USA > Washington DC > The chronicles of Georgetown, D.C., from 1751-1878 > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
Before beginning to write a sketch of the Washington Aqueduct, it will be well to examine into the history of water-works and see what other cities have done in days gone by. We extract from the cyclopedia that, " the Pools of Solomon, near Bethlehem, were three large reservoirs connected with each other, from which
٠٠
131
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
water was conveyed to Jerusalem, six miles distant. One of these pools was five hundred and eighty-two feet long, and a hundred and eighty feet wide. Jeru- salem is still supplied with water from them. In Egypt and Babylonia, similar works were constructed in very . early ages. Enough remains of the ancient aqueduct of Carthage to show that it was one of the most remark- able of these great works. Upon it, the waters from the mountains were conveyed through an arched con- duit six feet wide, and four feet deep. The whole length was seventy miles. The Romans exceeded all other nations, ancient or modern, in the construction of these works. There were nine different aqueducts which brought into the city daily, twenty-eight million cubic feet of pure water. Strabo says : 'that whole rivers flowed through the streets of Rome.' It is es- timated that fifty million cubic feet of water must have been supplied daily to a population of one million, or three hundred and twelve imperial gal- lons to each individual." The Croton Aqueduct of New York surpasses all modern constructions of this kind in extent and magnificence. It was completed in 1842; having been five years in building, under the superintendence of Mr. John B. Jervis, chief engi- neer. The whole expense was twelve million five hundred thousand dollars. The entire length is, from its source to Fifth Avenue, forty and one-half miles. On this line are sixteen tunnels, having a length of six thousand eight hundred and forty-one feet, cut through rock. A dam constructed across the Croton River, raised the water forty feet, and formed the Cro-
1
132
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
ton Lake which covers about four hundred acres; and with a depth of six feet of water, contains five hund- red million gallons.
Having given a sketch of other water-works, we will now turn our attention to the one in which we are more directly interested :
The Washington Aqueduct was begun November S, 1853, under the administration of Franklin Pierce, President of the United States. The names of the engineers who designed and built the works, are Montgomery C. Meigs, captain of engineers; Alfred L. Rives, William H. Bryan, C. Crozet, C. G. Talcott, William H. Hatton, E. T. D. Myers, Silas Seymour, J. James R. Croes, and Theodore B. Samo, civil engi- neers; Nathaniel Michler, and George H. Ellicott, ma- jors of engineers; Orville E. Babcock, colonel of en- gineers, now chief engineer of the Washington Aque- duct. The source of supply is the Potomac River above the Great Falls. In 1853, the estimated cost of the work was two million three hundred thousand dollars, and is yet unfinished; but the actual expend- itures for all purposes from 1853 to 1876 is three mil- lion seven hundred and twenty-eight thousand two hundred and sixty-seven dollars. The cost of mainte- nance of works, including engineering, superinten- dence and repairs, is fifteen thousand dollars. The population of Washington and Georgetown being one hundred and forty-six thousand, the quantity of water used by the citizens and departments of the Govern- ment, is twenty-three million gallons in twenty-four hours. The steam pump supplies the reservoir on
-
الصداراة الهادي
133
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
Georgetown heights with one million gallons daily. The conduit of the Washington Aqueduct is circular in section-nine feet in the interior diameter. It is twelve miles long, with a fall of nine and one-half inches to one mile. The engine for propelling water to the reservoir on the heights of Georgetown, is a Knowles & Libbey Engine, which is under the control of the Water Registrar of the District of Columbia. There are two reservoirs, the receiving and distribut- ing. The receiving reservoir, covering fifty-one acres, is a natural basin formed by building an earthen dam across the valley of Powder Mill Branch, and is sel- dom used. The distributing reservoir covers forty- four acres, and is nearly a rectangle in form, built by excavating clay from its bottom and forming embank- ments thereof; the inner faces of which are protected by a slope wall of dry rubble masonry, generally one foot thick, laid on a bed of small broken stone six inches in depth. The pipes laid through Georgetown and Washington are cast-iron, from 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 20, 30, 36, and 48 inches in diameter. Pipes laid in 1858, and taken up in 1875, were found to be in a good condition. There are six hundred and seventy-four hydrants for fires; the McClelland pattern, made in Washington, is generally used, and has taken the place of nearly all others. Stop-cocks of various kinds have been used. The stop-cocks manufactured in Troy, New York, have the preference. Those used on the thirty-six-inch main were manufactured by the Norris Iron Company, of Pennsylvania. The workmanship is considered first-class. About thirty meters of va-
18
1
-
134
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
rious patterns have been used for experimenting on the flow of water in the aqueduct for the purpose of as- certaining the amount consumed (but not for ascertain- ing the discharge of the conduit), nearly all of which have been abandoned as failures. Of late years, the quantity of water consumed has been ascertained by shutting the conduit off from the distributing reser- voir, and recording the height of the surface of water every hour, for forty-eight hours. The amount of water consumed is about twenty-three million gallons in twenty-four hours.
