Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-04
A QUESTION OF SEWAGE.
Investigation into the Water Supply of
Ohio Towns.

Investigation into the Water Supply OF
Ohio Towns.
LONDON, o., August 3.-Dr. ii. j.
Sharp, of this city, President of the
State Board of Health, who, in company
with DR.. Probst, Secretary of the Board,
last week completed an investigation
of the Ohio river in the vicinity of Gin
cinnati and down as far as Gallipolis, to
determine the causes Of pollution OF the
water, to-day gave your correspondent
the following information relative to
the object of the investigation and the
result of the same.
ts1Tha nnae+iaa - --.aA~- S,NnVNlu for
a serious one, on account of possible
pollution of source and supply-for in
stance, lakes and rivers-and COM
plants from time to time having been
lodged with the State Board of Health
by reason of outbreaks of typhoid fever
and diphtheria in various parts Of the
State, and especially along the Ohio
river, last winter, Mr.. McKelvey, the
member from Belmont county in
troduced joint resolution in
the General Assembly calling upon
the State Board of Health
to make an investigation of the Ohio
River, from Pittsburg to Cincinnati, to
determine the causes of pollution Of the
Ohio River and what effect they may
have in causing typhoid fever and diph-
liberia along the river towns and cities,
some of these cities, and Cincinnati es-
pecially, having a high death rate from
typhoid fever, as shown by the vital
statistics from year to year. 1t was
for the purpose of carrying out these
directions that DR.. Probst and myself
made this trip.
1--WE spent nearly three days in Gin
cinnati investigating the conditions
affecting the city water supply. The
people of Cincinnati take considerable
pride in their pure water supply, and
the muddier it is the more wholesome
they seem to think it is. No doubt the
water is good if filtered and made &C
ceptable to the eye.
'We were aided at Cincinnati by DR..
Byron Stanton, a former health officer
of the city; Mr.. Tharp, the Superin-
tendent OF the water works, and Mr..
Trip, the City Engineer, from whom
we received every courtesy and assist
ance in our investigation.
ave made a thorough investigation
Of the river to a point above Coney
Island, and of the Little Miami river.
The conditions affecting the Ohio riter
at these points, and causing pollution OF
water, have reason to cause the people
OF Cincinnati very serious concern.
There are some thirty thousand popula-
ton living between the hills aDd river
between the water works and mouth OF
the Little Miami river, and, while they
have a sewer that drains portion OF
the sewage and empties it into the river
about 100 feet below the pumping
station, there is great amount OF sur
face water and sewage that drain d.
rectly into the Ohio Immediately above
the intake Of the water works, and
during the season Of low water this, to-
gether with the pollution Of the Little
Miami river, must seriously affect the
purity of the water that supplies the
people of Cincinnati.
1--WE have arranged to have samples
OF the water examined chemically and
biolOgically at points near the intake
and above the Little Miami river, above
Coney Island, in order to determine the
condition of the water at those two
points, the one being representative Of
the water that supplies Cincinnati with
drinking water, and the other repre-
senting the water above the sources Of
pollution referred to.
There are no large cities or towns
above Cincinnati that would likely be a
source Of contamination to the water OF
and If the city would go far
enough above its own sources OF pollu-
ton it would likely have pure water for |
ages TO come.
Sat Portsmouth the sanitary author
tiles gave us very pleasant reception.
We found the city with water supply |
taken from the Ohio river and q limited
system OF sewerage, and, like all other
cities and towns that have water-works
ON the river, they have been located
without reference to the future growth
of the city. Since their establishment
the CITY has grown up the river above
the works, where factories have been
located. and thus endangering the water
snnplv from these sources
ave found at Portsmouth that they ]