Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-21
AND WELLS
How the City Obtained Its
Water in Early Days.
WHAT L'ENFANT OBSERVED
Noticed Many Natural Sources Of
Supply.
UTILIZATION OF WOODEN PIPES
By 1920 the Demand for Greater
Facilities Had Grown So That
Reservoir Was Constructed.

When LEnfant was laying out the
Federal city. under the direction of
Washington. the water supply for the
prospective thousands who We're to make
up the population of the capital engaged
his attention. He noted that in the area
included In the lines of the city there
were many springs. which he calculated
would furnish a population of 10000
people: and flowing streams. Rock creek,
Slash run, Reedy branch and the Tiber
from beyond the city limits. with nu-
merous streams from the city springs,
were convenient to the settlements which
came into existence. Indeed. the conven-
fence Of water from spring. run. pump
or hydrant was the chief inducement for
settlement in many instances, some dis
carding more beautiful and convenient
building sites for locations on the banks
of stream and near the source Of supply
in spring, pump or hydrant. There are
incidents where included In the purchase
of lot was the bed of a stream where
brewery. dyehouse or slaughter house
was established. the stream furnishing
drainage therefor. Early in the last cen
fury Hereford's brewery was established
on the south side Of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. between 9th and 10th streets over
Slulce rum This run, by the way. flowed
scarcely twenty yards south to Tiber
creek, and as far up as F street In
it were caught perch, sunfish and catfish.
The late Peter Force was wont to recall
the catches made by him in this stream.
Wells and Pumps.
Though springs and streams afforded a
plentiful supply for the few settlers in
the early years and piping by hollow
logs was laid from some springs, num-
Der of wells were sunk and pumps erect
ed in widely separated locations. Near
the sites of the Capitol and Presidents
house and other government buildings
pumps furnished the water. The spring
nearest to the Capitol was that near 4th
and c streets southeast. and stream
was no nearer than the Tiber at I'd street
west. North and south OF the original
| Capitol building pumps were put in. but
the water was of such quality that it
was little used for drinking. The men,
bers and employees of Congress, workmen
and others were supplied from pumps
outside the grounds and the spring above
noted.
Water for the President.
The Presidents house was first sup
piled by pump near the southeast cor
ner of the building; the war and navy
offices by one midway the buildings.
and the Treasury had a pump north
OF the original building near the center Of
the west front Of the present structure.
These pumps were superseded by sup
plies piped from springs. those at the
Capitol from Smiths spring; and the
Presidents house and the departments
from square 249. now Fra nklin Park. be-
fyyo 1ifh and SfraeS north
west. The water from springs there was
utilized by residents on 18th street hav-
ing a wooden pipe laid. which later was
extended to E and 14th streets.
A spring near the corner of F and 9th
streets the site of which is now covered
by the old Masonic Temple. took about
1894 the name of Caffrey's spring from the
first pastor of ST Patricks Church. 1t
was a famous spring, supplying through
wooden pipe a number of residents south
on 9th street to the Avenue. 1t was early
covered in with masonry by the corpora
ton. A fine spring on the north side of
c street between ~ and 9th streets was
early appreciated the property holders
water first to Woodward's Tavern, on the
Avenue west of 9Th street, and then to
Az street. Another spring was at the
northeast corner of Indiana avenue and
Sd street and in the days of Mayor Blake
1S13-'17. it was furnished with steps and
incloSed with masonry. In the lower part
of the first ward in the old Funkstown or
Hamburg settlement, spring was the
source of Powder run. which supplied the
force of the glass house and other set
tiers. a gum tree spring near the west
end Of l. street led to some settlement
whereabouts. spring near 9Th and L,
streets was the source of. one of the
Theirs tributaries. and several other
of the Capitol were some streams other
than that from the spring near 4th and c
streets, before noted.
A spring in the present Garfield Park.
east of New Jersey avenue and south OF
F street, sent a stream down I'd street
into the Eastern branch; one run was
started in square S7S between G. l. 9Th
and 18th street flowing through the reser-
walton once occupied by the Eastern or
Branch market, into ST. Thomas bay;
another from north of l street down 18th
street. and one from the junction of Penn
sylvania and Georgia avenues east of
18th street. and several smaller ones.
Some Early Sources of Supply.
Before the incorporation of the city OF
Washington some wells and pumps were
in use. AT the corner Of New Jersey ave-
nue. and c street southeast the improve
ments of Thomas Law and others were
enhanced by convenient water. Temple
man and others had pumps at the Round
Tops near Washington Circle. as did the
Dix ana ScNeU UullulISS O1l pennsylvania
avenue: Greenleaf had one, for what be-
came Wheats row on Az street near 0
street southwest, and Twenty Building
He'll about South Capitol and n streets.
had pump water. There were some about
the lower end of New Jersey avenue. where
Law had improved. and on the establish
ment of the Navy Yard improvements
were made Whereabouts and pumps were
Installed.
City Expenditures for Water.
Under the city government. incorporated
May 3, 1902, Mayor Robert Brent and
the councils had jurisdiction of the
pumps, at least those not on private
property, and few were SO situated The
few then in service were not increased in
number that year, but October % an act
was approved directing the mayor to
contract for the repair of pumps The
following year $500 was appropriated for
erecting pumps and the mayor was en-
powered to receive contributions there
for. In 1904 this sum had been ex-
pended and balance of $72 was due;
S472 was the appropriation and this was
exceeded by sol. In 1908 $500 was APP
propriated for the erection OF pumps and
for conveying water in pipes, one-half
to be reimbursed by those benefited, and
500 for repairs. The appropriation of
$500 for pumps and 500 for repairs was
for three wards. the second ward be-
tween I'd and 18th streets from the boun-
Diary to the river being excluded with
exception of the improvement of CAT
trays spring In 1910 5000 was appropri-