Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-24

entirely unfit for use When the water from our
hydrants is so offensive to taste ana snel! as 70
csl1se persons to turn from it in disgust IL call
not no healthfIll The Sacramento ana It's
tributaries receives drainage and NTH OF az sorts
from the various towns above US; IN addltlon 10
which is the sewerage from tme p,s rna ds reS-
dences Ilpou the banks of the rivers ada their
portion to pollution OF the waters. lne sloughs
| and tules contain great quantltles OF ueeaylllg
animals and fishes, and when the rivers are
| at their lowest stage they drain into
and commingle with the water OF our river
| tbeir acctmulations of decayed animal and
vegetable matter, aud poisoning the source OF
our supply. know it is contended that running
water puIifies itself, which admit 1t does to a
certain extent, the matter held in suspension,
which is the least injurious, being precipitated,
but that held III absolute solution, especially the
most injurious, still remains.
81 am not one to raise false alarms: but do
believe we ought to take some steps towards I'M
proving the quality of the water we are now
using.
Dr. Nichols referred to reports OF former
Boards of Health of this city, quoting from
Drs. Hatch darkness, Logan and others. he
then referred to the experience OF other cities
which obtain their water by pumping from adj
iacent rivers specially noting that OF fnllauei-
| phia, Trenton, Washington, chicago ana 10
ronto In all these cities the necessity LOT SOME
| other source of supply can no longer De diS-
| guised and in each case many mlillons OF dol-
| lars will be expended in meeting It. concern
| ing the pollution of water by sewage the doctor
| gave the following:
| .sThe English ROYAL Commission, reporting on
| the pollution of the Mersey as long ago as loIo,
| stated that sewage discharged IN running
water is not materially changed Tor many
| hours by oxidation, and there is not a river IN
! England long enough to dispose OF moderate
| amount of sewage through oxidation,
g Professor Rudolph Vircho, German SANTA,
rian saws he considers the introduction OF fRcal
,natter into water courses in all cases of doubt
full admissibilty, and the pouring INTO rivers OIL
| these and domestic waters generally, endahgef
public health. He does not belleve that tne
| movement of water destroyed the ilflnS oISah-
| isms i'll drainage liquid
1.-THE Fnglish Commission on pollution OF rly-
| ers is strongly opposed to any water useu lor
household purposes containing nitrates, hitrites
professor Forster thinks that i'll cholera cpl
denies any human reflections hnding tnelf way
| into water used by cities Tor drinking puf-
noses is liable to spread the disease, and objects
| 10 The use of water from any river into when
| human excrements or animal organisms llhd
| their way. ,, 900;
eptlsts hold that water for household purposes
| Should not be polluted by human eXerements
| or any animal organisms, and could quote
| good authorities Tor IL long time, but IL seems
| Unnecessary ii the facts are as claim, some
In conclusion he said 1--WE are paying an
nllallv nearly S60, GOO for the impure water we
are now using. Cannot we De served WIN d
better article at the same or less expense?
A general discussion followed the reading OF
DR.. Nichols paper, in which nearly all the
| members present participated.
DR. Nixon remarked that he was very much
gratified that DR. Nichols had written upon sub
| iect in which the people OF sacramento
were so much Interested he SAID /;
| The water furnished by our system OF
| water works has been for many years so much
polluted by mining debris, that 1t has been a
| great source of annoyance 10 our citizens and
| exceedingly Objectionable to strangers visiting
our place and there is no doubt but many nave
| n homes
| mento on that account. AT certain seasons Oh
/ the year, when the water is low in the river,
and on account of the tule basins being emp leo
| into it, the water becomes very onehSlVe, ana aI
| times is probably Il cause of disease. What Sac
| ramento wants above ali things to make 1t a
desirable place of residence, IS an abundant
! supply of good, clear pure water, ana TINS IS d
livery proper time TO agitate the water question.
/ ko-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
1 have the control of rates charged for water
| Rivers are the natural sewers OF "a country, and
| as their banks become thickly Inhabited the
waters must become greatly poliuted ana tiiere-
| by rendered unfit for domestic use.
