The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-07-06

The Water Supply Exhaustivel,
Considered.

March, Deaths, IL; males, 5; fe-
males, q.
Applicants, 2; males, /; females, /.
May Deaths, 8; males, 5; females, 4.
To the Common Council Of the City of Man
kdto:
Gentlemen:--I respectfully submit the
following as report covering the time
included between March LIST and June
LIST, 1888.
am able TO report that the general
health of the city has been fair. The
mortality statement as per reports at
tached is about parallel with the same
time in 1887, it being two less-total
deaths, %. The number OF births has
been fifty-six, of which number twenty
seven were males and twenty-nine were
females. / am unable TO report upon
the sanitary condition of the city at this
date. The inspection would have been
much further advanced had il been
suitable weather for such business dur
ing the month Of May.
/ would respectfully suggest that such
measures be adopted as will cause the
cutters and sewers to be thoroughly
flooded and washed at least two times
each week till Nov. LIST, 1888. Also thai
all priyy vaults, cesspools and other fou
accumulations, located on property &C.
cessable TO the sewer be as soon as prac
tlcable connected Herewith.
AT a meeting of the Board Of Health
held June 2lst, 1888, Tie following reso
luton was passed and ordered printed
THAT no privy vault or cesspool bt
maintained at less distance than fifty
feet from well used for domestic pur
poses, and in case any privy must be sit
uated within the fifty feet limit, the
same must be constructed with drawer
underneath and contents of said drawer
be removed once each week or oftenel
if necessary to maintain proper sanitary
conditions"
For the fourth time, / respectfully cal
the attention Of the council to the fac
that we are without pest-house. Should
an emergency arise demanding the i'm
mediate use of one, the Board of Health
would be much embarrassed.
AS the subject of water supply hal
been agitated to some extent, deem i
proper that should submit the follow
ing.
In choosing the water supply, three
important points should be well can
yassed: First, the quantity, second, the
quality, third, the relative expense.
Quantity-The question of q reasona
bly, permanent water supply is all-im
portant. The city has expended in thu
past much, and up to date the expendi
ture has ayailed but little. 1t will be
come this council to discard all frivolou
enterprises and adopt some plan tina
will insure full quantity for every ant
all demands that may arise in the flu
ture.
Quality-In selecting water supply
the purity is of vital importance in
sanitary standpoint. To select waite
polluted by sewage, is liable to be utterl,
fatal, and will conduce to breeding man.
diseases of low typhoid type.
Water, to be reasonably safe, shoult
be practically free from organic life O
any manifestation of pollution of any sor
whatever.
In selecting the source of supply arte
sian wells are practicable for the reason
that the water is of undoubted purity
AS general thing they are not as relia
BILE as far as quantity is concerned. Mex
to artesian wells, river water is the safes
to rely upon. Rivers that receive thei
supply from snow-capped mountain
and springs are of excellent quality.
The city of Mankato is limited to fou
sources of water supply, namely: Arte
sian wells, the Blue Earth river, tn
Minnesota river, and Madison Lake.
Could there be reasonable assuranc
that sufficient quantity could be oh
tanned from arteslan wells, should b.
all means select it.
Next to artesian wells, / deem tn
Blue Earth river as decidedly prefer
able to the Minnesota river.
am crediblY informed that the Blu
Earth river is largely sustained b.
springs of undeubted purity and Their
is but little to cnntaminate its water
from it's head to its union with the Min
nesota. To take water out of the Mir
nesota river, at a point this side of il
juncture with the Blue Earth, thin
is impracticable. The city must of ne
cessity' use the Minnesota as an Quite
| for it's sewers. These sewers will be tn
receptacle of all manner of filth land tn
day is not far distant when West Man
kato will require system of sewerag
and the same must be discharged int
the Minnesota river beyond the slough
consequently to take water supply on
of the Minnesota at any point this sid
of the Sibley Mound is impractical
and in sanitary view is very unwise.
To conduct water from Madison LAX
would be attended with large expens
and l doubt whether the quality woul
be much better than that obtained fror
the Blue Earth river. AS to quantity
the lake would without doubt be ampl
for all time to come.