The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-05-04
,So1,etI,IDt- 20 DRINK.


whether or not some practicable meth
cd cannot be devised of obtaining
supply of pure water for the use of the
city. Cincinnati is somewhat worse of
in respect to water than Wheeling. there
being a greater drainage of filth above
the mouth of the supply pipes; but the
water we get here is filthy enough in
all conscience. 1t seems rather strange
that we are all content to use such dirty
water year after year without even ask
ing ourselves, much less one another,
whether it be not possible to have clean
water. There used to be a popular
theory we know that rybody must
eat peck of dirt. We think every body
who has used hydrant water here year
has done that, and might now fairly
ask for a different diet. But we believe
the enlightened Judgment Of every
body now is that the human system
was never intended to be the receptacle
OF filth, either in food or water; and
that its swallowing OF dirt in any shape
is inconsistent with the best conditions
of healthy existence. Let any of our
city readers draw glassful of
'hydrant water this morning and
Inspect it carefully and see
whether it does not require
very great effort to take draught Of 1t.
Yet fully six months in the year the
water is as filthy as it is this morning
and during the hot summer months is
even more detrimental to health
Water that is not tit to drink is of
course not fit for culinary purposes.
Nevertheless, those who couldn't force
themselves to swallow glass of water
from the hydrant, sit down to breakfast
and swallow a cup full or two OF 1t in
the disguise of coffee. In this way we
get the benefit Of the dirt without see
ing it. The only escape (for mortals
must drink something is to drink beer,
ale, or whisky; and how many when
they take a drink of these stronger
beverages throw out the excuse that the
water is so bad they can't drink it. tLet
our temperance reformers stick a pin
there.)
What proportion of the filth IN our
hydrant water is simply sand, and
what proportion consists OF organic
remains washed in along the shores
or from the drains of cities or towns, or
Of minerals in solution, chemical an
alysis alone will show. AS long as we
have to use the water just as it now
comes to US, it might be less unpleasant
not TO have an analysis made; yet an
accurate knowledge of the condition OF
the water might be useful in stimulat-
ing the inquiry whether remedy be
not attainable.
We cannot but believe our citizens
have deep interest in this matter. We
do not seek to convince them that they
ought to have better water, for that every
one must realize. We only seek to
awaken the inquiry whether it is not
worth while to try to remedy the evil
and whether there is any way to do it.
This question of n pure water supply
has always been one of pre-eminent
moment in the great cities not only in
this country but in every civilized
country and in every age. Some of the
greatest works of ancient times were
aqueducts for the conveyance of pure
water to their cities, and we may add
that similar works are some of the
greatest achievements of modern times.
The Croton water works of New York
and the Cochituate of Boston are mag
niticent enterprises, and the Chicago
tunnel out into the bed of Lake Michi-
gan is an achievement without par
allel.
Now Cincinnati is agitated by the
same necessity which compelled the en-
terprises referred to, but she is less for
tunately situated than either of the
cities named. Like Wheeling she has
no source from which to draw sup
ply Of water but the Ohio river; for
the smaller streams within reach do
not afford even as good water as the
Ohio. The terrible experiences of last
summer seem to have convinced Gin
cinnati that she must somehow have
purer water; and the necessity is bring
ing out suggestions as to how it NAV
be obtained. We print this morning a
communication addressed by Mr.. John
jeffrey, a civil engineer, to the Cincin-
natl Gazette, which makes a suggestion
that we believe worthy OF reconsideration
here. 1t is not to attempt to bring wa
ter from a new source, but to purify the |
river water before 1t is pumped up into |
the basin. For this purpose Mr.. JEFF
frey suggests the construction of an |
immense natural filter by sink.shaft |
below the bed of the river, with arms
or tunnels leading out from it sufficient
to secure a supply of water from the
drainage through the sand and gravel
bed of the river, which he claims will
etfectually filter the water as it sinks
into the shaft, and keep itself in order
by the action of the current. A work
ofthis kind, II there be no fault in the
theory, necessarily depends on the ma
ture OF the river bed. Mr.. Jeffrey
says they have the requisite
depth of sand and gravel on
the Kentucky side, nearly opposite the
Cincinnati Water Works. There is a
sand and gravel bar just across the
channel from our own Water Works.
The first question is how far it would
be down to the rock-whether it would
afford the required depth of sand, esti.
mated by Mr.. Jeffrey at fifteen to
twenty feet? Then the next consider
alton would be, whether the scheme
Is feasible in other Representation
the shaft could be sunk and tunnels
excavated-and IL so whether .he cost
would be too great to justify the UNDER
taking, and whether, after all, water
enough would be forthcoming and
whether 1t would be pure. II the in
quiries can be answ cred in the affirma-
thar, Nha Nh{,,o, q.