davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

roof and even after YOU come to a closer
view the difficulty. though diminished, Is
not dissipated. 1t is clear that on the
peak of the roof Of the tower at the west
front a small green bear rests on his
launches. 1t is probably very Dear
esque attitude. but there is comedy n
the pose. On the peak Of the roof above
the platform in the north end OF the mon
key auditorium another green bear squats
and a member Of the same family, appar-
entity brother or a sister, sits on the
roof on the east side.
On the south end of the roof three green
dogs are perched: that is. you believe they
are dogs. though of a species not COM
mon in washington At the north end OF
the roof three other green dogs watch,
though in the case of one of these dogs
you are apt to believe that 1t is cat.
But in this house with it's many
funny tenants, Bengal monkeys, the
Diana monkey with a black hirsute
and a white shirt front, the black
baboon. the crab-eating macaque. the
pigtail monkeys and their child. the
brown macaque with the vermiilion
face, the bonnet macaque ana an the
rest, you are probably not going ~
permit yourself to fritter away nraa
of your interest on the dummy crea
lures on the roof. You will no douo'
give most Of your attention 10 the
brown capuchins and the gray spiuel
monkeys engaged In their gymnastio
practice on the swinging ropes, tns
merry-go-round, the spring board and
the ladders or to the eccentric ma
drill with the inhuman face, or 10 tne
sooty maneabeys, the most constant
and accomplished gymnasts of the Zoo.
.or to the Japanese monkey with ms
sad and thoughtful face.
The monkeys were In some degree
intent on their pm. dinner when the
Rambler called, and they were eau
tiousiy examining and rather critically
mincing and nibbling white bread
boiied onions and sunflower seed. The
rambler did not talk with them ABOUT
the strange animals. on the roof oil
tha;r house. On. cid Rengal monkey
stretched an arm and open hand
through the bars of his cage and with
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

Redheld shortly before her departure Tor
Brooklyn. where she is now dismantling
her home at Tennis Court about how
much money spent annually for dress
and incidental expenses constitutes ex-
travagance or economy. To me IL seems
that so many aspects must be considered
III the matter that I. Is impossible to
come to any satisfactory or Intelligent
conclusion. For one person several thou
sand dollars a year n: sht seem small and
inadequate. and to others 4.fsw aSNdred
would mean a sacrifice Of more duraa!e
things In the home. But one thing does
stand out clearly, that American women
as whole must plead >&uilty Of the
charge of extravagance and to setting a
very poor example to those who follow
them as guides. ! will not place the
whole burden of the present day high
prices on womAn's shoulders. but she
las contributed q large share.
Returning TO the subject of dress, why
should American women join the ranks OF
those who preen their feathers all day
and have no more serious occupation
than TO display their plumage- We have
90 much 10 do which Is OF vast i'm
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

animal. dogs head if ones zoology is
not at fault Each of the heads is on an
outstretched neck and the body or the
animal Is not visible. only the neck pro
jecting from the stone wall. The heads
are In the north and south angles OF the
wall or on the north and south sides OF
the porch. and are themselves or the
same stone as the walls Of the church.
The necks and the heads reach upward
as well as outward and are about the
height of the doorway above the ground.
Under the caves of the Church OF the
Ascension. at the northwest corner OF
Massachusetts avenue and 18th street,
and close up to the roof line on the west
and the east sides. is a row of what, at
that height. seem to be the craven faces
of men and animals and of rosettes so
cut that, with the aid of a little fancy.
they may be studied into the images or
living things. The Rambler was told by
one person that these are ''corbels. a
form OF bracket used In Gothic architec-
ture for the purpose OF supporting the
ends Of timbers. arches. parapets, foors'
cornices and the like. A corbel is pro
iecting block of stone usually carved in
a fantastic manner. In SCOTS Lay OF
the Last Minstrel Is this: THE corbees
were carved grotesque and grim.
K
Faces stare at one from the balustrade
which separates the north lawn OF the
Department of Agriculture into the up
per and lower gardens The difference In
the level between the two parts OF the
garden, or the grounds, is measured by
an east-west brownstone wall the mid
die of which Is pierced by a fight OF five
brownstone steps and marked at each
end by a tall summer house, containing
oId-fashioned all-iron benches, which once
were used in the public parks. but which
one sees now. as a rule, only in ceme-
teries. These faces peer out from the
middle Of the panels Of the balustrade.
They alternate with big ironwork ro-
settes Beginning at the east summer
house the first panel is ornamented with
the head Of hunting dog, the second
panel has q rosette, the third a rams
head, the fourth a rosette. the fifth the
head Of q young girl. the sixth a rosette.
the seventh a rams head, the eighth a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

