The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-06-05
DANGER IN YHH WATER,
The Ohio River Water Fright
fully Polluted and Poisoned
PEOPLE WARNED AGAINST 1T
Until Effects of the Flood are Past
How to Purify the Water oheapIy
and Quickly City Health
Officer GarPIson's View.

The Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph Of
yesterday says that the people in that
city are called on to be careful about the
use Of water as IN epidemic is appre-
hended, This remark applies with force
in Wheeling, Tho flood Of water that
swept through YOUNGSTOWN has cleaned
out hundreds Of cesspools, All these
were filled with filth, the accumulation
Of years, The barn,yRrds, manure, dirt
from henneries and swamps that were
swept by the waters has all been carried
down Into the Allegheny river, In
addition to this there are the bodies
OF persons drowned, Some Of these
will in all likelihood be secreted
among the debris and never found.
Hundreds Of CarCasses OF animals OF va
rious kinds are also in the river, These
will purify and decay, throwing out an
animal poison that Ia the most injurious
to tho health OF the community. All
this filth and poisonous matter Is being
carried into the Allegheny and Ohio,
1t will DO pumped up into the reservoir
and distributed throughout the city, In
such case the result most probably will
be the breeding OF infectious aud con.
tagious diseases.
At tho head OF Fourteenth street in
this city Is a large, never failing spring
Of pure water. All day yesterday resi-
dents in that section OF the city were
carrying water from this spring, some Of
them going several squares, with buck
cts, pitchers and jugs,
OF course this one spring will not be.
gin to supply the demand for pure
water. A famine in this regard can be
overcome by the use Of mineral waters,
large variety Of which are on sale at
the drug stores. Those who do not care
to drink mineral waters, or who cannot
afford TO do so, need not, however, sui.
for for the want OF water to drink. The
Impurities In the river water com.
ing from the reservoir and the germs OF
death 1t contains at this time, and
must necessarily contain for tho next
few days, can be killed by the boiling
process, All water used from the by.
drants should be thoroughly boiled be.
fore taking into the stomach. II this
suggestion is acted upon there will be
no cause for uneasiness, and serious con.
sequences will be avoided. Otherwise,
the results might DO disastrous to the
health OF the community. It WILDE oh.
served that this all.important matter Is
referred to in the dispatches from Johns
town this morning. The sanitary com.
mittees have sent out the warning, and
the people living along the Ohio river
should heed 1t,
A physician who was interviewed on
this subject advises free use OF lime;
"The precipitation OF the ooze and
slime Of rivers is dangerous when sub.
jeCted to the suns rays, and Is favorable
for the prol;feration OF bacterial germs,
and a heavy coat Of lime Is about the
best way TO get rid OF them.
This should be done all along the
valleys. would then have tho waters
drawn Oft tho city reservoirs one at q
time, have them washed out and sub.
jected to a quantity Of lime also. This
would purify the water and be health.
full for tho people, who get too little lime
in the cities.
"The people must, II they would avoid
danger, litter and boil all water used for
domestic and potable purposes. When
the water is turbid with mud II can be
made beautifully clear by allowing 1t to
stand in vessel and adding three or
four drops OF the tinCture OF chloride Of
iron to the gallon, or a small;amount Of
pulverized alum. These will cause all
animal and vegetable matter, including
bacteria, 10 preCipitate 10 the bottom.
The vessel ought to be covered tightly,
because water Is easily polluted from
contact with air. Boiled water Is insipid
because Of the evaporation Of the air;
pinch Of salt will give 1t more pleas
ant taste"