Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-05-13
WATER.

NEW subjects deserve more attention than the
i necessity OF o5taining eopious supply OF waJ
ter, but in looking To quantity I'll supply, quality
has been thought Of less Importance there couid
not be more gross error or one more fatal 10 dos
nestle comtort and economy. We propose TO ex-
plain some OF the serious Inconvenience which re-
salt lroma iuudieious selection Of hard water for
drmeSltc purposes. The water touad in springs,
&C., has its primary originin rain, which falling
on the soil percolates through il, and The porous
beds beneath and ggshcs outsin He form of springs
wherever il meets an imPefvious bed which refuses
it passage pills sunk down 10 the latter detsci it
there, and form wells. Ia lis passage through the
pervious rocks takes up soluble impurities vary
ing ID their amount and character with The seolog-
zeal formations; these impurities being principally
mineral ingredients may be lime chalk, gypsum
salt and different other compounds, which impress
peculiar qualities on the water. The salts 0i lime
and magnesfa communicate 70 water q qualify
termed hardness, property difficult TO describe, but
which all understand the m9st common giper ii
hardness iscaTbonite ri ling. Any earthly sait de-
conposes soap anu prevents its action as cleanser
Soap consists Of oily acid combined generally,
with soda, when added 10 water containing lime
that earth uniles with the oily acid forming an 1-
soluble soap Of no use detergent; this insofu-
bic lime soap is The cuTd which appearsin hardwa-
ter during washing with soap. Hard water is Of
no use cleanser until all The lime has been re-
moved by uniting with The oily acid Of soap, EV-
cry 90 gallons Of water OF This kind usually de.
stfoys 30 ounces 3UG soap-this is an enormous
waste. II persons observe their habits in washing,
they will perceive thai the principal quantity Of the
water is used by them not as cleanser bur merely
for The purpose Of rnsing off the very sparing a.
mount employed for detergent purposes. We do
Bot wash ourselves ~ but 0s OF the basR--ihe pro-
cess of washing with soft water is quite different
the whole quantity be ag then applied as cleanser
the value Of soft water Tor xashng will By expert
ment, be at once recognized. NoW, a!thoughsthe
soap may be eeonomised in personal ablulion by
the uncomfortable method described it simpossible
to obtain the economy in the washing of clothing
&c. The labor required 10 wash in hard water is
very much greater than when il is soft and the ad-
diional Tear and wear is very important cunside-
ration. We now draw attention 10 the inconvepi-
ence Of hard water in cooking il is well known
that greens peas beans and other green vegetables
loose much Of their delicate color, become yellow
and assume shfiyelied and disasTeeable appear.
ance losing much of their delieecy to The TASTE be-
being boiled III hard water. For making Coffee
and Tea iheeYii issil more obYious il IS extreme
" difficult to obtain good Infusion of either with
hard water however much may be wasted in the
attempt The effect OF hard water on The he2ltH Of
the lower animals is very obvious horses cattle
&c frsfnse ii whenever they can obtain supply Of
soft water they prefer The muddiest pool ofthe lat
ter To the most brilliant and sparilin spring ofthe
former III all of them II produces choic and some
times more sesious diseases, the coats Of horses
drinking hard waller become rough stare, and they
soon iaii cut Of condition. Il is not known that il
exeris similar influences upon man, although anal
pgg would lead Us 70 expecl{lakd beverage unsuleG
10 he lower animals cannot be favorable 10 The hu
man constitution. Persons with tender skins can
not wash in hard wafer, because the insoube sails
left BIZ evaporation cause intoIerable irritation
Having nov explained briefly some OF the inconYe-
niences Of hard water we propose the refnedv-
Employ Hobart to build a pair Of PA TENT, nv
7DRAULEC CONCRETE FYLT,ERINCS CfS.s
TERMS, which are made Of imperishab1e mater.
al. andswarranted not 10 leak With these gond
supply Of pure sg water Is u hand, and may de-
for baihing purposes, &c. PLAIN CIST.ERNS
suitable for washing purposes OF stables also
built in the most permanent manner. Havine en-
perior fixtures for the purpose orders meet Prom,
attention. and are respectfully solicited For ref
use for years, or further Information. address =
BILLINGS HOBART
charlsssown March IS. iss2s-6m.