Melted within the following two years
In those times increasing the water
supply Of Washington" did not mean to
most persons the construction OF another
aoueduct from Great Falls. but the COM
pletion of the aqueduct tunnel. work
that had been abandoned on the exposure
of the great tunnel frauds, and the
utilization Of the Howard University
reservoir. This Improvement was under
stood not as increasing the distributing
capacity, but as materially increasing
the height to which the water could be
carried in the houses Of the city
Soon after. the matter OF provlding
purer supply OF water to Washington be-
came the paramount question. and the
subject of filtration came into proml-
hence. In the Board Of Trade report for
1900 it Is written that:
: For the purpose Of filtration the sum 81, Of
500, 600 was appropriated ~ congress e,+r.t,on
plant on plan to be afterward approved py
And the report adds:
There are two systems Of filtration at present
in use one known as the English system ana t A.
Lieut. Col. Miller they both have their special special
advocates: The English system is the slower
coasnIant is used which not only hasfens the
operation but its advocates claim Il owes
the, American system. and il his plans are sp,
aDs this wors
purchase Of three . and 90 half acres has ss
plan is adopted this will be ground enough. but
II the English method is adopted thirty nve
acres will be required
1t was in this year $500 that the
Board of Trade recorded itself as favor
ing the construction of second conduit.
In the report for that year it is said that
..The question is asked What shall be
done to meet the future needs of the city
when the daily consumption shall have
reached the present limit of distribution
for to that point we are gradually com
ing" In that year the average daily con-
sumption was 5O,CO0.OoO gallons. and the
Board Of Trade reported that II the
same rate OF increase in the Use Of water
continues i'm the future as it has in the
past, the consumption will reach the fun
distributing capacity of our present plant
in 1910. In considering this question OF
increased water supply, II should always
be borne In mind that the minimum ca
pacity Of the Potomac river for furnish
ing this city with water is tO0UU,OOO gal
Ions daily, so that the future plans Ior
increasing the water supply OF the DIS
trct need suffer no restrictions LOT tue
lack Of water
The board declared that the building
Of a new conduit from Great Falls meant
a very considerable expenditure of money,
but if built would tlso mean a d1strlput-
ing CAPACITY of 130GOO,O0O gallons daily.
or more than three times more than Is re-
auired at present At the conclusion OF
the report of the water supply commit
tee one reads this: Your committee
most emphaticaliy favors the construc-
tton Of a new conduit as the wiSest step
to take in order to insure an ample sup
ply for many years to come; at the same
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

