Evening star., 1933-10-21
d. c. NATIVES TOLD
ABOUT TOWNPUMPS
Citizens Regarded Wells as
"Great Improvement"
Over Springs.

The story Of Washington's old ''town
pumps" was told the Society Of Ma
tives by James F. Duhamel, historian.
at the organizations first meeting Of
the year last night in the Washington
Club
The same meeting heard John Clag-
get Proctor, writer Of historical articles
in The Sunday Star Magazine, read
paper on his Summer European tour,
which he previously had presented to
the Association Of Oldest Inhabitants
of the District of Columbia.
In his story of the old street pumps.
Mr.. Duhamel recalled that these an
tique implements, which have practi-
cally disappeared from the city, actu-
ally were regarded by the earlier in
habitants as great improvement"
over the former public water supply
system Of springs. When the Capital
first was planned. its present site was
chosen because, among other reasons,
"25 copious springs" flowed within the
proposed boundaries. But ''copious" as
these springs were, Mr.. Duhamel pointed
, out. they forced residents Of the young
Capital to travel great distances to
fetch and carry water for their home
use. The digging Of wells and the
subsequent fitting Of them with the Ia
NOUS old pumps saved many steps and
much back-b-eaking labor. he said.
Fashioned From Logs.
! The traditional town pump" Of
I Washington, Mr.. Duhamel said. was
cut from a single log, planed down to
a square post and followed out. 1t was
/ fitted with an iron spot. an iron handle
{ !, MI
planking Directly beneath the spout
was placed a fiat stone slab and water
which dripped there or spilled simply
flowed into the cobble stone base about
the pump, where it formed little pools II
the terrain was not conducive to good
drainage. Each pump had its wrought
iron dipper suspended by chain. and
most were fitted with hooks on which
/ to hang ones bucket during the pump
| ing operation.
When the pumps finally gave way
to water hydrants, shortly after the
Civil War, there were IN all about 1000
of them in use.
The problem Of transporting water
to the homes Of the citizens had led
to a prospering business, that Of water
carrying" Men drove carts on which
were mounted hogsheads about the
streets peddling water from door to
door, which they had drawn from the
citys springs or had pumped from the
| town pumps.
Used in Fire Fighting.
| Besides supplying household water.
the old pumps were used also with the
ancient fire-lghting equipment, Mr..
Duhamel recalled. Frequently the
hand-drawn and hand-propelled fire
engines" or bumpers, were backed up
under the pump spot and the pump
worked furiously to fill the engines
tank" These older fire engines" had
no hose, but a swivel nozzle was
mounted directly on the tank so that
the engine had to be filled, hauled to
the confiagration, pumped so that its
puny stream played on the blaze. and
then hauled away for refilling.
When at last Potomac River water
erected on street corners and gradually
the old pump lost favor.
One Pump Remains.
"Of all the old wells and pumps"
Mr.. Duhamel declared, II know Of one
remaining and that is on the triangle
at the south side Of Pennsylvania ave-
nue between Twentieth and Twenty
first streets, a famous old neighhorS
hood opposite Peggy ONeil's. the old
Western Market, and where Monroe
and Jackson lived before they entered
the White House. Who knows how
many times these worthless crossed the
Avenue to patronize this well, now
fitted with a more modern pump"
During the meeting Of the Society
of Natives. DR.. Clarence A. Weaver
president called upon past presidents
of the organization to speak briefly
These included Jesse Suter. John G.
Proctor. Lee D. Latimer and Fred EN-
cry.
The society indorsed the Women's
Crusade, Of which Mrs. Franklin D.
Roosevelt Is president, at the instiga-
ton Of Miss Eta L. Taggart.