in favor Of the site east of the reser-
voir, which was selected.
The estimates Of the board were based
upon the acquisition Of enough land at the
present time to provide for fiItering an
amount of water equal to the capacity of
the existing conduit from Great Falls, 70.-
100000 gallons per day, and it is based on
that estimate that the total net saving ef-
fected by the site chosen over the one
north Of the reservoir would be 81, $685.
Need of More Money.
The project approved by the Secretary of
War today provides for larger area of
land and ultimately a greater capacity Of
filtration than proposed in the original pro-
ject of Col. Miller. The original project
provided for the purchase OF land north Of
Detroit street.
The present project includes the land
south of this street extending to Cfncin-
natl street between North Capitol and 1st
streets; also the strip OF land north OF Bal