time it is heartily in favor OF something
being done to prevent reckless and un-
justifiable waste of water, and believes
this can be done through water 1nspec-
tors, who should be properly uniformed
and accredited, and who should make
periodical inspections OF all premises US
ing public water; and II not already pos
sessed, power should be conferred upon
the District Commissioners to stop the
supply Of water to any party VINO.
through leaky pipes, defective plumbing
or in any other way. persists in the VIII
full waste of water"
1t is interesting to refer back at TINS
point to 1899 to a water increase project
that was given considerable publicity at
that time and for some time Thereafter.
This was a proposition that the watershed
above Harpers Ferry. including that OIL
the Shenandoah, should be set apart as
forest reserve and national park and that
by building sufficient reservoirs there
Washington could be supplied from these
with all the water it would need Tor cen
turtles. This was at the time when WASH
fngton was not only disturbed ABOUT the
quantity of it's water supply. but about It's
quality. 1t was about the time that Con-
gress passed an act directing the Secre-
tary Of War to resume work on the
Washington aqueduct tunnel ana It's az
cessories and the Howard University
reservoir. and to prosecute ana compie. prev
the same It was In this year the Con-
gress appropriated 5000 for experimental
ton in filtration and other methods or
water publication and that Col A. NJ.
Miller then in charge of the washington
aqueduct, began those studies and inves-
LEGATIONS which led up to the construction
of the filtration plant.
*
In 1859 Capt j. P. Walker, T.. S. A.
retired, a member Of the Board of Trade
committee on water supply, urged that
commission, authorized by Congress
should be appointed by the President of the
United States ito make complete ex-
animation of the entire subject Of great
er and purer water supply for Washing
ton city and the District of Columbia.
such commission to be composed of at
least seven members, as follows: The
chief Of engineers, United States Army
or an officer Of the Engineer Corps. L. $
A., Of high rank and special qualihcatloil
for the duty involved, to be named py
him; one civil engineer OF established
reputation and specially qualified upon
questions of water supply for cities. one
lawyer of tablished national reputation,
three citizens Of Washington or the DIS,
trict of Columbia, one chemist of national
reputation. with power to act ana autn .,
ICED to call upon any department OF the
government for maps and speclai IN
formation Upon questions involved"
The Walker proposition was thai
members OF the commission should re-
ceiye a salary of $4,000 annually and
that the sum of $4,000 be appropriated
for the necessary expenditures of said
commission other than said salaries
and also :that the commission be au-
thorized to employ such engineers and
other experts. clerks, messengers ana
laborers as may be found necessary"
In the following year (190D one
reads in the report Of the water sup
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

Miller, in charge of the Washington
aaueduct. in his estimates for the coming
year.
pumping service to Langdon and WOOD
bridge, on the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road A main to Kenilworth is also ex-
pected, and Congress Heights is making
earnest demands that water service De
extended to it. 1t will thus be seen that
gradually and surely the present system
OF water distribution Is being enlarged
and improved, and that the present daily
consumption of 6O.OOO,OOO gallons. as re-
ported by the War Department, means
an Increase in the consumption Of water
to the extent of some 7.OOO,OO gallons
daily in the last two years. When 1t is
remembered that 7j,OOOOOO gallons IS our
present daily capacity. the necessity OF a
proof, and it is to be hoped that Col NIL
lers urgent appeal for money to make
the necessary surveys will be promptly
granted by Congress this winter
Il
The water supply committee reported
in 1903 that it had found little to do in
the preceding year. and that the present
available water supply was as large as
could be until a new conduit from Great
Falls should be constructed. Year after
year for the past five application has been
made for the sum needed to make the
necessary surveys for a new conduit. The
Senate District committee favored this
appropriation at the last session, but it
was lost in the final conference between
the House and Senate" The report Of
this committee shows that the new con-
duit had been under serious consideration
since at least as early as 1888.
From the committees report one also
49, nvnt RI
again ask for an appropriation for a
conduit survey and that meanwhile the
District Is using daily supply Of 10000
GOO gallons out OF possible Io,Oo,UO
small margin Of safety which the increas-
ing requirements of the District are rapid
~ making smaller" The appropriation
Of $1,000 asked for by the War Depart
ment for conduit survey failed OF pas
sage again in 1904 and In 1905. In the
1905 report of the Board Of Trade 1t Is
announced that 1.-The filtration plant has
been completed and put in practical ope-
ration and that the result is what was
expected, pure and attractive water
and that the filtration plant may be re-
garded as entirely successful.
Congress again failed in 1905 and 1907
to make the conduit survey appropriation,
and in the latter year the engineer in
charge of the water works declared that
equal to the supply furnished by the
three reservoirs and that should any
disabling accident occur to the present
conduit there would be an actual water
famine in less than a week if the present
use and waste of water is continued"
Marked attention was directed to the
matter of second conduit by Gen. John
NJ. Wilson in his report as president of
the Washington Board of Trade in 1906.
He said:
''It is we'll known to all of us that the
time has come when surveys, plans and
estimates must be made for an increased
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30
Where the Monkeys Live.

