The Washington herald., 1907-09-19
MONEY FOR CONDUIT
Congress to Be Asked for
$4,000 for Survey Work.
COMMISSIONER SEES DANGER
Capt. Morrow Contends that Storage
Facilities Are insufficient During
Also to BE Asked TO Transfer Au-
thority over System 10 District.

Undoubtedly the Commissioners will
at the coming session of Congress recon-
mend that an appropriation of $4,000 be
made for preliminary Investigations and
surveys for increasing the water supply"
said Engineer Commissioner Jay J. Nor
row yesterday. They viii at the same
time renew their recommendations OF sev-
eral years past that the control OF the
Washington aqueduct, the filtration plant,
and appendages be transferred from the
Chief OF Engineers Of the United States
army 10 the Commissioners Of the Dis
/ trict.
The necessity of another conduit is
self-evident," continued the Commission
er. Not only is there the ever-pgesent
danger of a break in the only conduit 10y
which Washington is now supplied with
water. but "a scarcity may result from
the waste during prolonged cold spell
Reservoir supply Threatened.
THE conduit has a capacity OF g0.000000
! gallons j day. beyond which. under pres
ent conditions, II IS impossible 10 supply
! the city with water. And yet, during
cold weather the daily consumption has
reached over I00.0000O0 gallons a day.
which means a drawing on the reserve OF
SG0000,00O gallons IN the reservoirs. This
/ Is caused by the householders leaving
their taps open 70 prevent the freezing of
the fixtures How long the water would
last under such conditions is q simple
matter OF calculation.
"The Commissioners recognize the dan
ger Of a water famine. and have been en-
doavoTiug for some years to Impress the
/ fact upon Congress We viii again ask
/ for an appropriation for the preliminary
surveys al the coming session. II OBJ
tanned. it viii be several years before the
/ conduit can be completed.
Want Conduit Transferred.
Both the Commissioners and Brig. Gen.
Mackenzie. Chief of Engineers Of the
/ United States army. recommended at the
Hast session Of Congress that the control
the Washington aqueduct be trans
I-rred from the engineers 10 the Commis-
sIouers.
/ The Chief Of Engineers under the present
system is IN no way responsible TO the au-
/ thorities Of the District, though the esti-
mates relating 70 the maintenance and
operation of the aqueduct are required By
/ law TO be submitted TO the Secretary Of
/ the Treasury by the Commissioners. The
/ responsibility for the care, storage, and
distribution Of the water supply lies sew
orally upon the Chief OF Engineers and the
/ Commissioners. It is therefore considered
/ proper 10y these officials that all the re-
! lsponsibiiity of operating the complete sys-
/ TEN of water supply should rest with the
officials Of the District alone. and that
when the work Of constructing additional
I parts Of the system is assigned TO the
/ Chief Of Engineers by the War Depart
ment. the additional structure. when COM
pIeted. should be turned over 10 the Dis
/ trict authorities TO operate.
/ Cannot Make Civic improvements.
/ At present the dam at Great Fails, the
GIrration plant and a portion OF the trunk
lIine are under the control Of the War
( Department, while the high service reser-
v0irs, the pumping station, the greater
part OF the trunk lines. and the distrib-
uting system are under the Commission
ers.
! In recommending this transfer Of juris-
dicti0n Of the water supply. the COmmjs-
sioners. In a letter forwarded to Senator
/ IGalHnger, chairman Of the Committee on
the District Of Columbia at the last ses-
/ sion. said:
The conduit road. running from Great
Fails to this city. is now placed by law
under the control OF the War Depart
ment, and by reason Of the lack of juris-
ditiOn OF the Commissioners over this
road, they are unable 10 light it, TO lay
/ sidewalks service mains, and service sew
ers without special authorization from
Congress. They are at present only au-
thorized 10 carry on such Improvement on
| highways under their Jurisdiction. and as
! any number Of these municipal construc-
/ tiOns involve assessments on abutting
properties, such assessments, if levied.
would not be colIectible against the prop
/ erty.
There IS no doubt in the mind OF the
| Chief Of Engineers and the Commission
ers that more economical and satisfac-
tory results can be obtained by consoHda-
tion Of authority over the water system
under the Commissioners Of the District
Of Columbia