The Washington times., 1906-05-20
LAW THAT COVERS
WASTE OF WATER
Sylvester Points Out Time
for Using Hose.
AN ARREST QUESTIONED
Controversy Results From Failure of
Corporation CounsePs Office to
Issue a Warrant.

notwithstanding the fact that Police
Court officials say there is no law in
the District which prohibits the use of
garden hose after certain specified hours
OF the morning and evening Major SyI-
vester insists that the police regulations
cover this feature. He says residents
have the right to water their lawns
between the hours of and o'clock in
the morning and evening, but any
watering done after that is contrary
10 the regulations.
The question came up on Thursday
when a policeman asked for a warrant
FOR the arrest Of colored youth on q
Charge of wasting water. Major Syl-
vester says he saw the youth watering
Fourteenth street near the car tracks
at O'Clock at night. The colored boy
had evidently finished watering the
lawn and was throwing water on the
street for the sport Of IL. Major Syl-
vester informed him that it was con-
trary to law, but he continued to use
the hose. and the superintendent in
structed one of his men 10 make appli-
cation for a warrant. The application
was made. but no one in the Office OF
Assistant Corporation Counsel would
grant the warrant.
Major Sylvester's Views.
Speaking of the matter last night,
Major Sylvester said:
The use of water in the District OF
Columbia is restricted by certain regu-
lations. which the police are directed TO
enforce and in doing this there has
never been n disposition 10 be unfair
or harsh. Repeated admonitions and
orders have been issued by the Commits
siOners on this subject and the import
ance Of II is manifest when competent
engineers in charge advise that the
waste of water will bring shortage 20
the whole community
The hours for its use by hose set
forth by the Commissioners order are
from o'clock TO o'clock in the morn
ing and from > o'clock until o'clock
in the evening. and the beauty of lawn
and flower beds must depend upon the
use during the heated tenn.
1T IS not as 1 have said the dlsposl-
tion Of the police TO have persons
brought 20 court for a reasonable com
pl'ance with the order and regulation.
but the unnecessary and uncalled for
waste as was recently observed by the
superintendent Of this department is an
injustice to all good citizens who en-
deavor 10 comply with the requirements
In the case referred 70 an empIoye
Of the store employed hose after night
and after hours in watering the asphalt
street. not the sidewalk. which was
without question in violation Of the
Cummings order, which IS given in -etail
and printed on the back Of all receipts
for water rent under date of March 21
1904. and which reads as follows:
The Law Defined.
Street washers. where parties use
the same and water is not taken in the
house. shall be charged at the rate of
from 50 TO $40 per annum; exterior foun-
tains, street washers, and other hose
connections may be used only between
the hours Of 5 o'clock and o'clock D.
m. and 5 o'clock and o'clock a. m
The foregoing order is made effective
by the following police regulation. in
the opinion of their department:
Sec. 5. If any person shall use an
exterior fountain, street washer, or
ether hose connection at any time other
than that specified by the Commission
ers, he shall be fined not more than
s. for each and every offense.'
If the regulations do not maintain, in
the opinion of the legal branch of the
government, IL remains TO so declare
and otherwise provide. If the law is
not good, its enforcement viii declare
IL so"