DERCHED on the green tile roof Of the
monkey house at the Zoo are the
figures of animals. Built as the house is
upon a, hill above Rock creek. these fig
ures are seen from afar by residents in
the western part Of Mount Pleasant and
by many citizens who dwell on the high
land on the western side Of Rock Creek
valley From the heights on either side
Of the valley 1t Is not easy to identify the
animal-ornaments on the monkey house
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30
A Buzzard Home.

IF one is interested in plain buzzards, q
= family. and more or less happy fam
ly. may he observed in the grounds or
he Zoo No they not captive birds
and their reasons for choosing the Zoo
as home are not clear to any ordinary
observers. but anybody deeply interested
n this ss,bject might ask the parrots;
Perhaps the buzzards argued that. as,
ong as eagles, hawks and owls lived con-
.entedfy and securely at the Zoo and
made no complaint about rations. it might
also be a good pace for buzzards, IT
may be that they reasoned that the Zoo
is good place and safe place to gloat
over such aristocrats of the air as eagles
and hawks and by taking up quarters
In the same neighborhood they could
rub 1t in on proud and scornful biruS
that had always looked down on them as
mere buzzards However, 1t is likely that
the principal thought in the minds of buzz
yards was that here is deucedly COM
Portable and commodious dead tree and
there seems to be plenty of good eating
in the vicinity.
Down Klingle road, after passing Rose
mont avenue. one may see aa opering
in the wire fence of the Zoo and the
sgn ITO the foot bridge" The path
will lead over the knob of hill and down
a very steep hill covered with dead oak
leaves and thickly strewn with loose
stones. At the foot of the hill this path
leads to gate opening on an old road
and once a saddle path, but now closed
which rambles along the east side Of
Rock creek. ~
Here is the foot bridge that crosses 20
he main Travelled way of the Zoo, the
main road which connects with Beach
irve i'm Rock Creek Park. You should
not pass out through this gate into the
Did road, but keep inside the wire mesh
'ence and walk south. 1t is rough tray
cling, across deep ravines and over stony,
Messy hillsides, all grown with oak and
some beech. Near the north fence of the
Fix inclosufe, and where seven elk With
loft eyes and alert ears will stare at you.
you should notice tall oak tree that is
lead. Here lis the bnzzards home.
The buzzards will probably guide you
o 1t, for they seem to be housekeeping
birds, and though they fly high above
heir quarters they do not stray far away.
rhe condition Of the ground-strewn with
,llzzard feathers-wilL tell you that the
big birds roost there. over the ground
are scattered many bones Many of them
:ame out of butchers meat. for they have
sawed ends Where the buzZards picked
hem up-well, ask the buzzards-
There Is tremendous activity in the old
lead oak tree early in the morning and
as the sun Is setting. The birds circle
nigh before settling down for the night
and on arising they rise high. -
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30
Interesting Exhibit.

kHANY deeply interesting spectators
lVl gather around the models OF Gatun
dam and Gatun locks and the San Miguel
locks Of the Panama canal which are
on exhibition in the central hall on the
street floor of the National Museum. The
Gatun model, made on n scale Of 1:12Oo.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30
Corbels and. Stone Faces.

IN the church architecture of Washing
ton the Rambler has not noted any
INNS comparable with those Of the Lin
coin Cathedral. but there are NUMBER
Of things worth jotting down. On eacn
side Of the main 10th street entrance TO
st. Patrick's Church is the mead OF an
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

