Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-02-18

pumped into the reservoir. becomes
diminished, the supply OF water i
dangerously low and that within re-
cent years, the said Company mas
| found it necessary to warn the con
lsunacrs to limit their use OF the watci
1 supply in order to prevent water
famine. That the pressure is SO 10"
that in a great many places IN the
lCity water will not flow in the Sec
ond story of houses, when the tap
| on the first floor is flowing. That
the water mains in many portions
of the City were laid many years
ago, and while they may have been
adequate at that time, they are now
owing to the growth of the City and
the filling up of the pipes. totally
inadequate and insufficient to furnish
adequate water supply.
THIRD-Supply for Fire Protection.
"That owing to the smallness of
the mains in many portions of the
City, it is impossible to obtain a suf-
| ficient flow of water for adequate
! fire protection, and on this account
the people of Alexandria are threat
ened with general increase in in
surance rates. The underwriters as
sociation have made an investigation
of this condition and a report on the
same, a copy of which is hereto at
tached and asked to be considered
and read as part Of this petition.
That under Section Seven of the
charter of said Company, it is pro-
vided; "That in case of calamity by
fire, it shall be the duty of said
Company, their officers and agents,
under proper and convenient regula-
tons made for the purpose, without
hesitation to throw open and make
easy of access, any reservoir, water
plugs, hydrants or other fixtures con-
tanning or affording supply of wat
er, for the purpose of enabling the
citizens of said town, fire companies
or others, the more readily to eXtin-
guish the flames, free of any fee,
charge or demand whatsoever" That
under a resolution of the City Coun-
ell of Alexandria, the Fire Commit
tee of said Council conferred with
the officials of said Water Company,
with a view to inducing them to en-.
large the mains when necessary. and
your petitioners are Informed that
tho said Water Company assumed
the position that it was under no
duty to furnish an adequate supply
of water for fire protection, but that
its only duty under its charter was
to permit the City to use such water
as might happen to be in whatever
mains might be accessible in case of
fire.
Fourth-Water Supply in Annexed
Territory.
"By decree of the Supreme Court
of Appeals of Virginia, certain out
lying territory was annexed to the
City of Alexandria, under date Of
April first, 1915; that portion of
said territory is thickly populated
and badly in need of water supply for
fire protection, and for private use.
That after waiting several months
in the expectation that some efforts
would be made ON the part of the
Water Company to supply this ter
ritory. a resolution was adopted by
the City Council of Alexandria, re-
questing the Alexandria Water Com
pany to notify it what arrangements.
if any, were being made to furnish
the supply in said annexed territory,
to which the Sald Company replied
that they would make arrangements
as promptly as possible. but up to
the present time. so far as your
petitioners are advised, no work has
been begun looking to that end, and
unless this Commission can fix g
definite time within which said Com
pany shall be required to supply
water for said annexed territory,
your petitioners fear that nothing
will be done. In event of fire in sale
annexed territory Except in the sub
division known as the town of Rose
Continued on Page 4)
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