Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-22
OUR CITY WATER SUPPLY.

A suspicion has gotten abroad that
our City Water Board have been con-
ming some measures for the improve
ment Of the quality of OR water sup
ply.
We have no information rs to the
specific purpose or direction If the
Boards ambition in this behalf, but no
one Win have the temerity to dispute
the fact that it Is most inviting field
for our new Water Board, and opens an
exceedingly tempting opportunity for
them to achieve immortal fame, and
embslm their memory in the gratitude
Of a dirt,drinking constituency.
The quantity of our water supply has
been satisfactorily settled for the pre-
sent by the introduction of the larger
mains, but the quality is the question
thst remains to torment. There are
two very instructive articles on the sub
ject Of pure water supply for cities, fur
nished to the North American RerieD
by Drs. RICHARDSON and WINGATE,
that are pertinent to our location and
the quality of the water upon which our
city must depend.
Mr.. WINGATE notes that there is
prevailing impression that large flowing
streams are selfpurifying, and chemi-
cal tests have apparently confirmed
this belief from their failure to show
serious contamination in the water at
a considerable distance below the point
where sewerage or other polluting pro-
ducts were discharged into them.
This, be . says, is a mistaken
view. "Even though by oxida-
ton, deposition and dilution the
potency of many impurities may seem
to be greatly lessened, yet this may be
only because of the efficiency Of chemi.
cal tests. In view of the extraordinary
vitality of disease-germs Of all kinds,
and the effect of impure water in pro-
noting typhoid and other zymotic dis
eases, the conclusion Of the best SAM
tary authorities seems rational, that it
is not safe to use, for domestic purposes,
water known to be seriously polluted"
A further objection he urges to water
supply from rivers is that they become
turbid during freshets, and receive i'm
purities from various sources, as dis
solved vegetable matter, eroded and
decomposed rock, the drainage from
marshes and peat-beds, etc, according
to the geological formation of the To-
cality.
DR.. RICHARmON lays particular stress
upon the necessity of having thu water
supply for family uses brought to a
given degree of softness snd kept at all
J seasons at an equable temperature.
Water to be quite free from injury to
| health should not have more than eight
or nine degrees of hardness, and when
it exceeds that, he urges, it should be
treated by the lime sOftening process.
| He has no doubt that hard water
taken as drink is the frequent cause
of constipation, dyspepsia and other de-
judgements ofthe system. Both writers
coincide in the opinion that hard water,
as drink, produces glandular swellings
in the neck-goitre-in susceptible peo-
pie. In Canterbury, Eng, the process
/ of softening the water has crrried out on
extensive scale with most satisfactory
results, and no doubt if adopted in
| many sections of this country it would
| improve the health of the inhabitants.
During the summer season he water
supply of all large towns an cities in
| this climate becomes heated, causing
the decomposition Of org mic matter,
and consequently aggravating the in
testinal disturbance which is often
prevalent in sultry weather, and
which carries Oft every year so large a
part of the infant population. To REM
edy this evil DR.. RICHARDSON urges
the ingenious plan devised by the sani-
tary engineer, BALDWIN LATHAM, of
bringing the water into. houses by a
pipe which has been sunk into the
earth to point where the temperature
is constantly low. AT all seasons the
water thus drawn into the houses
is cold, and, what is of more i'm
portance, is of equal temperature.
The plan would involve only mod.
crate cost; but it is hardly to be ex-
pectCd that landlords, as a general rule,
| will hasten to thus introduce cool water
into every house, notwithstanding that
the expense would probably be balanced
10y the economy of ice it would effect.
In summering place cottages, in board
ing houses and public places every
where where ice is not furnished in
abundance, some such method of sup
plying cool water would add to the
! comfort of residents. AS a sanitary
measure it ought also to commend
itself to the attention Of persons having
in charge the watersupply of towns and
cities, as well as architects, builders and
others whose immediate business it is to
use every known device for lettering
! the health Of the jewellers in the houses
they erect.
TUE DYNAMITE AnENDMENT