Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-21


| England long enough to dispose OF a moderate
amount of sewage through oxidation"
| Professor Rudolph Vircho a German santa.
rian says he considers the introduction OF fecal
matter into water courses in all cases of doubt
| full admissiblity and the pouring into rivers of
| these and domestic waters generally, endanger
| public health He does not believe that the
movement of water destroyed the l1ylng organ
| isms il drainage liquid.
| The English Commission on pollution of riv-
| ers is strongly opposed to any water used Tor
| household purposes containing nitrates, nitrites
| or ammonia.
| Professor Forster thinks that in cholera cpl
| denies any human reflections finding their way
| into water used by cities for drinking pur-
poses is liable to spread the disease, and objects
/ 10 the use of water from any river into which
! human eXcrements or animal organisms find
/ their way.
| Pettenkofer Koch and innumerable scientists
! hold that water for household purposes should
! not be polluted by human eXcrements or any
animal organisms, and could quote good au-
! thorities tor a long time, but it seems unneces-
! sary. If the facts are as claim. something
! ought to be done to remedy the evil What i'm
I proyement can be suggested? one is to procure
our water from some pure mountain lake or
lakes. The Blue Lakes have been favorably
+: spoken of, and believe a proposition from par
; ties is now before the City Trustees. Lake
E; best sources OF supply from which to
obtain our water. The expense will
be great in either case, but the expense, if
within reasonable bounds. should not be con-
SIDE req rs against the health ana comfort OF our
citizens. FIVE cannot procure mountain water,
; then, surely, there should be change Ill the
/ present system. Tanks should be placed on
firm, solid foundations at nigh elevation, SUI
ce1tiy 50 10 g1Se al tt plessuLe ieep o io5
! for forcing the water into them. 1t could there
! be settled and a portion of its impurities re-
! moved and then distributed into the present
/ Mines Nv a steady pressure We are paving an
nually nearly $780, 900 for the impure water we
! are NOW using. Cannot we be served with a
-
! DIX. A. b. NLAoN
! Remarked that he was very much gratifed that
| Dr. Nichols had written upon subject i'll which
the citizens of Sacramento were so much inter
ested The water furnished by our system of
water works has been for many years SO much
polluted ty mining debris, that it has been
great source of annoyance TO our citizens and
exceedingly Objectionable to strangers visiting
our place, and there is TO doubt but many have
been deferred from making homes in Sacra-
4 mento OH that account. At certain seasons of
the year when the water is low in the river
! and on account of the tule basins being emp led
into it, the water becomes very Offensive and at
times is probably cause of disease. What Sac
ramento wants above all things to make it a
desirable place of residence, is all abundant
supply of good, clear. pure water and this is q
very proper time to agitate the water question
No part of the revenue derived from water
/ should be used for any other purpose, citizens
being supplied merely at cost, and, if practical
the city should own its water works or at least
have the control OF rates charged tor water
Rivers are the natural sewers OF a country, and
! as their banks become thickly inhabited the
waters mus become greatly polluted and there
bv rendered unit for domestic use.
ND s1,rroNs sam.
IN discussing the question Drought before us
toIlght we are actlIis rs Ph!slcltls VINO Know NOV,
/ from experience, observation ana STUDY that
pure water Is essential 10 maintain good heaitn,
ana also as cltlzenS OF sacramento, interested III
all that pertains TO IT'S material weliare' ana who
must pay pfoportlonate snare OF me expense
! made necessary by any puplic improvement. II
is true that the water iurnlShed 10 us by tne
present direct service system, as stated by
Dr.. NleholS, . is offensive to the eye,
ana we believe 1t has been and Will
continue to be called hlthy ana impure by all
visitors to our city No statements that we make
in regard to its lnnocuousness can induce our
TRENDS from ABROAD 10 use the muddy COM
pound, and travel where we Will, our water has
a bad name among those whose good opinion
would greatly enhance the prosperity OF our
town. To overcome this filthy appearance
many OF US have settling tanks or filters, which
are maintained at no lnconsIderable expense,
while some OF the note u'e alum to preclptate
tne iie'; otI mlien 80 el " - uestl
and in no sense can it be compared TO that rest
ing in the deep lakes upon the eastern slope of
the Sierras In an economic view | believe |
can afford to nav an additional rate for clear
mountain water if II can dispense with settling
tanks and filters rid NV premises of the muddy
LIQUID which during the summer months be-
~. ..
people from abroad to make their homes with
rs by furnishing them with the clearest of
water
As a pbysician | believe one of the main
causes ior A contamination of our water
which has been referred to by the
reader of the evening deserves more particular
mention Directly north of us and within
short distance of our main supply-pipe. are a
number of level catchment basins miles in ex-
tent upon whose borders grow the varied forms
of marsh vegetation The water is retained in
49,
come charged with the unhealthy products of
vegetable and sometimes animal decay When
the water in our river falls, and at its low stage
these basins discharge their contents through
sloughs into the main stream, and 1t is fair to
presume that a portion OF this swamp drainage
is drawn by our powerful pumps into our service
pines and distributed to the homes of our people
How much of the malaria or bad air which at
certain seasons is said 10 disturb the health of
Sacramento, may be attributable to bad water
charged, in the manEer stated with the germs
OF disease, may be difficult to determine but no
medical authority viii denythe proposition that
it IS dangerous for any community to use
water supply 50 coh'''iiiiiiateu'
DIR. A. E. BRINE
Made some remarks upon the subject, in which
he said that the water rsed in Sacramento for
domestic purposes is in want of certain uuali-
ties GENERALLY demanded for healthfnI drinking
water These substances that render the water
so offensive to the exc are. in my opinion. the
least Injurious 10 health for consider them
10 be Inorganic in nature ipsoluble in water
and in the animal economy, and simply held
in suspension | am however of the opinion
that at certain times Of the year particularly in
the summer months, when the quantity of water
in the river is at its minimum. the water holds
in suspension and solution quantities of organic
mater. both vegetable and animal, that render
il absolutely unit or domestic use The source
of organic impurities il manifold besides the
Folsom prison and all towns and cities
on the river banks that discharge their
entire refuse matter into the river, large
quantities are derived from the stagnant water
III ponds. lakes and swampS that after having
been exposed for months to the heat of the sun.
is finally discharged into the river Many OF
these ponds previous TO their discharge into the
river have become impregnated with the poi
solfoiIs seeretions of putrefying remains of dead
animals fish frogs cattle etc The stagnant
water OF tule lands, which at certain seasons OF
the year are used Tor pastures IS little less than
a Saturation of manure and other impurities left
on the soil the year previous. Any possible i'm
provement on the present system OF water sup
~! SHouu DC eaSs4i! eii"'''eeu " ti'e ci's au
...,o,.
Di'' "ALidaa hIi-Sh' pi'i''s SAIL
Believing in the modern theory Of the etiology
OF disease, | fully appreciate the vast impor-