II Dr. c. l.. Simmons said: g In discussing
| thc question brought before US tonight we
| hre acting as physicians who know from
| Experience, observation and study that
/ fure water is essential to maintain good health,
and also as citizens of Sacramento interested III
all that pertains to its material welfare ana VINO
| must pay a proportionate share OF the expense
made necessary by any public Improvement IL
| is true that the water furnished to US by the
| present direct service system, as stated by
| DIR. Nichols, is offensive to the, eye,
| hud we believe ii has been and Will
! continue to be called filthy and impure by all
Visitors TO our city. No statements that we make
| lin regard to its Innocuousness can lnduce our
drends from abroad to use the muddy com
bound and travel where we will, our water mas
| n 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, winch
| are maintained at no inconsiderablc expense,
&nile some OF the hote u>e alum 10 preclpltate
| the mud. Our supply, when so treatead IS desti-
tute of the attractive quatities6f living water,
and in no sense can ii be compared TO that rest
| ing in the deep lakes Upon the eastern slope OF
| the Sierras. In al economic view, believe
can afford tq-pssy an additional rate for clear
lnQnyll2tL2R elf Lean dispense Win setAing
! l2nTs and filters, rid my premises OF the muddy
4 LIQUID which during the summer months be
| sniears grass, shrubs and flowers, and induce
people from abroad to make their homes with
! as by furnishing them with the elearest OF
water.
4 "As physician, I believe one ofthe main
fcauses Tor contamination OF our water,
which has been referred to by the
reader of the evening. dc serves more particular
mention. Directly north Of us, and within Il
| short distance of our main supply-pipe, are a
| humber OF level catchment basins mites IN eX-
TENT rIgon whose borders grow the varied forms
/ of marsh vegetation. The water is retained IN
these basins for several months. until 1t has be-
come charged with the unhealthy products Oh
Vegetable and sometimes animal decay Nheh
the water in our river falls and ut Its low stage
these basins discharge their contents through
s!oughs into the main stream, and ii i fstlr 10
| presume that q portion OF this swamp drainage
is drawn by our powerful puials lNtQ osiI service
pipes and distributed tonne homes OF our people.
How much OF the mal&ria or bad ar wnlch al
certain seasons is said TO disturb the health OF
Sacramento. may lie attributable 10 pad water
q - tod
/ of disease NAV be difficult to determine; but no
medical authority viii deny the proposition that
| il is dangerous Tor any community 10 use q
MATER supply so contaminated
l. Dr. A. Z. Bruno said The source oil
organic impurities is manifold, besides the
I3FolsoIn prison and all towns and cltes
ION the river banks that discharge their
leutiTe refuse matter INTO the uNer, large
t.luazftities are derived from the stagnant water
in ponds lakes and swainps, that after having
been exposed for months to the heat of the sun,
| is finally discharged into the river. Many OF
these ponds, previous 70 their discharge into the
river have become impregnated with the pol.
sOnous secretioiIs OF putretylng remains OF aetd
ihuima3s, FISH frogs, cattle, etc The Stagnant
lwater OF tule lands which at certain seasons OF
the year are used FOR pastures, Is little less than
a safuration OF manur6 and other impurities left
t,n the soil the year previous Any possible
| pToyement on the present system OF water sup
nIy should be eagerly embraced BY the city au
Dr. William Ellery Briggs said BE
tiEVing in the mOitrn theory OF tae etlOlog4
| OF disease, 1 fully appreciate the vast import
anea which our water supply bears TO the
hVgieGic condition OF the community. Inc
| faculty with which water carries dsease-pro-
ducing germs. from frequent demonstration has
| become an accepted fact. our local conditions
are such as to render the river water at times O
| prolific source of morbiiic matter. When the
| water level becomes lowered the stagnanl
waters OF the sioughs and ponds, produced by
the winters overflow, drain into the river, car
rvirr with them the products OF animal and
l vegetable decomposition, as well as the sewage
rom several small towns and the State Prison
NJ Folsom.
That the water as furnished to the city is .
fertile source OF disease which has been an ap-
probium to Sacramento is almost inconteStable
and that the advent of clear, pure "ater would
! increase uur collective and individual prosper
ity in The direct ratio that il diminished oul
liability 10 disease, is most rational PROPOSE
zion"
Dr. NJ J, Magin agreed with the purport Of
Dr. Nichols paper, and heartily indorsed the
expressions Of other members that a change
from the water now used IN the city is neces
sary 10 the health, wealth, beauty and happi
ness OF the residents.
| Dr. I. r. 0atman said: Water, cleal
| water soft water, wholesome water. is the de
sire of every Sacrameutan. To obtain water o
the above qualities, IL must be brought from
| some of the upper branches of the American
CosuInEes OF Mokelumnc rivers, or from some
OF the lakes at their sources
Or. T. ". Huntington said II diutior
OF the sewage of Reddng, Chico Rec
BluH Marysville. and Folsom with it
crowded prison, he innocuous If solu
ton charged With the results OF vegetable
| and ol animal dec0mpeSitoHs-as the spag,
water of foul sloughs aud enormous tracts o