Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-28
PURE WATER.
DIR. Geo. 1. Garrison Tells Why the Water
Should be Filtered.


WHEELING, w. VA, April &c.
To The Editor Of the Register:
SIR:-I trnst you will allow me space
for the discussion of matter which is Of
vital importance, not only to our people
now, but which will effect the future
growth and prosperity of this city. / refer
to the publication of the water supply.
1t is an undisputable fact that the water
used in this city for domestic purposes is
horribly impure. 1t is equally undisput-
able that it ought, in the interests of the
life aud health Of the people, to be i'm
proved in quality. The question
How. TO purify the the water supply?"
naturally presents itself. Popular senti-
ment condemns the present location of the
water works. Instead of making the i'm
proyements of 1881 and 1884, the pump.
ing station should have been moved above
the city. That was not done, however,
and 20 much money has been expended
upon the old plant, that it is probable
many decades will elspse before the change
of location of the pumping station will
be made. In the meantime what else
can be done to improve the quality Of our
drinking water?
Filtration is presented as method OF
publication. The mechanical separation
of liquid from undisOlved PARTICLES float
ing in 1t, was known and practiced by the
ancients In Europe that method has been
employed for the publication of water for
long time. The two great cities of Lon
don and Paris have vast filteriug beds or
basins, filled with layers of stone, gravel
and sand, through which the
water percolates from the top, to galleries
at the bottom, and flows Oh to distributing
basins. Cumbersome and costly as this
system is, 1t was found necessary 10 adopt
it TO free the water from impurities before
using for domestic purposes.
Many plans have been devised for arti-
fetal filtration of water both in the old
world and this country. Ia addition TO
filtration, coagulation and aeration have
been introduced. There is q system Of
water publication combining the three
methods, in scores of cities and
towns in this country. Besides
there are innumerable manufacturing es.
Establishments, hotels, laundries and house-
holds using filters in cities where lack Of
enterprise upon the part Of the municipal
authorities prevent them from being fur
pished with pure water.
The combined system of coagulation,
filtration and aeration has been investigated
by eminent men in every professional call
ing and their verdict has been almost uni
versally in favor Of that system. Hun
dreds Of public men whose connections
with municipal affairs has made them
acquainted with the working OF the sys-
tenn are enthusiastic in its praise. 1t COM
bines cheapness and utility.
Hundreds Of thousands all over this
country can testify TO the purity of the
water il dispensts 1t is known and ap-
prsciated from Maine to California. Its
influence ia felt from Lake Michigan to the
Gulf Of Mexico, and yet, member Of the
Water Board of this city tells Us that
'Filters are out Of the question" and
that "tbey are all experiments"
This statement in the face Of the facts
which prove the contrary, is 30 absurd,
and, to any one who has inquired into the
state Of tha art OF water sanitation shows
such An utter lack Of knowledge upon the
subject that were it not for the fear that
afforded to learn something of the various
methods OF water publication, might be-
lieve the assertion and not know that there
is means Of improving our drinking
water.
Not to trespass upon your space further
than such limited view Of the subject
will allow, / viii say that there 10 Ger
tain city, somewhat larger than Wheeling,
which has in successful operation o battery
of twelve ten-feet filters, which gives en-
tire satisfaction and is regarded as the
crowniDg triumph of the sanitary progress
of that city; that the water which (sfter
filtration is now delivered to consumers,
was formerly used only for sanitary pur-
poses, and I shall ask the "meEibef of the
Water Boardn to name that city, and
as o further aid TO its identity
will tell him that the capacity of its main
reservoir is $50. .OO0, 900 gallons. With
his 'experience" and facilities for se-
curing the most reliable data" have NO
doubt that he will fail.
Then I will ask him 30 tell us some
thing Of the capacity Of the plant and
what the authorities of that city say in
regard to the character Of the water which
the plant furnishes.
I imagine the person who "wrote 10 the
Water Board that the fltering apparatus
which he represented was . failure' to be
either . very honest man OF one who
has been discharged from the owners ssr-