Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-23
Water-Supply Equities.

There are many peculiarities in the
relation of tho nation to the people
OF the capital in respect to the water
supply. according to the earliest circulars
advertising Washington lots for sale
water supply was one of tho benefits
to be furnished by the national gov
eminent in consideration of and from
the proceeds of the sale of the lots
donated to 1t for this purpose.
The New Universal Gazetteer" pub
ushed at Edinburgh by David Ramsey
in 1896 gives with minute particulars
the plan of Washington city taken
from a circular sent abroad by the
commissioners of the new federal
capital. in effect pledging the faith OF
the nation to build a splendid city here
and inviting the liberal minded of all
nations to come here to establish the
home of free institutions-and to buy
lots The President of the United
States" it says. lin locating the seat
of the city prevailed upon the pro-
prietors of the soil to cede a certain
portion of the lots in every situation
To be sold by his direction and the
proceeds to be solely applied to the
public buildings and other works of
ground will produce about $4,000 lots
and will be sufficient not only to erect
the public buildings. but to dig a
canal, conduct water through the city
and to pave and light the streets,
which Will save a heavy tax that
arises in other cities and consequently
render the lots considerably more VAL
liable"
Over half a century later the nation
built a water-supply system for itself, and
permitted Washington to tap it's pipes
and use its surplus water on condition
that no expense in connection with such
use should fall upon it. In delayed full
hllment of its original oblige on the n :
ton thus performed a benevolent and
benehcent IunclIon in reoalu ~ ,,.....e-
tons wafer supply tor more than a
quarter century.
Then u great enlargement of the aque-
duct system became necessary, and the
so-called Lydecker tunnel was dug. At
this time the nation revolutioniZed it's re-
lation TO Washington in respect to water
supply. Between the construction of the
original water works and that of the
LydecKer tunnel the organic act of 1918
had been passed, putting the nation and
the people of Washington into a part
nership in capital burning and mainte-
nance, or, rather, recognizing the ma
tional obligations in such a partnership
which had existed from the founding of
the city. The nation, in paying Ior the
Lydecker tunnel. abandoned its original
position, that the capitals water system
was solely a national anair, and put it in
effect on the haIf-and-halT basis.
The work of building the Lydecker
tunnel il will be remembered. was
bungled by agents of the national gov
eminent, over whom the District had
no control and for whom it was not re-
sponsib4e; and for a long period the tun-
mel was abandoned as worthless, and the
heavy Indebtedness fastened by the gov
eminent on Washington water users III
this connection did not represent a quart
OF additional water enjoyed by them. AT
this juncture the nation, through Con-
gress, besan TO apply the so-cailed sur
pIuses OF the District in the Treasury, &C
cunuldted in VOCATION of the spirit OF
the organic act to the payment OF the
wa.cr debt, and about million of the
local revenue was thus connscaLed and
in effect sunk in the tunnel. at tnat time
abandoned as worthless.
The transformation of DR.. Jekyll into
AIR. Hyde was not more startling than
that of the nation from benefactor in
respect to water supply into conhscator
OF local tax revenues TO pay for its OWL
laundering negligence in respect to the
tunnel.
Ii is equitable that the water-supply
system of modern Washington should be
financed d municipal expense OH the
half-and- half basis, and not remain solely
a national charge, 50 far as plant Is
concerned. II is wise and fair that
Iarae users of water for business pur-
poses and extrava9a ant MASTERS of water
OF ali sorts should be metered and com
PEELED To pay full price on business prin
cpleS for all the water thus used OIL
wasted II is not conceded to he wise
and in the public interest to install uni
Vcrsal me ,ers in the homes of small con-
sumers, and To- impose the burden of this
lsavy expense SO ely upon the water
takers in the shape OF increased water
rents, thus reducing TO minimum th'
domestic water consumption.
Do we need or want immediate uni
yersal water meters for small domestic
consumers? II we do. shall the Wash.
jngton taxpayer be exempted from meet
ing any part of this expense? And il
Washington taxpayers are to participate
in all expenditures ON water-supply plant
must the nation, though a quasi Wash
Ington taxpayer. be equitably exempted
in this matter from its half contribution
under the organic act?
These are the questions upon which
Washington wishes to be heard on a re
consideration by the Commissioners Of
their premature order liking next sum
meT's water rates. Many Washngto
mans think the action taken by the ma.
Id9ity Commissioners to be inconsideratt
and the reasoning upon which IL Is baseC
not only 10 be unsound, but to be espe
cially injurious 10 the capital in its bear
ing upon this winters battle over tn,
organic act.
II is confidently assumed that no on,
of the Commissioners would wish by sur
render in advance or by supplying aInnu
milton in aid and comfort of the enemy
10 add the District building TO the am
buscades (now confined To Capitol Hill
months be fired upon.
from which the organic act may in a few