Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-10-26

HS1sSnr ." P"A'y SNft- 49,"
ONE GOOD THING.
The city is not supplied with sewerage,
The priyy system being the time honored
one OF deep vaults, which when tuil and
abandoned are covered with earth.
There are at all seasons ofthe year cases
of typhoid fever occurring sporad
ically, but the disease has not prevailed
as an epidemic for many years. That
part Of the city supplied with water from
wells appears to have the largest per cent
age Of iebrile cases, and, believe, u pre-
ponderance of the typhoid type. DR.. Stan
ton, the oldest practitioner in the city
whose experience antedates the river-water-
supply, informs me that typhoid fever was
much more frequent under the we'll system
han since the supply has been pumped from
he river Thirty FIVE or forty years ago or
before the erection of water works, house
nd ueighborhood epidemics Of typhoid
ever were quite frequent, whereas, atpres-
mt such outbreaks are almost unknown.
Isolated cases of diphtheria are con-
family occurring at irregular intervals, but
10 general epidemic hiss occurred within
he last fifteen wears. In the winter OF
SIS and - fatal neighborhood epidemic
If dipbthera occurred, limited by street
ines and embrace: about one-tourth OF the
population Of the city. Scarlet fever pre-
allied at the same time in severe form, and.
many instances the two diseases were
associated in the same patient. There
-eemed TO be no cause for this visitation
,ther than cOntagion.'
AT MARTIN FERRY.
The next point in this inquiry is Martins
'erry, twenty miles below Steubenyille, and
immediately opposite the city of Wheeling
Iere the water supply is from wells VARYING
a depth from Is 70 80 feet and dug
through a rich lOam, yellow and blue clay,
and and gravel The town is not severed
nd in many instances the well and the
'rivy vault are in dangerous proximity On
.ccount Of the general topography OF the
rwn and the superficial substratum, all ref
Sc and surface that does not find entrance
ITO the well-water supply is quickly drained
40 the river The result Of the insanitary
ondi;ion OF the town is the constant prev
nee Of lphoid fever OF grave and fatal
pc
And now having reached Wheeling,
THE CHIEF Clrr N WEST VIRGINIA,
&c situation is even more uninviting than
e unSanitary pictures we have been in
eciiug for it is Within the truth to tell
hat, including the population Of Martins
'erry, the refuse from the homes of 10000
eople finds entrance into the river immed-
lely above the point Of supply TO The water
Orks. And if filth from households, man
featuring establishments, privy vaults
orse and COW stables, and the bodies of
cad animals, we're all the sources of pOllu-
ION of the water supply Of Wheeling, we
night congratulate ourselves that we are
t least not worse of than some
fthe neighboring cities, but, in addition
> the polluting sources Just mentioned an
Id and dilapidated cemetery-Mt Wood
occupying the hill at the northern BOUNDARY
t the city and within halfmile above the
Water Works is u probable factor OF CON
animation.
On account Of he removal Of the greater
art OF the coal measure upon which Mt.
= God once rested the cap rocks have
roken and sunkcn, causing large and deep
racks through the hill; and the inclination
the drainage surface and subterranean,
aing towards and into JOnOthanS Ravine
hich empties its current into the Ohio
thin the city limits, it is highly probable
rat the city S water supply is polluted from
at source Of corruption,
THE WATER WORKS,
nough greatly improved within the last
ear, occupy the same site upon which
hey were originally erected more than
orty wears ago, when the city was not one
.!th of its present size. The basin or res
rrvoir is located on the side Of Wheeling
ILL 27j feet above the bed of the river
and has a capacity Of 10000 gallons. Its
mall size necessitates constant use of the
Jumps, both day and night, to keep up a
efficient supply in the street mains; there
ore, at all times, the quality OF the water
1 the basin is the same as that in the
yer. In other words, il the water in the
iyer is muddy, the supply from the basin
likewise turbid and sagreeable.
In the hope OF securing wholesome and
tered water--but unmindtul of the fact
nat clear and pure water are not convert
lie terms--the Board of Water Commits
uoners last year, concluded to make the
experiment. of we'll or crib through the
andbar in the bed of the riycv, near the
sland shore and about 200 var Is above
he present supply to the works This crib
yaS dug to the depth OF fifteen feet the
hameter being twenty feet 1t was sub
Syantially walled with brick laid in cement
md tightly covered with heavy timberS
loied to the wall. to prevent leakage from
he current The water which soon filled
his crib bv percolation was so clear and
beautiful in appearance that the Board a
lew weeks ago contemplated the immediate
establishment OF three additional cribs, side
W side with the one already described
Fortunately, however, before making
;uch an outlay of the public money, and
connecting such cribs with the water works
md the basin, the Board wisely concluded
o have the waters in the CRIB and in the
,sSin analysed; and accordingly specimens
Sere forwarded for analysis to DIR. Charles
Smart, L. 5. Army. Washington, d. c.
The following is the report