The morning news., 1888-08-04
The Danger of Impure Water.


Philadelphia has a small epidemic of
typhoid fever, and the newspapers of that
city say that it is caused by impure water.
The chief supply of water is drawn from
the Schuylkill river, and at times it is far
from wholesome, but it is believed that the
water which causes the fever is drawn from
the Delaware river and from old wells. The
fever prevails only in the localities which
are supplied with water from these sources,
and an analysis Of that from both sources
shows that it is poisonous. That taken
from the Delaware river contains a very
considerable percentage of sewage, and
that from the wells is contaminated by
drainage from sewers and cesspools.
1t seems remarkable that the authorities
of city as large and as thickly populated as
| Philadelphia should not have closed up the
city wells long ago. The Philadelphia
| Press with reference to these wells, says:
''As for those wells whose sparkling waters
are highly charged with the concentrated
poison drawn from the saturated soil of a
donsely peopled city, no excuse can be made
for their liberation at this day. Their nox-
ious character has been shown again and
again. The retention and use of these wells
in Philadelphia is worthy Of the darkest
ages of sanitary ignorance. The council
men who were instrumental in preventing
| their being oil filled up several years ago
deserve fairly to be indicted for man
slaughter. They are the efficient cause of
many desolated homes to-day. What is
there so peculiar about the ordinary coun-
cilmanic understanding that it is SO slow to
comprehend that water from wells sur
rounded by cesspools or from river whose
waters have just received the contents Of
many sewers Is disease breeding, death
dealing potionF
1t is a source of satisfaction that this city
has substituted artesian for river water,
because there is no doubt that the water
that was obtained from the river
was not wholly free from sewage. The
analysis of it, which was made by Prof
Chandler of New York, just before the city
began using artesian water showed traces
of sewage. There is reason to believe
that if we had been dependent
upon the river water last fall
when the rice fields were flooded by
the freshet, there would have been great
deal of sickness in the city. The rotting
rice would certainly have made the water
very unwholesome.
The protest in Philadelphia against the
pumps which still remain in that city
should not be without its effect here The
council is taking steps to have the wells
closed, and they ought to permit no longer
delay than is absolutely necessary in accom-
plshing this work. The pump water may
be clear and appear to be pure, but
there is no question about its being ex-
tremely dangerous to health. Close up the
wells as soon as possible and supply their
places with hydrants. When that is done
Savannah will be certain of one thing, and
that is, that all her people drink pure water
Mr. Everett P Wheeler of New York has
apparently got the republican organs in a
hole Some of the organs in question have
printed the democratic ticket and placed
Immediately beneath it the following: "The
only time England can use an Irishman is
when he emigrates to America and votes
for free trade "-LOndOn Times ''Grover
Cleveland has done more to advance the
cause of free trade than any prime minister
England has ever had."-LOndon Spec
totor. Mr.. Wheeler now comes forward
and defies any one of the organs to produce
copies Of the English papers containing the
alleged extracts. OF course, ii the extracts
are genuine, the papers will be produced
To what depths some of the republican
organs descendi