There have been no difficulties in the construction of the water-works from the beginning. The last three miles of the conduit have been, and are now run under a head. Where built on an embankment, leaks have occurred, which have been repaired with hydrau- lic cement, and the embankments strengthened by widening and raising them. Since this was done, there have been no leaks, although the lower end of the conduit is run under a head between three and four feet.
There are twelve tunnels on the line of the Wash- ington Aqueduct. Tunnel No. 1, is one thousand four hundred and thirty-eight feet in length; No. 2, three thousand eight hundred and sixty-five feet; No. 3, eighty-six feet; No. 4, seven hundred and sixty-six feet; No. 5, ninety feet ; No. 6, cighty-eight feet; No. 7, six hundred and seventy-five feet five inches; No. 8, four hundred and twenty-one feet nine inches; No. 9, seven hundred and twenty-five feet; No. 10, eighty six feet ; No. 11, six hundred and twenty-six feet; No.
18
.
135
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
12, dalecarlia, eight hundred feet. The number of bridges are six. The span of No. 1, is fourteen feet; No. 2, ten feet; No. 3, seventy-five feet; No. 4, two hundred and twenty feet; No. 5, one hundred and twenty feet; No. 6, two hundred feet. The first four bridges are constructed of cut stone; the two last of iron pipes. The cost of bridge No. 1, was four thou- sand and six dollars ; No. 2, seven thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine dollars ; No. 3, seventy-six thousand and sixty-eight dollars; No. 4, two hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars. Bridges No. 4, over Cabin John's Run, and No. 6, over Rock Creek, have been much admired. Their elevation and plans have been published in the scientific journals of Eu- rope. Both bridges are new among engineering struc- tures. The Cabin John Bridge being the widest stone arch in existence; and the Rock Creek Bridge being the only one in which the arched-ribs are utilized to convey the water supply for a city, and at the same time, to support a roadway. The length of the line of the Washington Aqueduct is eighteen miles, and the number of culverts twenty-six. Over the conduit is one of the best roads in the country, being mac- adamized, over which there is a large amount of travel by farmers living in the surrounding neigh- borhood, who use this road in hauling their produce to market. It is, also, a pleasant drive in the sun- mer season, when a large number of our citizens avail themselves of the opportunity of visiting the Great Falls of the Potomac, to fish in the rolling tide, or view the swelling hills and sunken valleys of Vir-
الخلود
ارك العصر
136
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
ginia, and the course of the rivulets from the unbro- ken plain.
The Aqueduct Bridge over Rock Creek, was con- structed upon two iron mains forty-eight inches in di- ameter, springing from two abutments on either side of the stream, and are used for the purpose of convey- ing water from the aqueduct into the city of Wash- ington.
By an act of Congress, passed May 17th, 1862, the Washington & Georgetown Railroad Company was cre- ated, and authorized to construct and lay a double track in the cities of Washington and Georgetown, along the following avenues and streets: "Com- mencing on Bridge Street at the intersection of High Street, thence along the said Bridge Street to its inter- section with the street running to the Tubular Bridge over Rock Creek to Pennsylvania Avenue in the city of Washington, along said avenue to Fifteenth Street west, &c." The bridge was completed in 1862, and was immediately used as a general thoroughfare for street cars and wagons of all descriptions. The rail- road company claimed to have authority for the use of this bridge, from the portion of the law above quoted (but it was used as a bridge of common travel during the war by the public, on account of the demand for passage way and the K Street Bridge not being in a good condition for travel), until an act of Congress, passed on the 3d of March, 1875, " gave authority to the chief engineer of the Washington Aqueduct, to notify the railroad company to remove their rails from the Tubular Bridge over Rock Creek, within one year
137
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
from the date of said notice ; and the engineer may es- tablish and publish regulations prohibiting the pas- sage of heavy loaded wagons and carriages over said bridge." The street cars and heavy carriages now pass over the M Street Bridge, but it is evident that the travel over the Tubular Bridge is as great as be- fore the act of Congress passed, judging from the num- ber of vehicles sometimes crowded upon the bridge. It should be restricted to foot passengers and light carriages.
