Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-28

submitted a. written report to Capt.
Dram on the subject. It read:
will report that the service mains
In the vicinity of the proposed House
ONCE Building are entirely inadequate
to deliver water at the rate mentioned
in the letter Of George A. Weschler
under date of March 5, 1880. Water
drawn at this rate from the first high
service, approximately 100000 gallons
per "a hours, would be detrimental to
existing pressures and seriously affect
the supply to other Government build
ingS In this immediate neighborhood.
This rate seems abnormal, unless the
water is to be used for refr1gerating
purposes, in which case the less ex-
tensive service and only main Of ade-
quate size available is the 36-inch
gravity main in Second street southeast.
Under these conditions 1t would be
to bring q 12-inch supply from Sec
ond street west through G street TO
South Capitol street to B street. This
would give o pressure at street level
at South Capitol and B streets Of from
IS to 40 pounds per square inch. At
tention Is invited to attached tracing"
Some time subsequent to March 8,
the date of Mr.. Weschler's last let
ter, Capt. Dram said the consulting
engineer called at his ONCE and con-
ferred with him relative to the plans
for the proposed two water connec-
lions. It was at this conference,
Wesch1er revealed that the apparent
abnormal supply Of water for the new
building was needed chiefly for O con-
templated ventilating system.
In view of the steps taken by the
Water Department to check the pres
emit enormous waste of water, estimated
at 100000 gallons q day, Capt. Dram
said he asked Weschler If the venti-
lating system could not be made more
economical in the use Of water. Wesch.
Ter replied, he declared, that since II
was known that the Commission or
Fine Arts would not approve the erec-
ton of air intake towers on the new
building, the ventilating system con-
templated could not use the water over
and over again, as Is done in the exist
ing ventilating systems for the Senate
and House chambers.
Suggests Use Of River Water.
In order to avoid the heavy drain on
the Districts service, Capt. Dram said
he then suggested that raw river water
be used, which could be furnished BY
the Capitol power plant only three blocks
from the new building. This plant draws
its water direct from the Potomac, and
Capt. Dram said he was Of the opinion
that the cost of installing a main to
carry the raw river water to the new
building would be small in comparison
with the value Of the water the venttlat-
ing system would consume.
Should such a plan be Impractical,
Capt. Dram said he suggested IS an al
tentative that the water for the new
building be drawn from the S6-inch
gravity main in Second street southeast.
A connection on this main, he declared,
would not likely have q detrimental eff
feet on pressure as would be the case II
the connection was made as originally
planned on the first high service.
Following this suggestion Capt. Dram
directed the Water Department to take
pressure readings to show Mr.. WeSch1er
the pressure that could be expected
from the gravity flow main. These read
ingS were completed Saturday shortly
before Capt Dram was advised by Mr..
Lynn that the normal water needs Of
the new building would be about 100000
gallons in q 24-hour period. At the
same time Mr.. Lynn told Capt. Dram
that the connection which Mr.. Weschler
had Informed him would draw $40 gall
Ions minute would instead draw 100
gallons.