Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-24

| that the quantity of this horrible matter at the
schindery is reduced to the lowest point before
/ it is permitted to add its multiform objection
able elements to those that already render
] filthy the water Of Beck's run. The presence
| of even small amounts Of such admlxture. car
! rying in its meshes disease-producing germs,
will insure enough organic matter for the
| growth and spread Of colonies of cells and
their ultimate diffusion through the city's
/ water mains.
In the current of Beck's run we find beside
that which has already been noted, the ova Of
probably parasitic worms, and the comma
bacillus Of sewage water, and this alone should
be sufficient TO cause the observer TO rise up in
judgment against the schindery's further con-
tributions of the nature previously indicated
But in this connection it must be borne in
mind that while the organic matter escaping
from the schindery undergoes partial solution
and passing into the run is partly responsible
for communications found in the run below the
organic matter around the schindery, cannot
be viewed as the sources of contamination
found in that part of the run just above. And
to account for this we have further to bear IN
mind that human habitations are scattered all
along both shores of this stream with their
waste matters running constantly into 1t.
The valley through which Becks run winds
its way to the Monongahela river contains
several thousand inhabitants and as the drain
age system is that of the order of nature
toward the lowest water level it follows that
Beck's run becomes, as does the MononEahela,
natural conduit for the transmission Of i'm
purities gathered inland.
When this fact is viewed with other facts.
the constant inflow of organic matter into the
Monongahela from towns and hablrations scat
tered along its shores, and extending to the
sources of the Monongahela itself, it will be
seen that the daily addition of organic matter
to the Monongahela tends ever to increase.
1t remains therefore, to be said if modern
sale publication of our drinking water. the
fresh water supply of the future must be OBJ
tanned from some purer sources. as the lakes.
E. A. MUEDoRF, NJ. ID.
NOT MUCH TO ADD.
What can be added to DR.. Mundorfs re-
port? The horrible illustrations of the con-
tamination, and the faithful representation
of the fatal effects such an admixture cannot
fail to have on the health of a community,
are so clear that the people certainly cannot
fail to see what the result will be If Beck's
run and its tributary contributions are
allowed to continue. And in view of the
City Attorneys opinion as to the city's
jurisdiction, it should not be difficult for the
city officials to discover what their duty Is
in the matter. Whatever may be done in the
future, THE DISPATCH, with the valuable
assistance of DR.. Mundorf, has performed
what was considered to be a duty toward
the people.
In this connection it may be in place to
give Mr.. Soulier's views. When the re-
porter visited the schindery Mr.. Soulier
kindly explained the workings of the estab-
lishment and the process through which the
material is put A horse had just been
brought there to be cut up. The material is
first placed in large, air-tight boiling watts,
from which it is removed, when thoroughly
cooked, to the drier. When the stuff is
taken from the boiling vats quantity of
liquid residue and noisome filth comes from
the watts. An attempt is made to conduct
this matter away from the schindery into a
cistern. The cistern is located between the
establishment and Beck's run, not ten feet
from the stream.
HE THINKS IT SECURE.
Mr.. Soulier claims that the cistern is
secure, and that it is not possible for any Of
the liquid from the horsefesh to get to the