Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-28
Mrs OF WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Notes and Comment on various Mat
tiers at National Capital.

BITS OF WARRINGTON GOSSIP,
Notes and Comment on Various Mat
tiers at National Capital.
| The engineer oficer In charge OF the
water supply system Of the District OF
Columbia, Colonel Smith S. Leach. is some
what alarmed at existing conditions. In
his annual report, submitted to General
! Mackenzie, chief Of engineers he calls at
tention to the fact that an interruption Is
| liable TO occur at any time in the present
| system which would cut OF the entire
water supply of the district He urges
that an appropriation be made for surveys
! for an additional conduit from Great Falls.
1 Colonel Leach says the washington
aqueduct, which has been in use for half
a century, is more vulnerable than similar
structures throughout the country and that
there is risk of an accident to II which
would cut on me supply for period long
enough to produce a water famine The
construction OF another aqueduct would
prevent such a catastrophe and would in
sure an adequate water supply for the
district until the present population is at
least doubled
| An estimate OF $4,000 for the new sur
veys is submitted, and its favorable con-
sideration IS urged. The estimates for this
| section of the water works for the next
fiscal year are $4,000. including $4,000 for
| the preliminary surveys suggested 5000
for building a combined store house and
stable at Great Falls and $50 900 for the
operation, maintenance and repair of the
adueduct and Its accessories.
During the month of June the measure
ment of consumption and waste of water
showed a total of 100000 gallons, the
largest measurement ever made. The waste
| of eat % hn OFT u
Is thought that at the present time about
one-half Of the water drawn from the
mains is wasted
| The new filtration plant, which will be put
in operation this fall will have a maximum
| capacity of rs, 100000. An excess of this
amount must be supplied by introducing
unfltered water into the mains, which
will mean the repollution of the purified
water. 1t is estimated that IL the present
waste could be avoided It would reduce the
cost Of operating the filtration plant by
$40 a day.
According to the last report submitted
by the capitol police to Acting Captain
John Hammond, the industry Of catching
stray CANNES on the capitol grounds has
not been as brisk as at other times not
withstanding the fact that the world is
passing through the period known as dog
days There is law which prohibits dogs
and cats from invading the capitol grounds
and 1t is rigidly enforced. It makes no
difference whether the dogs wear the Official
| tags OF the District of Columbia or not
| All dogs look alike TO the capitol police
! the only distinction made being that the
| tagged animals are held at the capitol and
their owners notified, while the common,
downtrodden ours are sent to the district
pound and dispatched. The park policemen
are provided with a lasso with which to
arrest the offending dogs in the same man
ner that the cowboy of the plains ropes
! the wild steer. Cats are also captured
when possible. Not so many OF them
infest the capitol grounds, but they are
more elusive than the CANNES and cause
the minions of the law more trouble than
the de=s.
The welfare department of the National
Civic Federation has arranged with the
| Isthmian Canal commission to supply the
services OF two expert welfare managers. :"
The commission. convinced that proper
recreation for those engaged in the various
operations of canal construction is of
vital Importance to their physical and
mental welfare, desires to have these
men investigate the needs and the oppor-
| tunities for recreation, recommend their
conclusions and arrange to have carried
into erect such plans as are adopted. The
plans will include amusement halls, club
houses and outdoor sports. which may be
adapted to the climatic conditions. Those
who have been chosen for the work are
Mr. Nazaro, who has been the welfare
manager" of the Plymouth Cordage COM
pany, in Massachusetts,, where for the
past four years he has SUCCESSFULLY carried
on welfare work, including homes for the
employees, luncheon facilities, clubhouse
and other recreation efforts. He won a gold
medal for this work at the St. Louis ex-
position. He is a graduate of Harvard and
made a special study of the entire question
in England, France and Italy. Edward A.
Moffett, the other choice is the editor OF
Bricklayer and Mason, the official journal
of the Bricklayers' and Masons Inter
national Union of America. He is a ma
tional labor representative. and his wide
experience has we'll equipped him for know.
ing the needs of the workingmen.
How the Japanese have invariably
whipped the Russians is being disclosed
by American officers sent out to observe
the operations, whose reports are just be-
ginning to come in. The war has been in
within a month that the American OBJ
servers have been able to send in reports
that were Of any value. Japanese COM
manders stopped reports of any value
though they let through reports Of opera
lions that did not differ from the usual
methods. Now that the Russians are suing
for peace the Japanese are permitting the
: observers to forward dispatches that make
American officers open then eyes. Never be
fore have so many army boards been en-
crossed by so many war studies OF prime
) importance. Every branch OF the japanese
army has been heard from except the en-
. gineers Major Kuhn is still in the field and
unable to get through reports Of worth &c
American engineers.
The quartermaster generals department
4 is one that has found most 20 think abou
4 In the reports. The extraordinary mobility
Of the Japanese troops, of course, is a fac
T which all the world has boon specializing
y about-wondering how the catlike moves
: were ACCOMPLISHED by men supposed to b,