The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-06-10
WHAT DO YOU DRINK
A question Partially TO
Entire Decentralization.

~ = "a BAoS dACbS NNA
and observe the number Of
stands throughout the town, that
so large a liquor traffic should be car
ried on in so small a city. Upon the
basis of the last official census there Is
in this city one liquor stand for each
one hundred inhabitants, or according
to an accepted table. for each ten male
adults. Why Is it that our people are
of such bibulOus tendencies? Why the
proportion Of water drinkers so small?s
An examination Of the water supply
partially nswer the question, and
while we are so frequently called upon
to announce for some po2r broken up
hulk of depraved humanity that
''whisky kills him." how often might
we, if we fully understood the seating
of the first seeds OF the fatal cases of
disease in this wonderfully healthful
town, say as much of water?
A large proportion OF our people are
dependent for their water supply upon
our present system of pipes and
h%ydrants; and in almost every case this
water is used for all household pur-
poses, drinking and culinary, just as it
flows from the pipes without filtration,
laden with all the impurities which
naturally burden surface water-and
what else?
If all these beer drinkers of which
mention has been made wandered for
pleasure, exercise or observation along
the course of Crow creek, 1t is not to
be wondered that they naturally turn
to st. Louis or Milwaukee to satisfy
thirst and cool the warmth Of a sum-
mer day. If all those whose nostrils
have been surprised by the odor of this
scanty supply Of dqud-not aqua purd-in
the midst of a summer drouth have fol-
lowed their nose to the source Of it, it
is not to be wondered at-this fondness
for aqua uitae. Indeed, the strange
part of it is that there is any use for
water at all beyond the business neces-
sites of the milkman, laundry and fire
purposes.
At best Crow creek Is d small sur
face stream far removed from the
mountain rills and snow fed brooks. At
best it must be subject to the lmpuri-
ties incident to surface drainage, tenn
pered in part by the sandy soil through
and over which 1t passes. At best it
must furnish a dwelling place for the
microscopic animaclule, which beca use
unseen are %unthought of by the user.
But added to this are some other
burdens with which it is freighted and
of the existance of which the majority
must be unaware.
A casual journey along the course of
this source of water supply will devolOpe
a few facts which certainly might be
remedied and just as certainly must he
deleterious to the public health.
First near the bridge which spans
the creek on the road leading from town
besides other less revolving refuse, lies
in stream the purifying carcass of q
long since dead dog, in such IN adj
vanced stage of decomposition that the
water soaked flesh and hide are falling
from the skeleton Of whjtened bones.
This alone will add relish, no doubt, to
the ''pure crystal" Of the cup, which
does not inebriate, but must have float
ing in its limpid volume unseen germs
of pestiIence and disease.
Further along the course Of the
stream, overlooking waterlogged frag-
ments of boxes and barrels, tin cans,
the contents of which to guess at were
useless, and the garbage which natur-
ally drifts from tue back yards Of ad-
joining places, the observer will find a
hog pen, perhaps the happy denizens of
which pass the warm summer days in
ecstatic bliss, churning the water into
the mud and ofral which are as Incl
dent to swine as frog ponds to frogs.
Still further up its curse this beautiful
stream meanders by gentle curves
through the government corral at Camp
Carlin, which, while not at all delight
fYl to the one who must imbibe from
the brook, is a great improvement upon
what has preceded. Further along the
banks it is unnecessary to go. Enough
has been discovered already to make
saloons attractive to the most temperate,
and envelope the hydrant with most
unpleasant reflections. The victim of
passion and appetite in his fearful raw
ings, may see in his cups imaginary
forms of most terrible mien, but could
the drinker Of harmless, colorless water
sent to his household through the pipes
look into what seems so clear and harm
less with a microscopic eye, would not
there appear forms having real size and
shape, leering at him with all the ven
omous purpose of blood poisoning, ty-
plus and untold complications which
would tax the skill of medicine to I'M
ravel.
The railroad company a not be re-
sponsible for the quality Of this water,
nor for the Indifference or carelessness
of the people who utilize 1t as a city
dump cart, but as the health of the
community must depend upon a supply
of pure water, some measure should be
instituted to remove at least these re-
voting features from the public foun-
tain.
He Was n Hateful Thing.
"Do you think, Mary, that you could