National Republican., 1875-06-11
THE POTOMAC WATER.
Cause Of the Unplsssan! Tasts-Lsttsr from
General Meigs-Filter Gallery Suggested

Cause Of the Unplsasan: Tasts-Letter from
General Meigs-Filter Gallery Suggested.
The following letter from General NJ. e. Meigs
gives his views 10 the causes Of the unpleasant
condition Of the Potomac water:
The disagreeable odor and tas;e recsnTIy
Noticed in the agUeduct water is due to the pre3-
tHce of green cOnferya, one Of those plants which
seem TO make the connection between the vege.a.
ble and the animal kingdom. About this season
OF the year this plant seems to attain its greatest
develoI ment. IL spreads over the surface Of
quiet pools Ol clear water and accumulates till It
forms scum, visible particularly where the sur
tace is broken by an oar. The plant appears to
need ca I'm and warm weather for its greatest de-
TelOpment, and it prevails so as to he troublesome
only at intervals Of two three years. / think
We escaped il last year. but it was Investigated a
JeW years ago by committee Of the Board Of
Health, which rode 10 the Great Fails, and found
1t covering all the broad, quiet reaches of the
Potomac as they went up the river. 1t had
caused much complaint for several days. A
heavy thunder gust and rain storm broke out
that day, and when the committee reached the
city again the plant had disappeared and the
water was pure and tasteiess again |
first noticed it in the aqueduct year two after
II was opened, when the whole supply Of water
was derived from The reservoir fed by Powder
Mill branch. A storm Of wind and rain broke up
the scum. after il mad been troublesome for some
days: drove the green hbeTs apOn the shore,
where they collected into fringe Of dark green
almost black, as il dried up. 1t has appeared at
intervals since. recOllect three or four seasons
IN which II has been troublesome and disagree
able. II is by no means peculiar to the Potomac.
1t thTIyes in the clearest spring wafer: II has
made Boston unhappy by its presence in the clear
water Of Lake COchituate. a lake in a sandy bed
led by springs OF filtered water. TRe UrOt0a res
eTNolr has once OF twice been infested and COW
HTeeable taste and OdOr Of which we now com
plain. The Ohio has been covered with it, and
the city OF Cincinnati. whose water supply is
pumped by steam directly from that river, has
suffered as other cities.
The evil is too extensive to admit Of relief. ex-
cept by The operation "f natural causes The hrst
violent thunder gust will prCably relieve us
M.C M.
FILTER GALLERY SUGGESTED.
To the Editor Of the National Republican:
SIR: The question OF eIeafsnd pure aad health.
tUl water 10 large city like Washington deserves
the attention OF every welIwisher of the public
good. The city water here is almost always dis
r0lOred- and holds foul matter in solution Sci
eDtllc men valnly endeavOr to suggest a remedy
A writer in the Star Of the lO'h inst EtumbIes
over this veXed subject and fails to show the pos
HblIities Oi remedy or knowledge OF present
results in other cties.
In the city Of Lowell, Massachusetts,, Of 5000
people long trench, called filter gallery, has
been dug lev rOds from the rivers brink about
eight feet wide and Of equal height Stone walls
bOund the sides and an arch of brlce the ton with
suitable air holes Ter ventilation The bottOu of
the hitter gallery ts graveed to the depth Of four
feet. The water from the gallery filters from the
bottom Of the neighbOring river and rises pure
nnPid ano c0id 10 the gallery whence itfs deIiv-
eTed 10 the city 10 conduit, pumped 70 q res
eTyOir upon hill for general deliyery Soma he
heye that the greater part OF the water in the
gallery is from springs In the adjoining hills and
pure, cold, mountain water is the star,le of tbe
sGpply. Our city should he thus supDIied and
then there would be no complaint Of impure fOuC
unhealthy and nauseOus tasting water anWinV
through our ppes nor would fish End eeIs dedIe
the water and Obstruet the waters passage. The
eheapness OF the hrst cost and the absolute nesd.
IessDess Of repairs makes it worth a trial nero.
Yours truly, HORACE W. PARNENTET.
White Vests at $3.50, SL75, and So,