Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-14

T VENTURE 70 say tnat tnSte are QulCe
"a q number Of persons still residing In
h this city who. can recall when WASH
ington's water supply was almost en-
--- tirely obtained from wells and springs,
the water from the latter at FIRST being con-
veyed to the different parts of the residential
sections of the city by wooden pipes, which
later gave way to the more modern ones made
of iron.
.of the many springs hsreabout. no doubt
the three principal nes-located in what is
now the downtown section of the city-were
the Franklin Square spring, the one near
Ninth and streets northwest and the one on
the north side Of street between John Mar
shall place and sixth street northwest.
The Franklin Square spring was made use
Of Is early as ls22. for We find under that
date that east. iron pipes were delivered for
conveying water from there 70 points farther
to the south. Perhaps In referring to this
particular. source Of, our early water supply. it
might be more correct 20 speak Of it In the
plural. for. there were several springs IN this
square, which MAS not originally owned BY the
Government, but which WAS acquired some
years subsequent 20 the removal Of the Fed
eral- Government 70 the District Of Columbia.
The stream formed from these springs must
have been quite . large one. FOR we are told
that In 1890 the only place It could be forded
with horse and cart was at Eleventh and III
streets. Its source seems to have been In
square 243, just 70 the north of Franklin
Square, and It was from this spring that water
was piped 10 one Of the reservoirs intended to
supply the executive buildings and the White
House. and later an additional supply Of water
for this same purpose was obtained from
Franklin Square. to
A little over q year ago, when Thirteenth
street between I and X streets was being
widened TO take care Of trafHc conditions, one
OF these reservoirs was opened up In the middle
Of Thirteenth street. Il had an arched roof
and was approximately is feet wide and 10
feet deep and was quite likely placed there In
1883. Except that the aFched top was broken
In and the reservoir Allied with earth, IL was
lett about In the condition in which 1t was
discovered. .
IT is related that up until near the close Of
President Jacksons second administrator,
the White House was supplied with water from
Two pumps In the yard, and this makes 1t more
probable that the date was 1888, given for the
building Of this tunnel, Is correct From Prank.
lin Square 1t ran south to the New Masonic
Temple, east past the Lutheran Church at Eley-
enth and II streets. thence southeasterly to
the old Masonic Temple at r and Ninth
streets. where 1t picked UP Burnes' spring, and
nnHtn8 IT'S course 70 almost directly south,
emptying into the Tiber at about G between
Ninth and Tenth streets. At an early date
bridges were provided for pedestrians to cross
this stream at Z and + streets.
Burnss' spring-near Ninth and streets
also at different periods known as Caffrey's,
Federal, st. Patrick's and Hotel spring, afforded
now Of two barrels Of. water q minute The
rights to the use Of the water from this spring
were for years included in the sale Of the
property in its immediate vicinity -. 4. ~
An old news item, dated August f. 1909, and
recently reprinted in The Star, has the fol-
lowing to say Of Caffreys spring: .y
"one-third Of the cost Of piping water :.
from Caffrey's spring underground along
the streets to hydrantS on Pennsylvania
avenue, between Ninth and Fourteenth
streets, viii be held by the city govern
nent as the result Of an ordinance enact.
ed today. This is the first instance of the
city undertaking to pay any part Of the
cost OF piping water in Washington. The
remaining twO-thirds Of the cost win be
!, paid by residents on Pennsylvania avenue
who win be benefited by the improve -
ment ;ys~ 49, :. .,.-..-..
"Canrey's spring, which has also been
I - known as the Federal spring and the
sd Hotel spring. Is located on the north side
:. OF + street northwest, short distance
west OF Ninth street. It has very copi-
GUS how Of good water's Co.
The City spring. located on the north side Of
g street, in the rear Of the National Hotel, was
!6rst used to supply water TO the Woodward