Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-30
LIMITED WATER SUPPLY
IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA
BANE OF LANDLORDS
Old Pipes and insufficient Pres
sure Force Owners to Build
Tanks on Roofs of
Houses
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

nrst OF every month with hand outstretchcd
Is usually not the recipient Of much SYM
pathy. But times have changed. Today.
down in the First District, where the land
lord stands between the Water Bureau and
the Department OF Housing and sanitation.
and supplies tho whorewithal 20 wash the
baby and the contents OF the laundry bag,
the landlord Is a much-to-be-pitied person.
For out OF his own pocket the landlord
OF the First must erect the tank by which
ne expects to supply his tenants with water
Ihe cost OF a tank varies one about TO be
installed on n thrce-house tenement has a
capacity OF 1000 gallons. and Is costing the
landlord $500. The Department OF Housing
ana sanitation insists that water be sup
piled TO all tenants; otherwise the license
VIII oe revoked. Also the Bureau OF Water
edmits Its Inability to provoke the water TO
rlse above the FIRST floor OF the houses in
certain sections In the First District
50 with apologies TO both departments. the
landlord OF the First stands between the
devil and the deep blue sea
"A landlord of the First" said j. Williams.
agent for the Columbia tenements at s2s-
SV-SE Bainbridge street. has troubles Pc
cullar TO the district. During the last
year we have followed every regulation and
rule made by the Bureau Of Tenement In
spectlon We have sinks In every apart
ment. spigots with drains wherever the law
requires and we have done our share toward
providing the means by which tho city
supplies Its Inhabitants with water. But
above the first floor. during the day, the
water never comes
Now the Bureau OF Tenement Inspection
says we must supply our tenants with water.
The only thing to do is TO install n tank on
the roof. which during tho night will take
up enough water to supply our tenants
during the day. This we are doing now.
Our order for a $500 tank Is in the hands
OF boiler company"
But n landlord has as many points OF
attack to meet as the Entent Powers. on
his right is the Water Bureau. which doesn't
supply the water necessary; on the south,
is the Bureau of Tenement Inspection,
which insists that he supply his tenants
with water on the east. the plumbers and
such like who promise to provide and install
the tank some time In the near future. and
all over the west front are the tenants who
hesitate TO pay rent, while they are incon-
venienced by lack OF water.
Not that the tenants do not sympathize
with their maltreated landlord; they real
ize that he pays the water rent, and under
normal conditions his duty ends there.
THE LANDLORDS PLIGHT
The landlord Of the First by no means
stands alone in his isolation from the
sympathy of all but his own kind. In
reference to the remedy suggested by the
Bureau OF Tenement Inspection, Frederick
G. Field, superintendent of the OctRvia Hin
Association. takes his place by the side
OF the landlord. more emphatically than
the landlord himself
Without going into any argument as
TO the value OF the remedy suggested
writes Mr. Field. In a letter 10 the EVEN
mo LEDGER lit seems to me that tho
owners Of real estate in the congested sec
tions OF Philadelphia are entitled to the
same water supply at all times throughout
the day the owners In any other sec
tion, and that II the city of Philadelphia
cannot deliver equal pressure In all sec
tions then II is up to them TO modify In
some way, the water rent charges for this
lack OF service. IL this were done Il would
be quite proper TO compel the landlords to
make some arrangements to overcome the
lack OF pressure. To my mind the fault
lies not in the owners Of the properties,
but in the shortsightedness OF the people
OF Philadelphia, who did not years ago
prepare for sufficient number of reser-
voirs, pumping stations. etc, to take care
of n natural increase OF population.
I'VE have bonds issued for the City
Beautiful transit and most everything
under the sun, and II seems to me II is
high time that the question OF City Health
full. which is more fundamental than any
thing else, requires some attention"
The water mains referred 20 In Mr.. FIELDS
letter in southeast Philadelphia have been
preserved with the respect due to heir
looms and antiques The pipes through
which water Is conveyed 10 the domiclles
of the First vary In age from eighty-fve
years on down. The Oldest one mentioned
by an Insurance broker conversant With
water mains was built In 1881, is six
inches wide, and is located on Fifth street
between Washington avenue and Wharton
street. other mains in the district are:
Sixth street, between Federal and whAr-
ton six-inch pipe built In 1857.
Sixth street, between Washington and
Federal; six-inch pipe; built in 1872.
Fifth street. between Washington and
Wharton; six-inch pipe; built In 1881.
Fifth street. between Washington and
wharton: six-inch pipe; built IN is4s.
Seventh street; six-inch pipe: built in
ls4s
Eighth street; sIx-inch pipe. built in
1850.
Federal street, west of Fifth and Eighth !;
six-lnch pipe built in 1885.
Washington avenue; fourinch feed pipe !;
built in 1s46.
washington avenue; sixteen-inch feed
washington avenue; eighteen-inch feed
pipe built In 1859.
Reed street. from Third to Sixth street !;
four-inch pipe built In 1854.
wharton street, Third 20 Sixth; six
inch pipe built In 1s41.
Dickinson street; four-inch pipe; built in
RESPECT FOR ANTIQUE.
So. perhaps, the true cause OF the scar
city OF water In southeast Philadelphia Is
a natural respect for the antique. Not
only has this section TO contend with low
pressure--thlrteen pounds at the highest
II also receives It's water through pipes six
inches wide.
These pipes once upon a time six inches
wide are now 30 ciOgged up with sediment
that the channel through which the water
must flow Is lessened by two inches"
This statement was made by plumber
OF the neighborhood.
A test was made today at a hreplug on
Bainbrldge street. between Third and
Fourth. and the water pressure recorded
was two TO two and one-halfl
SO TO the landlord. the cause OF his
trouble. the scarcity OF water Is becoming
a typical house that Jack built What Is
the cause OF Il all? II IL the extraordinary
low water pressure. the numerous swimming
pools and baths, the ancient pipes. revered
and respected. the sediment. accumulated
and embracing, all or any one OF these may
hamper the flow Of the water TO the house
Of the landlord.
But In the meantime up go the tanks on
the tenements OF the landlords.