Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-11
SOME SUGGESTIONS.
STATIONS for the Analyses of Water Recom-
mended-Wrong to Deprive Chill
dren of Enough 10 Drink
N..-..y. NTosIoaa
To the Editor Of The Dispatch:

afen OF Enough 10 Drink
Natures Methods.
To the Editor Of The Dispatch;
Everywhere in Pittsburg ard Allegheny the
people are alarmed in regard to the river water,
fearing that it may breed a pestilence. The
springs in theadjacent hills and wells are being
drawn upon for water as they never were
drawn upon before. Even springs near the
cemeteries have come into use, which of Course
are highly dangerous sources of water supply.
Thousands also are boiling the hydrant water,
obedlent to the oft repeated advice of the
officials of the State Board of Health. No one
can tell as yet to a certainty whether or not
these precautions are necessary, but as the
advice comes from intelligent sources it is best
to act upon it
But all this means great annoyance 20
many thousands of people. Boiled water is
extremely insipid and positively unpalatable
unless cooled with ice. 1t is however, proba-
bly, more wholesome than melted ice water,
which many are using, So alarmed are the
people of some families that the parents are
greatly curtailing the quantity of water they
permit their children to drink, and the little
ones are cross and peevish in consequence
This is wrong, for liberal use of water is
needed at this season to carry off the secre-
tions of the body and to make up the loss from
perspiration. The majority of people would
be more healthy if they used more water.
cause for alarm the sooner our people know
the fact the better. In the multitude of duties
devolving upon the health authorities they
have perhaps offered their advice on the gen.
eral principle that an ounce of prevention is
better than pound of cure. Now, however,
it is time for them either to raise the embargo
or furnish reasons why it should be continued.
In this view of the case the following sugges-
tioDs are offered for what they are worth:
Establish a station on the Kiskiminitas river
at Salisbury, from which samples OF the water
cha ho do IL, 70 fOr oh
and microscopical examination, and another
station of the same kind, say at Hutton, on the
Allegheny. Salisbury is sufficiently far below
Black Lick creek to have the benefit ofits pure
waters mixed with those from the Conemaugh.
If the waters there should be found impreg-
mated with dangerous forms of material. then
move the station to the mouth of the kiski-
mintas and try the waters there. 1t is positively
necessary to know whether that stream is in
dangerous condition, and just about how dan
gerous. If it is not dangerous at its mouth
then we have no reason for alarm at Pittsburg.
Not only is this work demanded as a matter of
great practical moment, but an opportunity
exists to make these examinations of special
scientific value particularly If stations at
Johnstown and several points below were
simultaneously established.
The Kiskiminitas river drains about 1.400
square miles, or forms about one-ninth of the
Allegheny river. Of this $50 square miles lie
in the valleys of the Conemaugh, South Fork
and Stony creek, above Johnstown. The head
waters of all these streams abound with trout
and come down from the mountains fairly
charged with oxygen-in amount one would
think, capable of destroying very consider
able quantity of impurities. The currents of
the Conemaugh and Kiskiminitas are now
much slower than they were during the flood
so that there is much better opportunity for
the stream to purify itself.
A few days of observation at the proposed |
stations might demonstrate that there is no
cause for alarm, and certainly nothing would
be more satisfactory than such report.
PITTsBURG, June 10, 1889. T. P. r.