Great complaint has been made, particularly in the summer, when the weather was warm and the dry sea- son had set in, that the water flowing from the Great Falls through the conduit, was affected by impurities. which gave it the oder and taste of fish, and it was the prevailing opinion that the offensiveness proceeded from fish in a state of decomposition in the reservoirs and pipes. To cure this difficulty, the mains and pipes were frequently flushed, but this did not remove the peculiar oder and taste, and it was the opinion of the chief engineer, that the impurities of the water were not due to the fish, either in the reservoirs or pipes. It has been generally supposed that the fishy taste of the water in time of a drought, was owing to a green moss generating inside of the reservoirs, which imparted a peculiar taste and oder to the water. When rain was plentiful, the fishy oder and taste suddenly disap- peared.
As we have given the acts of Assembly of Mary- land, also the acts of Congress relating to the town, we will now give the acts of Congress in reference to
السل
138
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
the construction of the Washington Aqueduct, which will be of use to the general reader and especially to the members of the Washington Bar:
The first enactment of Congress in relation to this work, is found in volume 10, Statues at Large, p. 92; approved April 30th, 1852. The second, in vol. 10, p. 206; approved March 3d, 1853, giving one hund- red thousand dollars. The third, in vol. 10, p. 664; approved March 3d, 1855, giving two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The fourth, in vol. 11, p. 86 ; approved August 18th, 1856, giving two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The fifth, in vol. 11, p. 225 ; approved March 3d, 1857, giving one million dollars. The sixth, in vol. 11, p. 256; approved March 3d, 1857. This act surrenders to the United States cer- tain machinery, bricks, and materials. The seventh, in vol. 11, pp. 263, 264, and 265, for the purpose of acquiring land for the aqueduct. The eighth, in vol. 11, p. 323; approved June 12th, 1858, giving eight hundred thousand dollars to complete the works. The ninth, in vol. 11, p. 435; approved March 3d, 1859, transfers the control of the Washington Aqueduct to the Department of the Interior. The tenth, in vol. 12, p. 106; approved June 25th, 1860, giving four million dollars. The eleventh, in vol. 12, pp. 405, 406, and 407; which refers to the Corporation of Georgetown especially, in which all the citizens are interested. The twelfth, in vol. 12, p. 620; the thir- teenth, in vol. 12, pp. 804 and 805; the fourteenth, in vol. 13, p. 384; the fifteenth, in vol. 13, pp. 133 and 134; the sixteenth, in vol. 14, p. 316; the seven-
الصـ
139
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
teenth, in vol. 14, p. 374; the eighteenth, in vol. 14, p. 464; the nineteenth, in vol. 14, p. 466; the twen- tieth, in vol. 14, p. 464; the twenty-first, in vol. 15, p. 118; the twenty-second, in vol. 15, p. 174; the twenty-third, in vol. 15, p. 309; the twenty-fourth, in vol. 16, p. 276; the twenty-fifth, in vol. 16, pp. 301 and 302; the twenty-sixth, in vol. 16, p. 505. See also an act of the Legislature of the District of Columbia, approved July 20th 1871, appropriating four hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
1
THIRSTS
CHAPTER VI.
CATHOLIC TRINITY CHURCH-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH-ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH-CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH-METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH-METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH-GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH-BAPTIST CHURCH -- COLORED CHURCHES.
