Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-26
EARLY WATER SUPPLY
Pumps and Springs Scattered
Throughout the City.
USED FOR MANY YEARS
Desires of Petitioners Governed the
Location Of Wells.
SOME OF BEST KNOWN GASES
Many Families Reluctant to Give
Up the Old-Time Institution for
the More Modern Methods.
SOME OF BEST KNOWN GASES

give satisfaction in quality or quantity,
| but they were comparatively few. There
| were still few springs on the outskirts
in use and but few Of the streams from
them had been covered other than at the
street crossings. The Potomac water was
then coming into use and as. through
| water mains, it was conducted to build
ings the RELOCATION of pumps began, but
1t was gradual. Many families were re-
| luctant to give up the pump at which
their thirst had been quenched for a life
time and used the Potomac water for
other purposes than drinking. Notwith-
standing as the iron pipes were lald es-
pecially in the western part OF the city
and the downtown sections the number or
pumps decreased.
An old man whose father learned his
trade with Anon Woodward, the city
pumpmaker over ninety years ago, says
that there was little difficulty In find
ing water in the city limits and seldom
was there failure in securing coplous
supply, and particularly was this the case
in the old first ward. west of 10th street.
Some of the water was regarded as pos
sessing medical properties and was pre-
scribed by physicians. One such pump
was located in the center of Louisiana
avenue between 9th and 10th streets, once
covered by the waters of the Tiber ere
they were confined by the stone walls
OF the Washington city canal. and that
locality was filled In prior to $50.
The Spa Pump.
Known as the Spa or Market pump far
and wide. the water was supposed
specific for many ills besides being clear
and cold. People came with buckets, bot
ties and cans for the liquid, and for half
a century the pump was probably the
most popular one in Washington. Many
years ago a we'll was dug and pump
was placed on the north side of this
street, and the old pump was discon-
tinued. 1t was said that in filling up the
old we'll it was found that the supposed
medical properties came from an ad-
jaeent sewer. The many who had been
using the water for years, however, deny
this, and assert that the water they used
was not contaminated. The new one was
one of the last taken up.
There was little change in the style of
the pumps during hundred years They
were built for use and not show, but
some were tipped with wooden ball
They were made of logs, the top piece of
dressed white oak, IL by IA inches, and
the remainder of undressed pine with 212-
inch bore through which the water was
brought by means Of &a-inch iron rod
and. handle. In repairing or replacing
found that the rods were jointed lengths
of wood. which had seen service for
years. There was no certainty when ap-
plication was made for pump as to the
cost of the work, for the depth at which
water could be found varied from a few
feet to nearly a hundred; In the case of
two pumps not a square apart the wells
were % and so feet deep.
First Pumpmaker.
The first known pumpmaker of Wash
ington was one Matthias. who lived near
hrid
creek Anon Woodward, who was living
on street between 18th and 18th in the
twenties, was the contractor under
Mayors Smallwood, Carbery and Weight
man. He afterward served many years
in the navy yard as master blockmaker.
William Tucker, an apprentice under
Mr.. Woodward, for many years worked
in the navy yard and later was the pump
maker located at 9Th and + streets south
west. His sons. William and John w.
Tucker, succeeded him as pumpmakers.
holding the contracts under Mayor Wal
ZACH, the former remaining in South
Washington and the latter having his
pump yard at 14th and L streets. r. H.
Hazard, living near 18th and b streets
southwest; George Hercus. on Maryland
avenue near 9th street southwest, and
- Greenwich, on 10th between B and F
streets southwest, were also engaged as
pumpmakers and repairers.
Convenience Of Petitioners.
= In the selection of locations for the
corporation pumps. the convenience Of
the petitioner, who bore one-half the ex-
pense, governed; but most of them were
on or near the street corners. And in
some cases a private pump, used by per-
mission of the owner, was regarded as a
public one. A tavern usually had pump
of it's own or was convenient to a public
pump Of course the government build
ings were supplied. Some parts of the
city were easily supplied with water, the
sources being the springs about 18th and
II streets and In Franklin Square, 10th
and X streets, about New York avenue,
X, 9TH and 9Th streets, near 9th and F
streets, Indiana avenue and Sd street, C.
street between AZ and 9th streets and in
other places. There were few deep wells
in the downtown section, much of which
was supplied first by wooden pipes. There
was also spring near the initial point
of the city at Rock creek and p street
This was few yards east of the bridge
and was reached by short flight of steps
and protected by an iron railing and gate
Later a hydrant was put in 1t was for
fifty years the goal of the Sunday and
moon light walks of young men and ladies'
About forty years ago at the excavation
for sewer the water ceased to run and
its location has been OvergroWn by pop
lars.
About where Convention Hall stands,
9TH street between K and l. streets, there
was water in abundance and much marsh
land. From the square north of l., be-
tween 9th and 9th streets, small run
flowed from a spring and near the north
east corner of the square south a sunhen
hogshead inclosed a spring. Much Of the
rest of this square was used by Samuel
Devaughns, in the thirties and forties, In
raising leeches, and these found ready
sale. as 1t was the age when drawing of
blood entered .argely in the practice of
medicine. Just east of the Convention
Hall site on the site of the ice plant, from
about 1880. was spring known as Moores
and afterward pump was inserted.
Still further east was the spring after
ward known as Savage's. In later years
pipe was driven and water pumped
from a lower stream, and the water, un-
der the name of Columbia had fair
SALE
In the Central Section.
Some of the old pumps in the central
portion of the city that are recalled were
those on Pennsylvania avenue at 9Th and
7th streets. both fed by the city spring on
c street. The latter was known as Bas
cons. from the grocery nearby.
Then there were Drew's and Lloyd
at the taverns nearby. Before 1920 the
the pump at the northwest corner of 7th
ply of James kernan's tavern and the
neighbors. and for over seventy years it
was famous for its water ofttimes crowds
awaiting opportunity to drink. When DIR.
]. X. Major afterward kept his drug store
there he kept a quantity of cups near
his door for the public and the pump
bore his name until its removal, in 1891.