Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-15
CONTROL OF AQUEDUCT
Commissioners to Ask Authority
of Congress.
COL. BIDDLE DRAFTS A BILL
Reasons Assigned for the Desired
Legislation.
POSSIBILITY OF WATER FAMINE
Request for Appropriation to Cover
Cost of Plans and Surveys
Wording Of Measure.
DISABILITY OF WATER FAMINE

One of the first bills which the District
| Commissioners will present to Congress
! next month will be one giving them control
| and Jurisdiction over the Washington aque-
| duct and its appurtenances. Such legisla-
| ton was sought by the Commissioners last
! year, but being included in the Commits
| sioners' annual estimates for the present
fiscal year, it went to the appropriation
| committee of the House, and as certain
legislation was necessary. and not an ap-
preparation, the members of the committee
eliminated it from the estimates and re-
turned it to the Commissioners. directing
them to put 1t into the form of special
BILL
This bill. which, If enacted. will transfer
the entire water supply control of the Dis
trict of Columbia from the engineer de-
partment of the United States army to the
District government, has been drafted by
Col. Bidd1e, Engineer Commissioner, and
referred to the other Commissioners for ap-
prevail. 1t will go to the corporation coun-
sci for legal scrutiny
Anxious for the Legislation.
The Commissioners are particularly
| anxious for the legislation. According to
the present arrangement the United States
has control of supplying the water and the
District has Jurisdiction only over the dis
tribution. This division Of authority. it Is
pointed out has naturally caused an inter-
lacing of authority, as the duties of the two
departments overlap in many instances and
controversies regarding the management
are frequently noted.
The Commissioners feel confident that
they are In position to properly manage
the entire supply to the satisfaction of the
public, and II they took the entire respon-
sibility there could be no interlacing of
authority and the officials of the District
in charge of the water department could
work to better advantage.
Worn Condition Of Aqueduct.
Another reason given by. the Commits
sioners why they should have entire con-
troll of the water supply is the worn con-
dition of the present aqueduct, and the
necessity for its repair, the construction
of a new one Gen. Mackenzie, chief of en-
gineers, United States army, in report
made public last week. emphasized the con-
dition of the aquedUct and the possibility
of it getting out of repair to the extent of
stopping the water supply
Officials of the engineer department of
the District said today that the thought
of a water famine in the District might
sound foolish to many. and unnecessarily
alarming, but that they have good reason
to know that such u condition is not en-
tirely out of the question. 1t was added
that a portion of the present aqueduct
runs through solid rock, and several
times large pieces of the stone dropped
into the path of the water, interfering
greatly with its passage. Congress 3p-
propriates annually 1913. 900 for the MAIN
tenance of the aqueduct. With that sum
and possibly an additional appropriation
the Commissioners believe they could,
within the next year, begin the construc-
ton of new and more satisfactory aque-
duct. They Intend to ask for $4,000 to
be used for plans and surveys for the
proposed aqueduct.
Text Of the Measure.
The bill drafted by Commissioner Bid
die sets forth that hereafter the Com
missioffers of the District of Columbia
shall have all powers and be subject to
all duties and limitations provided in
chapter eight of the Revised Statutes of
the United States relating to the District
duties therein delegated to the chief of
engineers of the United States army. and
shall also have all the powers and be
subject to all the duties and limitations
provided in sections 1900 to 1912, both in
elusive, of the Revised Statutes of the
United States so far as the same relate to
the Jurisdiction and control over the
Washington aqueduct and it's appurten-
ances, 1t being the intention of the act
that the entire control over the Wash
ington aqueduct and all its appurten-
| ances, the filtration plant. all water mains
and the water distribution system of the
District of Columbia shall hereafter be
under the Jurisdiction and control of the
said Commissioners of the District of Co
lumbia, and that the Secretary of War
| and the chief of engineers of the United
States army shall be relieved of all duty
and responsibility in connection with all