Daily globe., 1879-06-16
WHAT AILS THE WATER (?
Its Condition So Bad that Some People
Have to Use Whisky and Milk-Several
Thaorles 9cientific or Otherwise,

d0V0 60 use w WnA1Ny anu NAAAh-S0S0AssA
Theories. Scientific or Otherwise.
What on earth ails the water was the
musing query Of amatronly landlady, as the
GLOBE man sat down to his matutinal rolls
and coffee at the fashionable breakfast hour
of down town boarding house yesterday
morning. Not wishing to destroy the fond
delusion entertained by the damsel afore-
said, that the reportorial pericranium is the
unfailing reservoir of oil kinds of worldly
and celestial wisdom, the remark was passed
over in silence, not without mental reser-
vatlon, however, to the effect that the same
question had been forcibly put before,
remaining as now, unanswered.
In view of the latter fact, it occurred to
tho scribe that when a aquestion has once
gained certain franiscuity, or degree of
momentum, the next thing in order IS COM
mittee on investigation, and resolving HIM
self into returning board of one, the re-.
porter at once commenced to look around
for cause in order to learn to what extent
the influence of the vitiated water was felt.
The reporter visited different localities of the
city, and it was ascertained that the infected
fluid was alike detected oil over ST. Paul.
In several districts of the city the taint
was of such pronounced character as to
render the water unfit for use, while a few
super sensitive persons had been forced to
neglect the beverage altogether. During
his tour of investigation, the reporter was
informed by well-known., citizen that for
several days past he had not dared to drink
either tea, coffee Of lemonade made from the
water, for fear of being nauss-
ated, and that during this period
his sole drink consisted of milk.
| On either hand, the taint can scarcely be
detected in some portions of the city, while
q few individuals were encountered who had
not yet made the discovery that the water
had been infected. Desiring to learn the
cause of the trouble, the reporter called al
the Office of the water company, where 8
pleasant chat was had with Mr.. John Caul
field, secretary of the association.
When asked if he could assign a reason
for the unmistakable taint in the water, Mr.
Caulfield replied that after diligent investi
cation the only supposition arrived at wat
that the main waters of Lake Pnalen hat
become polluted by commingling with tn,
overflow waters from the swamp lands
which had become infected from extended
stagnation. Believing that the tain
might originate from allowing tn
water to stand in the pipes, tn
company decided to flush all the mains il
the city, which was thoroughly accomplishe,
night before last, without, however, effectinl
any radical improvement in the water. Th
reporter was shown copies of the annual re
| ports of the committee appointed to investi
gate similar phenomenas in the cities 0
; Rochester and Albany, New York, where tn
, communities had been inflicted with tn
same trouble and inconvenience.
In the latter instances the cause was al
tributed to atmospheric influences, or to tn
existence of organic and infnitesimal mole
cules, which freely mingled with the watel
thereby creating an unsavory taste and yer.
: offensive odor, while the committee report
ed that, as they were not poisonous, no dele
: terious or harmful influence was exerte
upon the water.
During his tour of investigation the re
. porter encountered numerous theories fo
the cause of the infection, the mos
plausible being, that great number of dea
> fish, together with the organic efauvia in
cident to the spawn of fish, had decompose
and adhered to the water pipes, thereby pol
> luting the water as it flowed through th
mains of the city. The person who az
vanced this theory, gave as a remedy, purt
ing of the pipes with chloride of lime, bl
as the above is merely one of a number
a theories, it and the remedy are given fl
what they are worth. One thing IS certai
d however, that the taste and odor of Il
water are bad, from which some consol
y ton may be derived from the statement
' scientists, who say water so infected is Q
. ceedingly healthful.