The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-01

THE sOHI YLKIBL WATBR. - A report presented to
Councils by Chief Enpne Birkinbiue, of the.
Water Department. gives some interesting sta
tlstcs IN relation to the water supplied to the
city. We give the following extracts from the
report, and also the communication OF the
This subject is of vital importance, as is
EVIDENT from the following tacts;-When the
cholera visited London in 1858, the parts oil
ne city supplied with impure water suffered
tbree and half times as much as those sup
pred with better water, the deaths being 81 70
lU,OOO ~ one case, aud l30 to 10, 600 IN the
DINER. IL was the intention Of the Department
to give you detailed account of all impurities
drained into the dHn, and of the sources from
which they come; but unforeseen circum-
stances prevented the procuring OF the requi-
site data. Enough has been ascertained, 10
addition to what has been communicated In
iolmer reports, to call for immediate action on
the part OF the city. 1t may be too late 10 pre-.
vent all this Objectionable drainage. as LARGE
amount OF capital is invested in the m0nuiac-
tories, and large aud increasing population
now inhabits the region drained Immediately
into the dam. Enough can be seen by the
most casual observer to salty him of these
facts. When the river is not turbid, the water
flows over Flat Rock Dam, and among the
locks, hmped, bright, and beautiful as a noun
tain stream; but follow it down few hundred
yards, and after passing the paper-mills, th
river, for one.half its width, IS of a dark brow
color. Further down it receives the refuse from
aye Works and manufactures OF every kind, the
entlrc sewage OF Manayunk, and the refuse from
assumes dark, dirty, milky appearance, and
covered with soiled waste and shreds from
shoddy mills; but by the time the water flows to
the Falls II assumes almost its original brilliancy:
here, again, 1t receives more obiectionahlt
matter from the chemical and dye-works, but
the Columbia bridge il seems to have deposited
or destroyed all Objectionable matter, and al
paramount has apparently regained its original
purity. But there is no doubt that a constant
deterioration 10 quality is going on, which, if
not arrested. Will ultimately force the city to
abandon the Schuylktl as a source of supply, If
the time to do so has not already arrived.
"The waters of rivers which traverse the
grand centres of population become more i'm
pure in proportion to the developments of in
dustry, for while the mass of the water remains
the same the causes of impurity become daily
more abundant. So with the numerous creeks
draining the undulating surface of our city,
many of which, once bright and beautiful, are
now beiouled by refuse from manufacturing
establishments, and are being covered out OF
sight, one after another, as objects too loath-
some to look upon, whose fetd waters would
spread disease and death were they not thus
hidden. Is there no remedy for this Shall
! our Industry only tend to make the most beau
| titul and necessary Of objects loathsome, or
| shall we, by the strong arm of law, protect the
| purity OF the water, and force manufacturers to
find some other means of carrying away re-
| fuse matter?
''The city has invested large amount of
money in the works for pumping water from
| the Schuylkill, and the purity of the water sup
! piled is of great Importance. If it is deter
mined to continue this as a source, large
expenditure for the purpose of securing pure
| water will be warranted.
"If the drainage from factories and other
| sources could be prevented t1om flowing into
the dam, the quality of water would be uneX-
ceptl9nable except IN the time IL OF tJreshet when
J uuSufd' u oe prevented by subsidng reservoirs of
| sufficient capacity. city with the wealth and
number of inhabitants of Philadelphia should,
| at least, be able to supply itself with an abun.
| dance of pure water.
"The project of purchasing the property on
| both sides of the lower part of the dam, and
! using 1t as park, is a valuable suggestion, and
worthy of your approval. 1t would do much to
| prevent Objectionable drainage in the imme-
diate vicinity of the works; but this alone will
not insure the purity of the water; some dispo.
sition must be made OF the Objectionable drain
age from above"
The following communication from the Chief
Engineer of the Water Works, in reference to
! the SchuylkIll water was sent to Councils yes
terday by the Mayor
January so, 1867.
To the Hon. Morton MclichaeL Hoyor of the
! Clty of Phiddetphid:-
Dear Sir-The unpleasant taste and odor of
the water supplied to the city at the present
time, is no doubt owing to the large amount OF
! Objectionable matter discharged into the dam
from manufactures principally located in Ma
| nayunk This appears to be in direct violation
Of the acts of Assembly of April IL, 1925 and
| February Z, 1882, and also in violation OF the
agreement which manufacturers purchasing
from the Schuylkill Navigation Company have
made with them.
The reason that the bad taste and odor has
only been complained of for the past lew days
may be accounted TOR by the fact OF the low
stage of the river, and also that the thick cover
ing of Ice and snow prevents the light and rays
OF the sun from reaching the water; these are
ehe most active agents in promoting subsidence
and those chemical changes by which it, to a
considerable extent, becomes purified. The
time occupied by the water in travelling the
distance between Manayunk and the Works
is, in ordinary stages OF the river, about three
days.
The taste and odor complained of win dsap-
pear when the river is again free OF ice, and the
amount of impurities remaining will not be dis.
ceTnible except when the river Is rising in time
of freshets; then, for short time, it will be APP
parent as the particles OF matter which have
come TO rest in quiet parts of the dam become
mixed with the water; but this is of so short
duration that ii will only be experienced by a
portion of the city, and for day or two at most
On account of the alarming rate at which the
! impurities drained into the dam have increased.
| have again pressed the subject upon Councils
in my report. (See pages 60-67) A careful
survey of the river was made this fall, and a
map of the vital parts of it, so far as our water
supply is concerned, is attached to the report
This represents that portion of the river between
the dam and Falls. The subject has also occu
pied portion of several of my former reports
copies of which are herewith submitted. SET
report presented in 1861, pages 7-lS; 1862, pages
10; 1865, pages 5-l3; 1866, pages oil.
Yours, respectfully,
HENRY RTPRt,yprNE