The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-07-31
rnE PURE wArER QUESTION.


A Correspondent s. no is Inclined to Agree
With DE-. AshbroOlE.
To the Editor Of ne hnoltqHoer:
sIR:-The subject matter OF "better
water" is bringing to the fore many
views as to the better method Of secur-
ing this absolutely necessary feature,
with probability that out of the many,
the better will, ultimately, and all pray
speedily, be adopted and as speedily put
into use.
The remarks Of the gentleman of Full
ton, DIR. Asllbrook, as quoted in your
paper of Wednesday last, are, in the
main, correct, especially as to the mud
dy and otherwise Objectionable nature
OF the water Of Wheeling creek. All Of
these objections and many more rs
bad will be discovered to actually exist
upon Il thorough acquaintance with this
stream, and these, coupled with the i'm
probability OF the stream furnishing II
sufficient volume OF water at all seasons,
practically remove any proposition
looking to that end from the field OF
consideration.
Weare led to believe that no system
known to human science can be made
to restore the contaminated water OF the
Ohio river to its original purity or to
anything like purity, advocates OF cribs
and filtering humbugs TO the contrary
Notwithstanding.
No other source Of surface supply can
be brought into the case, and people
are thereby that much farther removed
from the probability of unwittingly
adopting system OF water supply
which would carry into every family
contagion and disease.
Human ingenuity and knowledge OF
facts have placed the world in posses
sion Of the great and necessary secret
by the application and following OF
which water distilled by q process
known only TO the God OF nature can be
procured in abundance from reservoirs
in which contamination is equality UNI
known and liieitselfilows at the asking.
1t is asserted by people whose intelli-
gcnce has not penetrated this particu-
lar domain OF science that such water is
not accessible at all places Such an as
sertion is refuted by fact which estab-
fishes itself in the actual finding OF such
water where u proper effort in that line
hus been made. Hence the writer feels
warranted in asserting that ninety-nine
per cent OF proper investigation made in
that direction in the city or about it, or
elsewhere, will be successful in secur-
ing of deep-lying water.
A case, in fact, if not more cases, ex-
lists within the city, that Of an ice man
utacturing concern located on Water
street, north ofTwenty-third, which has
now in successful operation three me
dunn sized artesian wells, from which
is pumped the most excellent of water;
clear, sparkling and last, but not least,
pure. Minerals there may be at its
source or in its course, but not such ms
to carry in its body tine germs Of typhoid
fever, miasm, indeed microcosm of all
the ills that flesh is heir to. The con-
tact with these subterranean belong
ings, lot them be OF what species they
NAV, does not remove the fact that such
water is purer than any to be had on
the surface of the earth, despite tho
vaporings Of those men Of mighty wis
dom who love to be known rs scientists,
among whom one set contends GER
tain matter is health destroying, to be
refuted by another who contends that II
is health giving, and so on to the end of
the list, and likely to the end OF time,
without people in the course OF events
find it necessary to make the assump-
ton science felony.
With the drilling of few such artes-
ian wells at suitable point, say on the
summit OF either Wheeling or Chapline
hill, close TO the city reservoir, test
well could easily and cheaply be drilled,
and it would be the better thing, with
proper appreciation Of economy, to do
so close to the reservoir, SO that in case
water be had sufficiently abundant, the
reservoir would answer all purposes of
storage that it now does; and in case
the hill does not prove to bear water,
which, however, is not likely, (see the
liberal flow at the head OF Fourteenth
street, under what seems to be the
fourth substratum OF limestone, and
likely not, judging the limestone from
under which it flows to be level as to
its north and south formation, over 200
feet beneath the apex OF the hilll then
the lowlands remain, wherein wells, at
the cost OF very nominal sum each,
would reward the seeker with success.
II the lowlands had to be resorted to,
the modern improvement in storing
water in stand pipes and the facility
with which the contents of the pipes
could be placed in the basin, the clean
illness in which the basin could cheaply
be kept, since this water is free OF dirt,
leave no comparison between Ohio
river or Wheeling creek and subterran-
eous water.
Mheeling, Juyso.