Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-23

Tor these imurovemonta. ka estimate a. ~, :
900 y submitted for an hon fence around
present wooden fence which l. cosby 70
maintain.
Capt. Cosby says the grounds around the
Washington city reservoir ar8 IN nsed Of
limits. says be. aand their incorporation
within the filtration plant to form single
park. named after the late Senator McMH-
Ian. renders It advisable that they be beau
dded to CORRESPOND with the other 0ty
parks. An estimate Of 1900 II submitted
Tor that purpose.
Surveys Of the three reservoirs show that
when filed to their maximum working iev-
els they have total available storage ca
pacity OF 465 100000 gallons and an absolute
capacity above bottom Of 68O,00O,OO0 gall
tans. The capacities reported in the past.
Capt: Cosby stys. were the estimated alb
stated. 46S.500.0U0 gallons. represents that
portion OF the contents OF the reservoirs
which Is available for use. At the present
everage rate Of water consumption. Capt.
Cosby says. that amounts to less than
weeks supply for the city.
The Conduit road has been kept in az good
condition as the appropriation would allow.
About 400 linear feet were macadami1ed
about the middle of the worst section of the
road. and H. Is expected to remacadam abou
10.000 feet this year. Small repairs were
made to the bridges Of the aqueduct system
be necessary. says Capt Cosby, to put q
new floor on the Pennsylvania avenue
bridge across Rock creek and practically
to rebuild the bridge at Daaecarlia reservoir.
Effect on Typhoid.
Tables are given to show the turbidity
and condition generally of Potomac water
during the past year. as determined by
sanitary chemical analyses of samples
taken from various points OF the system.
from which 1t appears that the candition
Of the filtered water is satisfactory "a
comparison Of the figures for the months
since the filters were put In operation with
those of corresponding months in proceed
Ing years." says Capt. Cosby, shows that
up to the present time there has been no
marked Improvement In typhoid conditions.
From the portion Of this report dealing
with the archaeological condition of the
water it will be seen that the filtered wa
ter delivered to the District has been Of
excellent quality, as shown by analyses Of
samples taken at the filtration plant, and
also at number Of points on the distribu-
ton system. A consideration of these two
facts seems to lead to the conclusion that
the water supply has not been at all times
large factor in the causation Of typhoid
fever There is little doubt, of course, that
Infection from time to time and will con-
tinue to do so In the future. and the filtra-
ton plant is very necessary safeguard
against this Infection. But the improve
ment of the Potomac water has not up to
the present time made its effect felt upon
the vital statistics
"A fact of some significance may be noted
here. The filtration plant has been in COM
plete operation during the period from o.
tober 5, 1905. to the date of this report.
There has been no opportunity to see the
effect of the improvement Of the water
supply upon the typhoid death rate during
the months OF July. August and September.
when the death rate from this cause Is
usually at its highest. 1t Is not safe.
therefore. to draw final conclusions from
the figures here given