The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-07-07
COLUMBIA, G. TUESDAY MORNING. JULY q 1874


hours each day, and river water for ten
hours moro. The daily cons unption Of the
city was estimated at 100000 gallons, and
30 900 gallons. 1t WIS also stated that
since tho heginhing OF the hot weather, the
consumption had greatly Increased, and
Major Pearce alleged that therew q great
waste OF the water. Your committee invee-
tlgated this representation, and found that
some waste probably o:cul red, but nowhere
to any marked amount except at io Insane
Asylum, whero tho consumption or water
seemed to Ce very large. The attention Of
MIR: HOOK, tho Water Superintc:: lent. wa
cSliou 10 Ibis waste. and s,Eco i.iMt time.
the water in the pipes has great. i,:.?roYotl
In character and quality.
Your committee have slao pursued their
lavest lSatlons little further. in order to
satisfy themselves whether tho supply of
spring water could not be increased, ro a s
10 meet oil the wants OF our citizens. 1t is
Obvious that, as tho heat of Summer ap-
proaches, there will always bo IN increu sed
uso or water, and it is just at this time
@hen 1t Is OF primo Importance that tho
water shall be purc and healthy. II tho
present supply OF spring water cannot be
Increased, then at tho very moment when
the greatest amount is desired for the use
ana comfort OF our people, and it's quality
should be tho beet, The city will always be
lurnlshed With the dirtiest and least healt ny
mers, and unless some steps arc taken to
remedy this, the same thug may be antici-
pated every sumlher.
An examination CT tho springs now cup
plying tho city with water disclosed the
fact that only three springs nro i'm actual
5SPeI two e the Park and one. the
Rogers spring, near Goldsmith e. Kinds
works. Tho committee found ono spriuE in
tho Park, known rs the Willow Spring,
nearly full OF water, tho ripo from which is
entirely stopped up: Major Pcarce's alton
,lon WAS called to this, and lie promised to
have 1t opened, but up to this time nothing
has been done. They also found an old
spring on the South side OF tho Park, en-
tlrclF Filed up anu useless, which, they
were informed by gentleman lon, familiar
With tho Park, had been largo and pro-
ductlve one; alec, that large spring form
erly existed just below tho tonn, ain, near
tho entranct to the Park. Your committee
are also o! the opinion that Il new spring
can DO opened Oil the North side Of the
Park, near the Willow SpiinS, aud that an
other ono is possible in tho street on !hc
South side OF the Park, where the water
now flows in conui1crable quantity from
out tho eide OF tho hii. If these SPRINGS @
should prove to lie good oncs, they would
pfOoah!y double tho present supplv or
spring water, und your committee arc of
the opinion that the arorcr steps should bo
taken to develop tlitEl
The spirit of the Contract existing be-
tween the city and the CnlUmLia Water
Power Company wouid seem to inlply thar
spring water should be tGrnislct, tho city
go long AZ Its supply sl,n;a he Iufiicicnt.
all! that water from the river shRii be- taken
only TO supply al actual deficiency. The
contract. with this view, provides not ONLY
that the water collected Il: the old ,yorks
shall be uecd, but tho contractor il under
the obligation ''of collecting water from
streams below tho present reservoir" At
present, no spring water is obtained, c1-
cept what is now and was form erIy supplied
to tho old Receiving reservoir. No efforts
have been made to open any new springs
below It.. The only effort made to increase
tho supply was by means OF gathering up
tho surface water near tho Pcnitcntiarv
which the Board of Health laet year disap.
proved, Under the construction of this
part OF tho contract by his uonor Judge
Carpenter, it would seem that tho expense
OF opening the springs M suggested above,
should fall On tho contractor. His daty is
defined to be 'the whole process OF collect
ing the water and forcing il into the ,iistri-
butlnS reservoir" We, therefore, suggest
that the City Council ehouid cali Oh tho
contractor TO open and test tho several
sprlrSs we havei mcntiontd; and if .ho de-
clues or noglects to do il, that the CITY
Counci' have them opnncd. and charge the
expense to tho contractor, tleduetiue *
from his compensation for the current
quarter.
Your committee have slao given the DO.
cess OF tterinS the river water some atten-
tion, as connected with its hcal,hfulnces
aud purity. The water contract provides
amply that the contractor shall ''furnisn
a iiltoring apparatus fer purifying tho water
from saii river, Il such wLtcr should be ro-
CURED" but there are no speciiicat:ou.
whatever as TO what the process or tnt tho3
OF filtration shnn.d be, and its efficiency i.
therefore lelt I" iudividuaI opinion until an
Issue shall be male before a conr, for tho
construction OF Tho contract, and Il deer.
mina'ion as 10 wi:at i; really requires. Tic
procasH used now seems to bo snvlv ps.s.
ing the river water ,lruusil e. bed of snni.
SAID To he NIKE! WIKI charcoal, l,in:, on n
wire cloth OF somu kind, the wiinl,: ht iur
accomplished instGnta:.oou.Iy. We doubt
whather 1ucE process would IN admitted!
~ being properly filtration. It is more
properly y strainit E or the river water, aud
the apparatus is rather !, straiucr. wiic,,
would remove large masses Of had matter.
but could hgvcvery little ell ct in pu1,I> in..
tho water. An anal ysis of some taken from
tho pipes two weeks since. shows that II
contained largo amount os rct:imcntayv
matter, held in solution, which rnuiti nniv
be removed by the most careful methods:
and the lapse Of considerable time.
The committees, entertaining these vlow vs..
rec Immcnd to Tia" Board nc adon,i,,. oi
the annexed rosnlnti"I-
". Il. GU UlIGK,
II. LEE. Commi tee.
a. RICHARDSON,