The daily gazette., 1879-07-23
FIRST EDITION.
The Wsssr er the Brandy wine.

CONSULTING ON THE WATER--THE
n COMMITTEEs OF BOARD OF HEALTH
AND CITY COUNCIL MEET MEssRs.
BANCRoTT LAST NIGHT. 10 .-.0.t.t .
A meeting In reference 70 the import
ant matter ofimpurities In the Brandy
wine water Of which 20 much complaint
has been made, was held last night, In
the Office of tho Chief Engineer OF the
Water Department,
The matter up for discussion was the
impurities of the Brandywine, the drain-
age Of the dye stuff, and the offer made
by Messrs. Bancroft II Sons in their COM
municati0n presented. TO City Council
less than two weekB ago. The meeting
was held in response TO their re ,.uest,
made when that communication was
offered. Those present were the men,
bers Of the Water Committee Of Council
and the special committee ,f Council ap-
pointed to act In conjunction with the
Water Committee, delegation from the
Board of Health, the Chief Engineer. of
the Water Department, representatives
OfBran0rpft T. Sons and w. q. Spru-
aDce, mo-, their counsel. The chief OBJ
ject Of the meeting, is gener ally accepted
to be an attempt on the part Of Bancroft
Il Sons to have an indictment pending
against them In Court, stayed.
The conference was opened by Mr..
Joseph Bancroft, who made long ad-
dress, in which he complained of the
position In which the firm, of which he
was msmher, had been placed and said
that they desired from the city some
statement upon authority, as to what 1t
would do TO relieve them from their un-
pleasant position. He also said that they
were ready to acceed to any
practical proposition, but unless some
was adopted, they would have no escape
from their present dilemma. He believ-
ed that the best way TO secure water was
to take It from further up the stream,
where It could be obtained At less cost
than at present incurred. In closing he
said that he hoped some feasible plan,
satisfactory to all parties, would be
adopted. 4,.. t1l. E, --,.,l
Mr.. Paynter, chairman Of' the Water
Committee of Council, who had been
called TO preside- said that council had
nothing to do with the matter, and that
| it should rest between Messrs. Bancroft
and the Board Of H alth. Tho suit had
been brought by that body and some ar
rsngements might be made with u to
stay the suit. The views of the Water
Committee were we'll known, and
| he had no desire to clash with the Board.
Mr.. Paynter, however, sdmitted that
some extra expense was Incurred BY the
city by stopping the pumps, while the
dye-stuff was being discharged.
Mr.. Spruance made long and ferveni
address, In which he dwelt with, fOrce
upOn the fact that the firm Of Bancroft
& Sons contributed largely to Whining
toms prosperity. They were fair mindet
men who wish to do all In their power II
aid the city's interests. They came t.
this interview, not as supplicants, but q
firm who wished to act fairly. The.
had already spent between $4,000 an
Sc 200 10 satisfactorily dispose OF the re
fuse. If the water works were no
moved up the stream or some plan de
cided upon, the mills would have to b.
closed. Under the present arrangement
of stopping the pumps, the firm think
that no dye stuff goes into the water.
Councilman Norton was ofthe opinio
that any member Or City Council, wh
would propose and urge the removal
the water works to point above tn
mills might rs well get out = policy
life Insurance at once. In this matter
however, he did not think 1t proper 70
Council TO take any action, as it right
fully belOnRed TO the Board of Health.
Mr.. John w. Hawkins, a member
the Board of Health, who has been en-
gagged for several years In struggling wit
the difficult subject of Impurities in th
Brandywine water, said ihe must eitfle
see the law enforced or resign his pos
tion in the Board. He could not col
scientifically dootherwiss. He was Of th
opinion that the trouble could be avoide
by carrying of the refuse matter frol
the mills into the north race. n
A discussion ensued on . propositio
to discharxe the fmpur3 matter from IL
mills into o sewer to connect with ShiI
lev Run. A member of tie Board WI
of the opinion ,thst City Council shout
} attend 70 the matter If this plan WI
adopted, but Mr.. 1Taylnr replied that
regard to the health of the city COunC
delegates all It's powers to the Board
Health, who should attend 10 the matt
particularly as they bad brought the su
against the Messrs. Bancroft.
Mr., Spr,lance said tbe matter was no
In the hands of the proper Representative
of the city, who were certainly autl
orized to settle it. The object OF Il
q Court, in postponing the suit against u
Messrs. Bancroft until the Septemb'
term Of Court, was to give them an o
. portunity Of coufering with the city o.
thorities for the purpose Of seeing VIII,
could be done. Both bodies he thong
, should cheerfully cO-operate in this ma
ter. =,
Mr.. Paynter was Of the opinion tn
It would be well to recommend to Cou
Gil the making Of survey and cstimat
fcr a sever on the south side ofthe Bra
dywine commencing at Rattlesnake Rl
v and emptying into the creek at the I'M
\ dam. The work, he said, could not
done until after next January, wh'
Council could make an appropriate
for the purpose. -, l-a..
Mr.. Bancroft said the drinking wat
y Is not injured by the discharge Of the !
fuse matter into the stream, as the PUN
at the city mill arc always slapped VIII
r the discharge Is made. Sill, the fiji
J were willing to cooperate In any reaso
able measure to obviate the .diMcultl
complained of by the Boa ard Of Healt
Mi. Norton said the greatest troub
was that there might occasionally be
, extra demand for water, 90 a. to ma
il impossible to stop the pumps, ev