ply committee of the Board Of Trade
that since the report of the Walker
subcommittee on increasing the water
supply was made, a bill for congress
sfonal action was prepared, adopted by
the full water supply committee and
is subject to the future action Of the
board" Among the features of the Dill
referred to were those that proposed
to utilize Rock creek and the Eastern
branch in separate and Independent
water systems by means of reservoirs
and that according to the report ut
is stated that the United States park
is chairman. has taken the water
supply of the said streams under con-
sideration for esthetic purposes, such
as fountains. lakes. ETC." and, IF true,
it is step in the right direction of util-
izing every available source Of water
supply for the benefit Of the capital Of
the nation
The Walker proposition did not seem
to progress very rapidly, for in the 1902
report Of the water supply committee it
is written that
I'VE desire to call the attention OF the board
to the propriety of action upon the proposition
Of the bill for commission to be appointed by
the President OF the United States to Investigate
and purer water supply i for the District Il Co
when sss SUBJECT ses IS s"n ss for
that no other is Of greater Importance to the
betterlnent and material improvement Of the cap
M nhe Is sr ap f
OF the entire watershed OF the Potomac river.
with a view to obtaining complete and purer
water supply for Washington and one that will
meet the needs Of Greater Washington. which is
already grown far beyond the level Of the pres
which when fulIy developed will prove sufficient
for all time
x
80 orf
for 1901 one learns that I'm few
months, not later than next fall the work
now being done on the tunnel and How
ard University reservoir will be completed
and a daily water supply Of 76.OOO.OOO
gallons will be at the disposal of Wash
ington and its suburbs 1t will be his
toric day when the water is first turned
into the new reservoir. 1t will mean
much for the comfort and health Of those
sections Of our city dependent upon
ter supply and which for years
have suffered for lack of it. Then,
one may read this: The growth of the
city will bring an ever-increasing demand
for water, and 1t is estimated that in
about twelve years the full distributing
capacity will be required. This fact. now
SO clearly recognized, has led the War
Department to recommend the construc-
ton of second conduit from the Great
Falls of the Potomac, this being abso-
water supply beyond 76O0O,OO0 gallons
per day"
In the report for 1902 it is said that the
appropriation of 5000 which was asked
for by the War Department to make, a
survey for a second conduit from Great
Falls down failed to pass during the last
session of Congress. The same recon-
mendation will be repeated by Col. A. NJ.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

HE English SPAR
row has been a res
ident of Washing
ton for a triffe
over forty years.
He and she were
brought to the cap
ital about 1871. or
il may have been
in 1872. The Eng
lish sparrow was
not an alien when
he entered and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30
Facts About q Cable.

I N the back yard of the Potomac Elsc-
trio Power Company on 14th street.
the back yard being on the B street side.
are more than hundred OF the big cable
reel boxes which one sometimes sees
worknlen rolling along a street or resting
by the side of a ditch or conduit in which
one OF these cables Is being installed.
These reel boxes are heavy. Some of
those stored in the rear of the power
house are freshly painted dark red with
yellow markings and others are without
paint and pretty well sptintered by wear
and use Not all of them contain cables.
A line Of these cable boxes. apparently
new and somewhat suggestive of the pad :
dlewheel of a steamboat or of a mill,
wheel, We're resting in the mud at the
northeast corner of 14th and B streets 4
These round boxes are as tall as cart
wheels and they have tread of about
two feet, tired with timbers nailed az
right angles to the line of revolution of
the wheel. The tire timbers are two
inches thick and four inches WIDE being
heavy scantling sawed into the proper
lengths Through the diameter of eacn
wheel is an axle box, while four rods
bolted from side TO side brace the reel
and prevent any lateral slipping. On the
red-painted side of the wheel box is "A
curving arrow pointing TO this: Roll this
way
y Y
On one side of this circular box is a
piece of cardboard about the size OF a
sheet of note paper and with its edges
cased with tin. An idea of business sys-
tenn and something about cables may be
learned by an examination of this card.
The permanent marks on the card, such
as Customer" Destination" Order
No" Size Insulation" Voltage"
Reed Shipping No., etc. are in heavy
printed letters and the information re-
garding this particular reel is written i'm
indelible pencil. The information on one
ton and order number was: TYPE of
cable. GIL r. c. and Lead; size g; insu-
1ation, 1872 rub; outer protection,1-16 lead,
voltage. 600: feet, 5000; gross, 2.2lO, tare,
42U; net 1920
In the description of type of cable the
Rambler could make nothing out of &c.
r. c. and Lead unless it means gaIvan.
lied rubber, copper and lead. or genersy
railway, copper and lead. galvanized
rolled copper and lead. There was no
electric man nearby to ask question OF
The surprising thing was that there were
5000 feet of cable in the box-three-fifths
Of mile In one reel nearby the num-
Der of feet marked was only AL -