Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-06
Hotel illegally Using Water
From the Aqueduct.
AGAINST THE LAW OF 1893
Conduit Tapped at Cabin John
Bridge in War Times.
PERMIT RENEWED IN 1897
Chief Of Engineers Recommends
Order Requiring Removal Of
Connection November l.

The War Department has decided that
the proprietors OF the Cabin John Bridge
Hotel on the Conduit road, in Mary
land, a few miles beyond the District
line, are unlawfully using water intended
for the sole use of the District OF Co
lumbia. They will be notified to dscon-
tinue such use after November l next.
This action is an aftermath OF the re-
cent water scandal in the Maryland town
of Glen Echo. When Mr.. Witkowski.
former mayor OF that village applied TO
the War Department for permission 10
tap the Washington aqueduct to relieve
the water famine in Glen Echo, he forti
fed his request by the statement that
the people OF Cabin John Bridge Hotel.
farther up the line than Glen Echo, al
ready enjoyed the privilege OF getting
water from the same source.
In their Investigation OF the matter tho
engineers Of the army made several In
teresting discoveries. One was that law
Of Congress approved March B. 1898. ex-
pressly prohibited the diversion of any
water from the Washington aqueduct
for the use OF any building premises
or establishment located outside the ex-
listing limits OF the District OF Columbia
Another was that the Cabin John Bridge
Hotel had been supplied with water from
the Washington aqueduct for more than
forty-five years, Notwithstanding the ho-
tel was outside of the District limits.
Permit Granted in War Times.
The proprietors Of that establishment
were granted a permit to tap the aque-
duct some time between 1861 and 1863.
The civil war was then in progress. ami
as all the engineer officers We're on duty
in the field. the Washington aqueduct was
under the temporary jurisdiction OF the
Department of the Interior
Under that permit a small service pipe
was connected with the aqueduct just
west of the Cabin John bridge and sup
piled the hotel with water. In 1889, long
after the army engineers had resumed
control Of the aqueduct. application was
made to install a new pipe connection
with the aqueduct in place of the old one.
That application was denied by the chief
of engineers Of the army. Another SINH
lar application was made in 1897. and
was granted by the Secretary of War,
who thus aprar ertly confirmed the valid
ity of the oritinal permit The hotel has
been served with water from the Wash
AS result Of recent Investigations the
army engineers have concluded that the
Washington aqueduct cannot legally be
utilized for the service Of water In any
place outside OF the limits Of the District
of Columbia. 1t was mainly on that
ground that the recent application of the
mayor of Glen Echo for permission to tap
the aqueduct for the benefit OF that town
was denied, and that the privilege SO long
enjoyed by the Cabin John Bridge Hotel
is to be withdrawn.
Removal Of Connection Ordered.
Gen. Bixby. chief Of engineers. In pre-
senting the matter to the War Depart
ment. gave brief history of the Wash
which 1t is operated. He quoted the
prohibitory law Of 1s93 and said:
From that act 1t appears that not
only is there no existing authority in
law for permitting the proprietors OF
the Cabin John Bridge Hotel to take
water from the Washington aqueduct.
but that such action is distinctly and
expressly prohibited by law.
1T is recommended that the proprie-
tors Of the hotel be advised that In view
of the law the permit to draw water from
the Washington aqueduct be Withdrawn
and the permit cancelled and that the
connection must be removed not later
than November !, 1911, and If not re-
moved by them by that date II will be
removed by officers In charge OF the
auueduct the amount of expense OF
such removal sent to them for pay
ment"
Chief Clerk Scofield. assistant to the
Secretary of War, who is temporarily in
charge OF the affairs of the War De-
partment. approved the recommendations
Of the chief of engineers, and instruc-
lions were given today to carry them
into effect