Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-03-28
TESTS by Professor McMrrtrie, late
Chemist in Chief, U. 8. Ag icultursl De-
partment, Washington. ID, c.:
Gu. in. Gas per o
Our Water supply.


am plea: ed TO notice that number OF
our cltizeus have taken up the subject of
our water supply. The Brandywine
water does not appear to be what it
should be. Said one physician, 1t is not
poisoned yet; another feared contamina-
ton from sewage; still another ieart
contamination from the great water shed
OF 029 acres, go 1t appears something
must be done. The editor of the Every
Evening eaid on Tuesday, the Brandy
wine Is often littls more than a bed oi
rocks, and the putreiaction of sewage In
sluggish current or in pools or clingiup
TO the rocks may not only become obnox,
ious, but must necessarily be dangerous
to public health. Such pictures arr
disagreeable to imagine, but common
sense requires that they be needed befoI,
possible ard sad experience forces upoI
Wilmington more d, srly- bought lesson
| examined the Brandywine May 9th
1888, and published the result of my In
spectioA in the Every Evening. The
editor, In an editorial, said, in his com.
municatioL elsewhere Secretary Frazer
1t seems to us, is trying to get uD too big
scare over the pollntiop OF our drinking
water. NJ thirsty man hcsitates to drink
from rural stream which looks clear
and limpid, and such the upper Brandy
wine is.
As to alleged contamination from city
sewage the secretary's argument Is
irrelevant, since no one ever thought OF
contendlDg that the Brandywine had
how enough to purify itself of such faint
before delivering 1t into the south long
race. But what does this faint amount
tot Certainly nothing startling. The
settling reservoir will make 1t clear and
pure. But there ls no reason why we
should mistake q mole hill for nouu-
tain; ten months lapse OF time makes
many and important changes, even to
the opinions OF an editor, when few big
gums come to the frcnt This subject OF
a Wa er supply has been recently inves'i-
gated by committee of scientific gentle
men, and 1 have their report before me.
They say in part OF the draiDage area be
gwen up to settlement and commercial
enterprise, with their consequent sewage
and manufacturing waste, the city must
be prepared TO hnd another source OF
supply for Its daily wants, or pay the
penalty of an lncreas d death rate from
preventable disease. The report deals
with the subject in an able manner, and
should be read by our p ople.
1t does not refer to mole-hills OF noun
tains, but the subject of pure water
supply is reduced TO Its simplest terms. /
may again quote from this report, and
am sure our people will receive such in
formation with pleasure and profit by its
teachings. The report closes with the
following resolution:
ResolS Sed, That 1t is the well considered
belief Of this Association that 1t is an i'm
peratiye necessity, espec ally in the more
populous Stats, that State Legislatures
should give their boards OF health that
financial support which would enable
them to act int.lligenty on all questions
pertaining TO the public water supplies,
investigating them at the same time with
the supervision of the said supplies and
with power to preserve these waters from
by sewerage or other In
furious matters. L. B. FRAZER.
Do you need q bag or barrel Of -four?
You can get 1t at your own price at
Tenth aud Shipley streets. Price per
barrel, "a. rs, $3.50, $6.45, $500, $7.2O,
S7.25, $500, $3.50. We give YOU 25c.
for your empty barrels and 25c. OH for
cash. Don't forget the place, Tenth and
Shipley streets. Open at haifapast6 a.
m. aud close At s O'Clock, p. m.
SALFNER NCo. ,.