Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-03-31
Our Sanitary Status.

NETTING OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
The N'Nitiy Poton'0c Water and the Cuase-Ff-
htbui0r Of OF aqueous . iarhtift'-2he Night
SO'l Contract.
The Board of Health met last night. A
communication from Il. F. Redmond to the
District Commissioners, complaining that he
has not been compensated to the full amount
of his claim for clothing destroyed during the
late smallpox scare, and referred TO the
Board OF Health for an explanation, was
read.
DIR. Bliss stated that this man Redmond bss
given the board more trouble than all the
rest of the claimants. His claim was $50 ami
The inspector, Mr.. Colclazier, who rad
charge OF that matter. and DESTROYED the
clothing, reported that SEQ was a hi Oh figure
for IL. and the latter amount was ia Ken in
the estimates for the appropriation. He
Commissioners with explanations; adopted
THE WEEKS WORK.
The health officers report for the week end
ing March q was read showing the number
of nuiSances abated at S11: causes of death
investigated. e. buriaiS at public expense ::
patients treated by physicians te the poor
81; cost OF medicines furnished br druggists
To poor. S5925; dead animals removed, 81:
loads Of garbage removed, 100. The inspections
of marine products have been $500 bushels
of oysters, -, 225 punches fish, r. 200 herring
l-IJ0 Shad. The concentrations have been iUJ
bushels oysters, 1I5 punches FISH, and about
the usual quantity OF provisions and pro-
duce.
Lots Nos. and ?, in square No. go. being
below grade; two brick houses north size
Water street. and pile of manure on II
street. between 9th and 10Th southwest, emit
ting offensive ettiuvia. were declared to be
nuisaDceS. and their abatement was ordered
THE MUDDY POTOMAC WATER.
Al recent meeting of the board, Mr.. Mar
bury submitted resolution, which was
adopted, directing the president OF the board
10 address communication to the proper
official connected with the distribution OF
water in the cities Of Washington and George
town. inqGiring into the causes of the muddy
state Of the water. In reply to this. a etter
from Gen. Babcock was read, saying that the
present muddy condition of the Potomac
water il caused BY the long-continued turbid
condition OF the river at Great Falls; that at
this point the water mas not been clear AT any
time since last December, and that IL is from
there that the water supplied by the Wash
ington aqueduct is derived. The water does
not have the length of time to settle in the
reservoir. because, IN order to supply all
PARTS OF the two cities. il is necessary To keen
the surface OF water up to the 80 dow line of
the reservoir. Gen. Ba bcock says the present
nuisance can be corrected by deepening and
extending the area of the distributing reser-
vOir TO such an extent as will give the Po-
tOmac water ample time TO deposit its sedi-
ment before entering the iron mains: or by
Tesorting to the more costly process of filter
alton. 1t could be partly corrected by re-
dueins the present extraordinary waste and
use OF Potomac water in Georgetown and
Washington, which would give more time
for settling in the reservoir. This necessary
reduction can be accomplished only 10y the
general Use OF water meters. The present
nuisance will be corrected as soon as the
water IN the river becomes clear At how
early period this will take place he is unable
10 state, as ~ depends entirely upon the
amount OF rain falling in the valley of the
fotomac ABOVE Great Falls, matter over
which he has no control.
LUCKY ESCAPE OF DIR. VERDI
DIR. Cox said this was a subject On the great
est importance. as 1t affected almost every
family in the District and he mo we'd that
they set apart some evening To discuss in
with the view of arriving at some plan for a
remedy. He produced. in small vial filled
with water, a specimen of lively little ami
nal about one inch i'm length. with multi
fGde of legs, several tails and long. waxad
mouslache, called the iarya OF the dragon
ny winch Is frequently found in the water.
Ibis, with the mud. renders the aqueduct
water very Objectionable.
br. Serui remarked that he had discovered
TWO of these reptiles I'm his soup lust in time
10 save himself from SWALLOWING them
Mr.. Marbury Said he thought il very