New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-14
WELL UA1ER IN NEIL YORK.
SPECIMENS TAKEN FROM MANY WELLS ANALYzED
PROBABLE ACTION OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
Professor Z. WALLER of the Schnnl of Mines

SPECIMENS TAKEN FROM MANY WELLS ANALYzED
PROBABLE ACTION OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
Professor f. Waller, of the School of Mines,
Columbia College, has for the last four months. been
anayzng specimens Of water taken from various wells
In this city aud the Westchcster district, for the
purpose Of determining their organic and mineral
properties relation their probable effects upon the
public health The investigation was ordered by DR..
g. i. Chandler president OF Che Board Of Health who
VIII take prompt action to close mp oil wells which may
be condemned in Professor Walters forthcoming report
The owners 90 these wells are very much opposed to
tho contemplated action Of the Health Department.
Iacy intend making an effort I'm the court to obtain
temporary injunction restraining the Board until both
sides may be heard the grounds OF their motion being
the argument that The water in the majority instances
is not used drinking purposes That impure il is
possible 10 obtain superior water by going deeper :;
that large amount OF money ana humorous industries
involved and that the Board az Health has been
stimulated by the Board Of Public Works for the
is probable that a fierce controversy will
hotel aud restaurant propriet0rs and others who claim
to have resor,ed to the Of well water = n i'm
Perativc necessity. Croton being too expensive and
driven wells, 30 artcsan wells and probably so
dug well. in the city. There has been increase of
Loo driven wells the past three year,. II Is said
tlat great caution has been exercised 70 sink
them in places apart from public view to avoid
HE annoyance OF "Samnati0n and the loss by con
dcmnation. The 50arl Of Health has met with con-
siderable opposition. ana has -uccecded IN finding only
one IN every thirty ~ these secret wells Their aggregate
yield i figured mp TO 20,OOOOOO gallons per day
GOOo0Oo0)J gallons per year The total amount per
year lost by the Board Of Public Works and gainol hy
the wc-OWncr, Is 100000 counting fifteen cents per
loo cubic feet the rate charged for Croton water Some
nin7 nave ron I'VE 10 twenty-five wells, ana save rom
5000 10 $4,000 per year each There Is also va-t
saving in the item oi ice, well water in summer being
% degrees colder than CrutOn
Most oi the brewers state that they well water
only FOR cooling and washing. owing 70 popular
prejudice against well or spring water numerous motel
aud restaurant propretors who have gone to the
expense 81 putting IN wells and steam pumps are now
using tfoIoh water lor dllhklhg ana wei water TOT
general purposes. while n few force spring water
through Croton pipes and advertise by pacr that they
are l>ng only tropn ana IN the same notice claim that
Wen water il purcr and more hcaitilfu
- have analyzrd water from abont fifty OF these
wells" said Professor Waller "A TRIBUNE reporter.
- AMI IN most find 1t unit for use II II generally
contaminated with organic substances and cNtranc0us
matter such appear in drainage, and has an excess
mineral ingredients. of these waters resemble
tide watcr and contain more solids than the ocean
ltSclf. Inc surface drainage gets III ny IcrcomuhS
through the earth and running down the IRON pipes;
digesblc. II also causes ncr1lsatons in boilers in
ducing explosion. Hotels run II through CrOtOn pipes
at great peril because 10 contains so much carDomc
Gcd that takes up Lead causing more or less poisoning
| found eleven tenement ana Nat houses wnere IL
was pumped up INTO Lead tanks the water uniergolg
such change that II was UNFIT for use whether for
drinking, cooking or bathing. Croton IL not liable 10
this objection except where II comes IN contact WIN
fresh lead surfeces. | have always recommended
CrOtOn superior to well water. There are times when
II Is unpleasant Dit IL hi =, Eer Dee INJURIOUS, lhouEu
Professor A. Il. leeds OF the stevens Institute takes
ground against this point. found three fourtls
Of the wells in the WestcheSter district very bad the
water containing large amount Of drainage. Wells
matter 6sS grains 10 the gallon in West tlhfty sixth
St, 56l2 grains in Grand st near the East River,
80 grains in Westchcs'er district grains mostly
i'm East Forty-eghth-st % grains near Columbia
College 1854 grains. veil ut the New-Eork Hospital
ran heavily In iron aud other minerals that 1t mad to
be abandoned II destroyed all the pipes and vessels
IL came in contact WITH and could not be made available
for use, even waste water, except with great
expense" -,
Manhattan we'll water said @ 1t Is not safe TO use well
water except where Is proven by chemical analysis not
to he injurious These should not be used for the
purpose of manufacturing beverages because they are
strongly inpYrgnalrd with mineral matter Croton
entirely pure In this regard. and the organic matter
found in IL he absolutely removed IL - practical
impos ,iby to manufacture safe and correct mineral
wafer out of Manhattan well waters because they
already contain excess or mineral substances Whlcll
cannot be taken ont except by the expensive process OF
dStillatiOn They are used account OF their gOOd
appearance only for cheap mineral waters, which con
tain more solid indgestihc matter than some mineral
springs Dug wells invariably contalnlnated' DuC
they are rapidly disappearing or being abandoned.
G. ID. COrwin who has put down large hummer OF
driven wells, said - When these wells are driven, a
purr soft water il guaranteed. Owners can employ
an ANALYTICAL chemist and test the water and refuse 10
accept fhe work until suitable water Is reached
Clay through which the pipes pass acts as cement 10
arrest drainage. No demonstrations result from the use
OF this water A engaged In the steam laundry
business has lust opened his boiler for public Inspection
after years and finds 1t free from sealing ana
sediment. The talk about peoples turning yelLoW OF
black from drinking well water Is malicious huinor
I.fl he