Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-09
$3,OOO,0OO NEEDED
FOR POWER PLANT
Gen. Kingman Gives Estimate
for PreIiminaries on Great
Is Falls Project.
DAILY WATER DRAFT
EXCEEDS SAFE AMOUNT
Work of Increasing Washingtons
Supply Should Begin at Once,
Says Chief of Engineers.

work on the Great Fails power pioJeo'
and for increasing the water supply
of the District of Columbia. He says
that the appropriation. if made. is te
be applied to the requirement OF lano
and water rights, purchase of material
and other expenses
TT will be noted" says Gen. King
man, that the money proposed to be
expended upon the power plant proper
is to be furnished entirely by the
United States, and only the part relat-
ing to the water-supply project is ap-
propriated on the hare-and-share
principle.
Would Start Work Now.
1T is believed" he says, that this
is the proper procedure. inas!nuch as
the United States is the largest con-
sumner of power from the project and
should assume control of it as was
done with the Washington aqueduct- 1t
was shown in the report to the Sixty
second Congress that the maximum
daily draft of water already exceeds
a safe amount, for the present storage
and pumping capacity of the water
supply system. In order to provide Tor
delays in construction and for unfore-
seen contingencies. the work of in
creasing the water supply of the city
of Washington should therefore be
commenced without undue delay.
Supply System Taxed.
In a chapter in regard to the Wash
ington aqueduct and its accessories
Gen. Kingman says that the increased
demand for water in the District due
to the increase of population has with
in the last few years begun to tax the
existing water-supply system to the
INIT nf TO fa "a
the Increased demand steps were in
augurated in 1908 to prevent leakage
and waste of water, and appropria-
tions were made by Congress for .n,ei. met, !.
government buildings Investigations
for a further increase in the water
supply have covered a period of about
fve years. OF the numerous projects
considered, the report says it is gen
orally conceded that the choice lies
between three projects, the sources of
supply in which are: FIRST the Poto-
mac river at Great Falls; second. the
Patuxent river, and third, the Poto-
mac river at the District line.
All Water Filtered.
The filtration plant has been in con-
tinuous operation throughout the year,
and the entire water supply of the city
has been filtered. The bacteria have
been reduced from an average OF ESQ
per cubic centimeter in the Mcmillan
Park reservoir to an average OF z In
the filtered water reservoir. The aver
age turbidity has been similarly re-
duced from eleven to no parts per mil
lion. The water furnished the city,
says Gen. Kingman, may be consid-
cred to have been most excellent
throughout the year, since the aver
age bacterial content was only seven
per cubic centimeter:
An estimate of $4,000 is submitted
for widening and improving the Con-
duit road, which the chief of engineers
SAYS is too narrow to accommodate
safely the traffic now using it, Five
automobile accidents were reported
last year, one with fatal result. Gen.
Ktngnan says the road should be in
creased in width and suitable guards
provided.
An estimate of $4,000 is submitted
for continuing improvements in prog.
Home.
Potomac improvements.
Cen Kingman says that the project
for the improvement of the Potomac
river at this city adopted in August.
1882, Is now completed and that the
benefits to navigation and the general
health of the community derived from
the work has been most marked Up
ed on the improvement the sum of s3.-
s37.so2. The operations have resulted
In making tho Virginia channel 20 feet
deep and about 500 feet wide for dis
tance of four miles. and the Washing
ton channel a varying depth of from
Is to 26 feet for nearly three miles; in
dredging the tidal reservoir to a depth
of feet over its entire area of Ill
acres: In fully reclaiming Potomac
Park; in completing the inlet and out
let gates for the tidal basin: in con-
structing a masonry sea wall around
o training dyke six feet above meant
low water for a distance OF 1907 feet.
and in removing dangerous rocks from
Georgetown harbor.
The reclaimed area under the name
Of Potomac Park has been turned over
to the office of public buildings and
grounds and, Gen. Kingman says. has
been developed into one of the most
says that $4,000 can be profitably ex-
pended IN the maintenance of the i'm
provement during the next fiscal year
Anacostia River Work.
The report shows that s733,3OS has
been expended to date on the project
adopted In 1902 for the Improvement
of the Anacostia river from it's mouth
to the Anacostia bridge. AS result, a
Cndnnel 10 miles long mas been
dredged from the mouth to the upper
limits of the navy yard. the material
excavated has been used in the recla-
nation Of the adjacent flats and rip
rap foundations for masonry sea wall
have been completed from Giesborc
point to the Anacostia bridge The en-
tire project is now about so per cen,
completed. The work already per-
formed. Cen kingman says, has beer
a great benefit to navigation and also
has resulted in the diversion of con.
siderable traffic from the Washing
channel of the Potomac, where condi.
ttons were rapidly becoming conpest.
ed. Gen. Kingman says also tina,
health conditions in the portion of the
city bordering on the Anacostia river
have been greatly improved
The fats are not now needed fo,
commercial purposes" says Gen. King.
man. but for sanitary reasons the,
should not be left in the present un.
finished condition. The chief of engi.
neers concurs in the recommendatior
Of the District ofdcer that pending the
development Of a commercial need fol
this reclaimed area it be converted
tato . public park. ~ was done Will