It is difficult to write a sketch of a church when no record has been kept of the events surrounding it, by which a brief history might be written. The informa- tion imparted to the chronicler concerning the old church edifice, was given to him by Rev. J. S. Sum- ner, editor of the College Journal. It appears that the first entry on the records of Trinity Church is of a marriage April 6, 1795; the first baptism recorded is of May 14th, of the same year. These are signed by Rev. Francis Neale, S. J., the first pastor of Trinity Church, and indicate the period at which the church was used for worship. The lot was purchased by Bishop Carroll, some years previously, and the church erected by contributions from people of the adjoining counties. Alexander Doyle seems to have erected the building, putting in his own means in addition to the contributions from others. The college virtually owned the church, and still continues to hold it. Mr. Doyle made an arrangement with the college by which the debt of the church to him was extinguished, namely, by contracting for the education of his sons at the col- lege; the whole embracing a term of years. When
141
CATHOLIC TRINITY CHURCH.
the last one left there was still an unexpired term due his estate, and the college paid his executor the bal- ance. The old church was frequently used by the col- lege to hold the annual commencements, until 1832, when the college had erected a new building for that purpose. The old church has lately been remodeled to make room for Trinity Church Sabbath School. The school room is a fine hall on the first floor of the building extending its entire length and breadth, with seats for six hundred pupils. On the upper floor are class rooms for the parish school. The parish school connected with the church is in a most flourishing condi- tion, and should be encouraged, so that its influence may extend in doing good, by educating the children of the poor and making them useful members of society, that they may become an honor to their parents and a blessing to the community.
The new Trinity Church fronts west, like Solo- mon's Temple. The corner-stone was laid in 1849, when Rev. James Ryder preached a most eloquent sermon. The church was dedicated on Sunday, 15th day of June, 1851 (the chronicler was present), when Doctor Ryder again preached a very impressive dis- course from the II Chronicles; his text was: "The appearance of the Lord in a dream unto Solomon at the completion of the temple; " and then came a faith- ful description of what a true worshiper of the Saviour ought to be, and which, to our mind, was never more faithfully portrayed. There was present, on the occa- sion, a large company collected from far and near, consisting of all classes and denominations, among 19
العربـ
الـ
142
CATHOLIC TRINITY CHURCH.
them many Protestants desirous of seeing the imposing ceremonies and solemn services. The clergy, all attired in their proper vestments and bearing the holy cross, marched up one of the aisles of the church sprinkling the holy water with hyssop, and, upon arriving at the altar, Hayden's Mass was sung and chanted by the choir. The procession then passed through the aisles again sprinkling the holy water; the music was supe- rior to anything of the kind ever heard in our town at church dedications.
The pastors who have filled the pulpit of Trinity Church are as follows: the Rev. Francis Neale took charges of the church in 1792, and was followed by his assistant, Rev. Charles L. Thoux, in 1818; then came the Rev. Stephen Dubuisson, James F. M. Lucas, Philip A. Sacchi, Peter P. Kroes, Peter O'Flanagan, up to the year 1852. In that year Rev. Joseph Asch- wanden became rector, taking control of the new church erected in 1849-'50. In 1856, he was suc- ceeded by Rev. Anthony Ciampi, who, after a year's incumbeney, gave place to Rev. Thomas Mulledy. In 1858, Rev. Joseph Aschwander returned and remained pastor until his death in 1868. The Rev. Hippolyte Gache entered upon his duties as rector in 1868. IIe built a pastoral residence near the church, and was followed, two years later, by Rev. Charles H. Stone- street, who governed the parish until 1874. Next came Rev. John B. De Wolf, who, in 1876 and 1877, made an addition to the church to accommodate the male paro- chial school, which, for several years, had occupied premises opposite. The Rev. John J. Murphy, S. J ..
المصرى
143
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
succeeded De Wolf in 1877. The pastors of Trinity Church lived at Georgetown College until the Rev. Mr. Gache built the pastoral residence. They have all been men of distinction. Lately the Rev John J. Murphy resigned his charge of the church, and the Rev. Anthony Ciampi has again returned to preside over the congregation.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI.
[History prepared from the records of the church, by Rev. R. T. Berry, pastor, September 8, 1848.]
" According to the inscription on the tablet, on the right as you enter the north door of this edifice, the gospel was first planted in this town, and this church was founded, by the Rev. Stephen Bloomer Balch, D. D., who was for fifty-two years its revered pastor, and whose remains lie beneath the tablet alluded to. As the history of this congregation is identified with that of this venerable and venerated name, it is natu- ral that I should present a succinct biographical sketch of the leading events of his life.
