The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-22

Citizens Forced to Buy It In
CapitaI-Denounce Sanitary
Commissions AIibi.

Residents of Chevy Chase, Edge
moor, Battery Park, Kensington.
and surrounding towns in Mary
land are up in arms today over the
water situation. =
For four days they have been
without water from tlie.usual sup
ply, and most Of them have been
coming into Washington with pals.
tubs and bottles to obtain water.
Several enterprising colored boys
have built up big business sell
ing water.
While the water situation is bad,
there is a chance to obtain water
from Washington for cooking
drinking and bathing, but if a fire
started in any of the suburbs, 1t
probably would wipe them out, it
was stated today.
Commission Is Blamed.
The entire blame is put upon the
| Maryland Sanitary Suburban Com
mission by the residents, who point
out that while the people are pay
ing the highest water rate in the
country, the Commission has re-
fused to put in iron pipes, using
terra Gotta pipes to bring the
water from the watersheds to the
homes. AS soon as the terra Gotta
is repaired, the residents say, an
other break is discovered, and the
situation is as bad as ever.
Emphatic denial was made by
residents of the arid suburbs that
Notwithstanding the Commission
assertion that the water was on,
that there is any water.
Pumping Little Water.
An investigation made by reporters
of The Washington Times at the
pumping station Oh Rosemary street.
developed that while the pumps
were working, there was nobody
near the place and little-if any
water going through the pumps.
| Residents last night resorted to
the expedient of leaving their taps
open in their bath tubs, but this
\ hope of getting water was aban-
| doned.
To The Washington Times re-
porter tubs in three fashionable
homes were shown, each revealing
| not more than a half tub of water,
Notwithstanding the fact that the
taps had been on all night.
One of these places was at the
home of Mrs. L. L. Beebe on Rose
| mary street-a place located near
Meadow lane, not far removed from
the pumping station-where there
was not enough water in the taps
| today to battle her eight-months-old
| baby.
| While the lack of sufficient
water for our own personal needs
| is bad enough, we are faced with
| the spectre Of having our homes
wiped out by fire should one start,
Mrs Beebe declared.
Pipes Break Again.
Members of the Commission were
roundly scored for their dilatory
! methods.
"The statement has been publish
| ed by the press, coming no doubt
| from Mr. Morse, Chief Engineer OF
the Commission, that the water
has been turned on Mrs. Beebe de
clared.
The truth Of the matter is thai
it was turned on, but apparently
the Anticipated terra Gotta mains
gave away again, and the water
had to be shut off. We are withou
| water-and have been since
o'clock Monday night, any state
ment of the Commission to the con
trarv" she declared.
Confederation Of Mrs. Beebe
declaration was given by more thar
a score of homes The Washington
Times reporter visited.
So acute has become the situa
ton that housewives and maids ar
searching the vicinity of the two
9ashionable country clubs recruiting
caddy boys to carry water for them
Construction work on PRACTICAL!
; all Of the new homes going up II
, Continued on Page g. Column -