The Washington times., 1901-10-27
NEW TUNNEL AND RESERVOIR.
The Improved Water Facilities
Nearly Ready for Service.

Nearly stFNbct.
w. A. Mcfarland. Superintendent Of
the Water Department, says the Wash
ington Aqueduct tunnel and the Howard
University reservoir are rapidly nearing
completion, and will be ready for service
within a week. In fact. he said, the
only thing In the way of letting water
into the reservoir and starting the new
middle service is the testing Of the new
pumps and the working of the machinery
for 2 few days until it is in perfect run
ming order Mr.. Mcfarland said that a
little work remained to be done upon the
tunnel and a little upon the reservoir, but
that It could be accomplished within
short space of time when the pumps are
ready.
The aqueduct tunnel and the reservoir
have been constructed under the super
vision of the War Department, and the
work is in the hands of the Chief Of En-
gineers and under the personal charge of
Colonel Miller the officer in charge of
the Washington Aqueduct The property
belongs to the United States Government
and not to the District of Columbia. It
was built, however. for the distribution
of Potomac water throughout the city of
Washington. and the tunnel and reservoir
are part of the general system connected
with the conduits and the Georgetown
reservoir.
1t was found several years ago that the
four mains leading olt of the Georgetown
reservoir down NJ Street toward the city
were Inadequate - supply the growing
demands upon the system. Mr.. Mcfar-
land explained hat this was due for the
most part to the loss of pressure by frlc-
ton in the small mains. To obviate this
the construction of the tunnel and the
Howard University reservoir was under
taken Mr. Mcfarland explained the re-
suit to be obtained through the new SER
vice by saying that there was loss or
twenty-five feet in the pressure between
the Georgetown reservoir and Capitol nm
through the old mains and that IL would
amount to only about a foot through the
new This means. he said. that in bring
ing water down the NJ Street mains the
water on Capitol Hill would rise only to
a point twenty-five feet below the sur
face Of the Georgetown reservoir. This,
he said is due to the friction of the water
running through the pipes OF which there
are four of comparatively small dimen-
sions. The tunnel carries a stream of wa
ter between the Georgetown and the How
ard reservoirs nine feet in diameter, and
Mr. Mcfarland explained that the frlc-
tiOn upon this larger main would be re-
duced to one foot This. ne said. shows
the advantage to be obtained through the
new system
The initiative in building the Aqueduct
tunnel and the Howard reservoir was ta-
ken by Congress In the act approved July
II, lSS2 IN which the Secretary of War
was directed to undertake the work and
the bill carried appropriations amounting
to 81 .2S, 2S25 for the purpose This sum
included $5l,3i0 for the purchase of land
for the tuuud and CT So. $50 for the land
where the reservoir now Is. The plan had
been worked out previously and reported
on to Congress by the Chief of Engineers.
Tho work proceeded for several years,
Mr.. Nc Garland explained. and was sus-
pended by bad mcthcls of work done by
the contractor in which large sums OF
money had been squandertd in work that
had to be replaced
work was taken up again under the act
of June %, 1898. in which the Secretary OF
War was directed to proceed with the
task according to the original plans. An
uucXpended balance of appropriation
amounting to S2g7 1850 was reappropri-
ated. and "A new appropriation of a similar
amount was made Subsequently con
gross appropriated various amounts
which brought the aggregate up l" ~ u9O'
6i63, which is the amount the tunnel ana
reservoir have cost under the later perlod
of work.
The Howard reservoir according TO the