The daily gazette., 1877-09-04
nm 'hILId III KAKUA1IT
Ihe BrandVWine Water.

tHEpoKT OF FHE CoMMfrrEE ~ IN.
RHIETSifhtNGAPE RITifhN ITS ysANtTARYt CON,
I At the meeting or the CITY Council last
evening, the COMMITTEES on impurities III
the Brandywine,made the following report
which was adopted :se ,dpEld III ufai'
L ~ o. WILMINGTON, DEL, Aug 80! d
10 ne Pfesident and Members of the Gu
CWH'cu }Al 41s III .. uub hllA isdl
GENTLEMEN Your special committee
70 confer with B. h. Moore, Esq, proprie-
tor OF st. Augustine Mills and the other
manufactures on the BrandywIne river, in
reference to the impurities, alleged to finti
their way into said stream from their re-
spective works, would report Y Z. mV1l oll
That there has been an analysis of the
water by Mr.. T. @. iBloeder, at the instance
Of Messrs. Joseph Bancroft q Sons, and
another from the race above the min, by
DIR. Thomas H. Garrett, atthe Instance or
B. 81. Moore, Esq. i,'i iils y l7'i'o 9.il 7l'' :
Your committee, after reviewing the re-
ports received from the gentlemen above
named, reported to your honorable body
and suggested the proprfety OF having the
State chemist, DR.. T. r. Wolf, analyze the
water; also, OF inviting q commission Of
medical experts TO give their views and
opinions as to the effect OF the refuse mat
ter found In the water, as developed by sci
eptlfic research, upon the health OF the citi-
zens. We now report that DR.. Wolf ana
ly7ed samples OF the water, and submitted
a report, which has been presented to Coun-
Gil. ia. ,,,,... XIX. =.
Your committee would also report that
C0niAQ a.
Drs. Bush, Bullock and Shortlidge, and
their views thereon invited, whicn were
duly receiv d. i.,.Iuf...,'s.. aus -. il. -.
Your committee would say that In the
light of scientific investigation, and their
own observations thereon, the city cannot
be too careful OF Its water !; and while they
should not prevent or hinder manu- factures
in any way, but rather foster and cherish
them, as the life blood of the city, they
should be very jealous of the purity OF the
water supply as being OF the most vital i'm
portance, and where it is supposed to be the
apparent cause OF disease 1t is of paramount
Importance and 1t should be their highest
aim TO maintain the water in all its purity
by using all means placed In their power,
by legislative enactment and otherwise
tent, ask the Legislature to strengthen the
same, as we consider the lives and health
OF the people OF higher value than the dol
lars and cents that are made by the manu-
facturers in the pollution OF the stream.
Your committee would also call attention
with pleasure to the fact that the gentle
men who are manufacturers on the Bran
dywine express themselves as fully in ac
cord with your committee as to the impor.
tance of the purity of the stream, and will
do all in their power to prevent refuse from
getting into 1t; and some of them are max
ing arrangements to that effect. And whilst
maintaining this. we must call the attention
Of Council to the effects of the sewerage of
the northern slope of the city, which finds
its way into the Brandywipe, and also the
from the Wilmington and Bran
dywine Cemetery. These are matters for
the serious consideration of Council, and
must be met in the near future, IL the city
continues TO grow lin that direction. The
sewerage must be increased, and IL bodies
are inferred in the Gem metery, they must de-
cay. and water, polluted more or less, will
find its way into our reservoirs for use, as
long as the pump house remains. where IL
1s, and we can see no remedy unless IL is
the removal of the. pumping station above
the sources OF pollution, or the construction
OF a large sewer on the lsouth bank of the
Brandywine to carry all the refuse matter
below the city mills, each OF which would
involve heavy expenditures OF money.
/ In conclusion, we would congratulate the
city upon having, naturally the best sup.
ply of water for all purposes, and would
suggest and recommend care and watch
falness on the, part of our city of1iclals as
will keep 1t SO. A.t-' jul
I All of which is respectfully submitted.
JOHN g. BAKER, I''
2 LEWIS PAYNTER,
... JOHN JONES, st...te
.r M. L. LICHTENSTEIN,