" Doctor Balch was born in Harford County, Mary- land, April 7, 1746. In the fall of 1772, he became a student of Princeton College, then under the super- intendence of the distinguished John Witherspoon, D. D., one of the signers of the Declaration of Inde- pendence. Dr. Balch graduated in 1774, and went to Lower Marlborough, Calvert County, Maryland, to take charge of an academy. There he remained till 1778, when he visited the State of Georgia, where he studied divinity. In 1780 he was licensed to preach
144
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
(and probably ordained at the same time as an evan- gelist, for he was commissioned by the presbytery to travel as a missionary as far north as Georgetown, then in the State of Maryland.) Here he commenced his ministerial labors; and soon after his location here he opened a classical school, which he taught, with emi- nent success, a considerable portion of his life. And here I think it worth while to remark, to the credit of your Presbyterian fathers, that they were not only the pioneers of religion, but of education. This com- munity is under great obligation to the Presbyterian church for having provided, from its earliest settle- ment, the means of a liberal education for its sons.
"I am under the impression that, from the time of the establishment of this first academy, under Dr. Balch, down to the period of the lamented death of the late Rev. James McVean, there has always existed here a school or academy of a high order under the care of a Presbyterian minister : first under Dr. Balch, then under the Rev. David Wiley, who was succeeded by Rev. Dr. James Carnahan, president of Nassau Hall, who was followed by Rev. James McVean.
" According to tradition, Dr. Balch preached his first sermon in a little log building on High Street, which stood on the site of the Lutheran burying ground. The burying ground still remains, but the building has long since disappeared. If this tradition be cor- rect, it would seem that this Lutheran church had been in existence when Dr. Balch first came to this place. When it was established, or by whom, I have no means of knowing; if before Dr. Balch came, it
145
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI.
seems to have had no existence as an organized church at that time nor since.
"Subsequently, he is said to have preached for a while in a small wooden building, which was used as a school- house in the week and as a church on Sundays. It stood at the corner of Bridge and Market Streets, nearly opposite the market place. It is presumed that the number of his hearers must have continued to in- crease, and it is probable the congregation began to assume something of a settled form soon after this, for we find, according to the tablet in front of this build- ing, that as early as 1782 a church edifice was erected on the site of the present one, which was a small room about thirty feet square. As the congregation in- creased it became necessary to enlarge the building, which was done by extending the north front. This occurred in 1793. Soon after the removal of the seat of Government to Washington, or about the years 1801-'2, considerable accessions were made to the congregation, and it was necessary still further to en- large the church edifice, which was done under the immediate superintendence of Dr. Balch. This sec- ond enlargement was made by extending it on the west side. This appears from an old plat of the pews still in existence. To this improvement, among others, Mr. Jefferson, then President of the United States, and Albert Gallatin, the Secretary of the Treasury, sub- scribed. Mr. Jefferson's subscription was seventy-five dollars. I believe at that time it was customary for the officers of the Government, when they went to church, to attend at this place. General Washington is said
146
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
to have come from Mount Vernon on one occasion to attend divine service in this church. For some time it was the church of the District this side of the Potomac; all denominations attended here. Metho- dists, Episcopalians, and others, as well as the Presby- terians, received the word of God at the mouth of the Presbyterian pastor, and communed together at the same altar. Such was the liberality that prevailed in those days. About the years 1819-'20, the building being still found insufficient to accomodate all who desired to rent pews, and owing to the additions which had been already made, it not being deemed safe, it was determined to pull it down and erect another. This determination was carried into effect in 1821, in the erection of the present spacious, elegant, and substantial structure, which has recently been put into a state of repair without incurring any debt therefor. The repairs of the interior of the church were made by the contributions and zealous efforts of the ladies of the congregation.
" Up to the period of the second addition to the church, or about the year 1805, Dr. Balch was the only Protestant minister in this place. All denomina- tions of Christians attended upon his ministry, for he was universally respected, and enjoyed the confidence of the whole community. This he did without sacra- ficing what he believed to be truth and duty, or compro- mising his principles as a Presbyterian minister. Ile felt, as all true ministers of Jesus Christ should feel, that he was the minister of God to all men for good, and not merely to his own flock. For many years he
IT
min rị Tuần
147
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
baptized, married, instructed, attended the dying, and performed the sad rites of sepulture to the whole community.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.