The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-08-15

hard we'll water Bin sstpd fodr tbs
family that uses sm6n val each ye,f
than would be III po in pney OF ~. an
abundant supply u -akter xSr ddhesac
purposes, from aysn fble public water
supply; and this -seasss to- purchased
articles NEARLY, and not to the destruc-
ton of human health and energy, which
are beyond price.
In the natural decomposition Of animal
matters, especially in their stage Of pu-
trefaction, their elements are often in a
condition that will not admit Of their
being brought into contact with the hui
man circulation, where they will be liable
to induce similar conditions.
Witness the extreme danger to a sur
geon who receives minute quantity Of
animal fluid into a sore upon his hand
when dissecting dead body, even
though life has been extinct but short
time. 80
The excrete of living animals also
passes through adecomposing transform
alton, in which stage they cannot safely
be brought into contact with the human
circulation, however finely they may be
dissolved in water when received. The
process of decay in dead animal bodies,
and of decomposition Of vegetable matter
is quite raj id when moisture and an
abundance of atmospheric air, or availa-
BILE oxygen in any form, are present, and
warm temperature prevents the activity
of the elements; hence the same matter
does not long remain in its most obiec-
tionabie state, but from the multiplicity
of bodies on every hand, co.'s, int
source of pollution may be maintained.
Portable waters, when exposed to
those organic matters in process of rapid
decay, meet perhaps their most fatal
sources of natural contamination, that are
not readily detected by the eye and tongue.
The principal source Of water supply to
wells, is the rain, and in the vicinity of
thickly populated communities the rain
reaches the surface of the earth already
polluted by the impurities of the town
atmosphere. -r+
In towns, surface soils are continually
recipients of household refuse, manures,
and sewer liquors, and Of dead and de-
caying matters. ~ ..-
These have, by abundant examples,
been proved to be the most dangerous of
the ordinary communications of shallow
wells.
The strictly mineral impurities, to
which all wells are to some extent sub
ject, are not usually injurious to human
constitutions, though in districts where
lime is present in the soil in considerable
quantity, the resulting hardness is in
convenient and indirectly expensive.
The analysis of water supplies from
domestic wells in many of the cities and
towns throughout the United States have
shown them to be the most foul of all
waters used for domestic purposes.
With these facts presented to the peo-
pie of Bozeman, will they longer con-
tinue to use water for their domestic
purposes, which is drawn from wells
polluted with both mineral and organic
Impurities? the organic impurities being
those which are known to be the most
injurious to the human system. Will
they longer leave chance for the inhah-
itants Of the towns and cities, which are
Bozeman's rivals for future greatness and
prosperity, to point out to those who may
be coming into the Territory to invest
money, and those who may be coming to
seek future homes, that Bozeman has no
system of water supply other than the
above mentioned wells? 'Tis question
which will not admit of much delay if
Bozeman is to rank along side of her
sister cities of the Territory. X. q