The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1906-09-01
WASHINGTON LETTER
rsDeciaI correspOndenee.l

ESPECIAL Corresponoence.l
The development OF new suburbs on
~ highlands south Of the Potomac
hos been accompanied by largely In
.-oased demand for pure water for
thinking and household supplies. As
these settlements are situated on the
huItons far above streams and springs,
- might be thought that It would be
d,e7cnlt to obtain q good supply Of wa
ta- Messrs. NJ. L. Fuller and Samuel
Sanford of the United States geological
srrvev recently visited the region and
oscertained that in most instances wa
+o- can be found at a depth Of from
+,ranty-five to forty feet beneath the
surface.
DanEer In Surface water.
Although water is present In large
,vontitv. It occurs In such a way that
only small supplies are usually obtain
"a nv shallow drilled wells. Open
.~orIs however, obtain abundant sup
niles and if properly protected from
contamination should answer every
nrrnose Such wells should never be
looted within 100 feet Of outhouses
~ cesspools and when possible should
no 10 feet or more away. II these
-rarls are curbed with two and seven
e,cbths or three foot glazed tiles and
overr Joint except the lowest is made
nerfectIy tight the polluted surface wa
fer will be kept out, while the water
octually used can enter at the bottom.
Tho Joints can be made tight by sur
rounding the outside of the pipe at the
ioinrs with several inches Of good n.y.
draulic cement.
Depth of Wells.
In the granite rocks conditions are
fairly promising for deep drilled wells.
These will usually find water within
10 feet of the surface, even on the
hills but a we'll should not be aban-
doned before a depth Of go feet Is
reached. 1t is not generally advisable,
however. to go deeper than this.
The investigation which the geolog-
teal survey has Just begun will be ex-
tended to include the water supplies
of the entire coastal plain Of Virginia
Patent Models.
A committee representing the Patent
Bar association recently called upon
the assistant commissioner Of patents,
Rdward B. Moore, and advocated the
retention Of all or most Of the collec-
ton of patent models which it Is pro-
posed to dispose of under an act Of
congress. The wide circulation given
the report that the patent Office had
taken steps to get rid Of this vast and
interesting collection has aroused pat
ent attorneys and inventors all over
the country. In view Of these circum-
stances. it is said, the plans Of the
secretary Of the interior may be
changed in this regard.
Collection May BE Kept.
The committee appointed by Mr..
Moore to go over the models and select
those which are an essential part Of
patent Office records advised that only
a very small percentage Of the NUM-
Der be kept.
1t has been stated on good authority
that the Union Building company. from
which Uncle Sam rents the storage
space for the models in the Union
building, has agreed to reduce the rent
from S19.500 a year to $4,000, which
Is the amount Of the appropriation by
congress for caring for the models II
may be decided to keep. If this Is so,
the whole collection may be retained
The Keep COmmIssion.
Assistant Secretary Keep, who Is the
chairman Of the departmental commits.
sion that is busy seeking to better
conditions and methods In the govern
ment service. thinks 1t win take 9
good many months before his com.
mission finishes its work and hands
in its final report to the president.
Probably the most important com
mittee now at work Is that handling
the question Of the purchase Of supplies
by the departments. 1t was the ran,
dom, unsympathetic purchasing Of sup
plies by the departments that led the
president to appoint the Keep commits
sion. II Is probable that the subcom
mittee will recommend a central pur
chasing agency. through which eyery
NNPSAA-A "a NAC va
buy.
Spanish War Veterans.
The national encampment COMMITTEES
predicts that the national assemblage
Of Spanish war veterans, the ladies'
auxiliaries and their relatives and
friends in this city next October VII
be the largest ever held.
Tentative arrangements have beer
made for big parade to include Span
ISL war veterans, the national guard
regular troops. sailors. marines and
the members Of the Grand Army oi
the Republic. Union Veterans legior
and other patriotic and civic organiza
tons. Secretary Of the Navy Bona
parte will be requested to order two
or more gunboats or other small wal
vessels to Washington at that time tina
they may be Inspected as object les
sons by the visiting veterans and tn
many strangers that are expected