Evening star., 1907-07-07
PAYMENTS MADE QUARTERLY
Protests Against Disfguring Lawns
Go for Naught.
CHECKING WASTE OF AQUA PURA
New Equipment Supplied First to
Outlying sections-center Of
Population Next.

The man who insists upon joking about
the eccentricities Of the gas meter and
about the inspector who goes through the
motions Of reading the cabalistic signs
upon a series Of dials will soon have ample
material at hand to revivify all his choice
old ones. The water meter man is with US.
Since July 1, the beginning Of the new
fiscal year in the District Of Columbia,
some 5000 water meters have been whiz-
zing and whirling in paroxysms Of glee.
Before the 1st of the month the opera
tions Of the meters were unofficially re-
ported to be uncertain and more or less
lackadaisical. But at that time their revo-
lutions counted for naught. The beginning
of the year, however, meant that the me-
ters might revolute as much as they
pleased, because each wiggle and turn
spelled dollars and cents for the city
fathers. The good word was passed along
from meter to meter, and the race to estab-
lish records in spinning began.
Three Months Hence.
About three months hence 5000 residents
Of the northeast and northwest "ections
may be noticed on the way down town OF
morning. each with the first quarterly
water bill prominently displayed in his
pocket. and each in possession Of a brand
new variety Of crouch. AS a matter of ad-
vance information. 1t may be stated. so
their friends will know the source of the
trouble. that these same 5000 have been
caught with the goods and ordered by the
District water department to pay for ex-
actly the amount of water used in their
homes during the three months.
Up to the present time only four sections
Of the city are affected by the new system.
The first water meters were placed in Cleve-
10, Do IL 49,
installing squad of the department has
worked into Brightwood and Takoita Park,
and finally into Mount Pleasant and Wash
ington Heights.
the inaccuracy of meters in general and
water meters In particular have been pre-
ceded by a large and vigorous kick by prop
erty owners against the disfguring of lawns
by the meter gang. A special meeting was
held by the Columbia Heights Citizens AS
sociation for discussion of this subject.
Slight concessions were made by the water
department, and some meters have been
placed In less conspicuous spots, but 1t Is
generally understood that a safe avenue of
escape must be left for the inspector when
he Is caught by the irate property owner In
the act of committing to paper the hiero-
glyphfcs described by the whirligig appar-
atus. Foresighted citizens may be seen
studying the dictionaries assiduously during
the next few weeks laying In a supply of
outrageous" Impossible" adjectives to
apply to the "highwayman" who ventures
to present the first meter measured water
bills
Purpose in View.
The purpose Of Installing meters. accord
Ing to former Engineer Commissioner Bid
die, was to check the waste of water On
more than one occasion during cold weather.
when property owners would let faucets
turned on to prevent pipes from freezing,
the District narrowly escaped water famine.
When the outlying sections have been
fully supplied with water meters the water
department STAFF will move upon the popu-
lous squares in the city. and 1t is hoped the
VIII go long way toward solving the diff
culties which confront the city as an Incl
dent to its threatened outgrowth of the ca
pacity OF the existing conduit to bring
water from Great Falls