Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-08
THE PEOPLE THIRST.
Citizens Cannot Drink the Unpalata-
Bile River Washings.
SOME POINTERS ON A PURE SUPPLY
A Plan for Utilizing Mountain Springs in
the Yough Valley.
OTHER TALK ON A LIVE QUESTION

"Ugh! What nasty stuff, d" is the general
exclamation on the Southside when citi-
zen holds glass of water up before drink
ing it. The condition of the water the past
week has become unbearable. 1t is not only
muddy, but Shiny and smells bad. In fact.
it is impossible for some to drink it, except
from necessity. and then, though it satisfies
thirst in measure, it leaves taste in the
mouth that suggests fever or some other dis
ease and is nauseating. Ii pitcher OF
water stands for an hour or so, black sedi-
ment forms in the bottom quarter of inch
thick and the water is still so muddy that
one cannot see his hand on the opposite side
of the glass.
1t is common when two citizens meet and
the subject is broached, for one to say, 81
have not drunk any water for weeks" At
the boarding houses no one drinks water; 1t
is all tea, coffee or milk. Many, who never
drank anything stronger than water before,
have had to resort to coffee or tea to quench
their thirst. The saloons, too, have noticed
an increase in their patronage. "If such is
the case now what will we do when warm
weather comes?" said a lady to a DISPATCH
man. 'I have got along until just recently
because had ice; but what are we to do
when we cannot get Ice? There is no ice
left and even if the companies have machine
ice, it will come so high that we cannot
afford to buy it.
With view of finding out just what the
citizens do think in regard to the water
question and a remedy, DISPATCH re-
porter started out on an interviewing tour.
Alderman Succop was first questioned. He
said: ''There is no use of talking about the
condition of the water; it is too well known
to agitate. We have to drink. and sup
pose will have to put up with it.
"But is there no remedy? What do you
think ought to be done?" queried the re-
porter.
SOME OTHER SOURCE NECESSARY.
"WelI, the final outcome will be that the
city will have to look to some other source
for its water supply, and that time is not far
distant. The towns all along the rivers are
making them too much like sewers. Where
that source will be must be determined by
engineers who are perfectly acquainted
with the subject of water supply"
"What do you think about the lakes as a
source; do you think this scheme, which
| has often been broached, practical %
"Well, it might be practical, but too
| costly. There must be other sources of
| supply in the mountains. There are many
mountain streams; why not utilize some of
them? Take the Cheat river, tor instance.
| 1t is only about g. miles, in a straight line,
from Pittsburg. There are other streams
| that may be nearer. That could all be as
| certained by little investigation. If you
| want to find out more about the water
IL.
Kemmler."
Mr.. Kemmler was seen, and proved to be
very we'll informed on the subject. He has
| traversed most of the streams about Pitts
burg for some miles while searching for
Indian mounds and pursuing his other
archaeological studies. He is an old resi-
dent of the Southside, and has turned his
information thus gained to account in
formulating what he thinks would be very
feasible plan for obtaining source of pure
water supply. In explanation of his plans
Mr.. Kemmler said:
MOUNTAIN SPRINGS AVAILABLE.
"I have thought a good deal over the
water question. We cannot long use the
water from the rivers. The towns all along
the rivers are building up fast, and empty
their COMMUNICATIONS into them. 1t is COM
mon practice along the river to throw dead
horses or other dead animals into the rivers.
Sewers and the filth from mills and factories
add to the contaminations. We must look
to tie mountains. The lakes are too far
away to be considered until all else fails
to point out a supply. The Yough-
iogheny river has been spoken of,
but its banks, too, are fast being
dotted with settlements, and we must look
beyond. Why not use the mountain springs
in the Yough Valley? There are large
springs all along the valley; or wherever the
small streams enter into the Yough they
could be utilized.
Reservoirs could be made at the different
springs and the small streams could be
damned. A main supply pipe could run
up the Youghiogheny Valley, and pipes run
from the springs and streams to connect with
it. 1t would be system of drainage of the
mountain sides. The pipes might have to
nelisville, but that would make the distance
to Pittsburg short. I think 1t would make
a natural fall of about 100 or 125 feet. That
would hardly put the water into the South
side basin, which is 210 feet above the river.
The Highland basin is 357 feet. Low basins
could be constructed, and would be neces-
sary in order to have a supply always on
hand.
POINTERS ON WATER SUPPLY.
ST have noticed one thing in my
frequent jaunts along the wood, streams
emptying into the river that beautifully
illustrate the effect of the forests on water
supply. At Thompson's station there is
little stream which starts up in the wood
land. Its banks are fringed with woods,
and the country is almost in its primeval
state. The stream never runs dry, and the
water is as pure and sparkling as poets
10
Saw Mill run, Charters creek and others
+ know, which were once the same. Now
the woods are beginning to be thinned out,
and the streams 60 dry sometimes. You
find a stream with its banks fringed with
trees and you are sure to find pure water.
Thomas Evans, the glass manufacturer,
said that he was inclined to look at the
matter from liberal standpoint. He did
not believe in blaming the Monongahela
Water Company, but, if the water is i'm
pure, no matter who furnishes it, something
should be done. Mr.. Evans residence is in
Allentown, which receives its supply from
a tank, the water being pumped from the
reservoirs on the hill opposite the river
counts for the Allentown water being
more clear than that on the
Southside, as it gives it one more chance to
settle. Mr.. Evans said that the water
should be properly filtered. At his home
none is used without iltering or boiling.
He said that Chautauqua Lake would be
good source of supply, and the proper thing
for the city to have done before they laid
the main across the river at Tenth street,
at big expense, would have been to COM
bine with Allegheny and bring water from
Lake Chautauqua.
To add to the bad condition of the water.
L.. &c aha1a