Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-07
Orr WATER SUPPLY.
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Men Of Emincnce Discuss The Cues
ton Of It's Purity.
COLONEL CUTSHaW'S VIEWS.
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Thinks The Present Source Better Than The
River Ilsel! Would Be-
FACTS BY MR.. BOILING.
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-. Ao.vers the Attack tn an Interesting
ArtioIe-Intcrvisw with the state
Chemist, Mir. blair. and Others
FACTS BY MIR. BOILING.

chemist, MIR. Blair and Others
The purity and healihfulnoss Of our
S,gnne-wator having been seriously
,s,.noned in publication recently made
..oo q the city papers The Council has
..t.-r,l the subject 70 the Committee on
ystrr Cor report.
The same question has been repeatedly
$500 - this season Of the year, but every
.-..,s.. has vind!cated the water and con-
.,...l tho belief Of those in charge of
I..lrnch Of the municipal government
city in the Union has a better water
spar 49,,
Ia, matter is Que in which our entire
..'.-.stlou is Interested. All want plenty
,,,4.er and they must have it pure and
t...Ay. With view TO enhghtnlng the
..f.. GA the question OF whether the
'..,- we drink IL contaminated or not the
u...rr1 has sought and obtained the
,..a. ef those mon. who above all Others.
.....l DO prepared 20 speak on this theme.
qIs .r,crviews. which have been gotten
,..t Gaze and considerable labor. are gwen
t.,r. and afford what seems to be
,.,laat evidence upon which to base
-s.-u,Lt:
Ito City Eucineer's Views.
cq.usi Cutshaw. the CITY Engineer, was
,.., busy when the reporter called to ask
i.v.e, about our drinking-water, and
.. conld not talk as fully as be would
.l.f1. tut that he would answer as brief
lr,sr sible such questions as might be
,t.f Being asked what be thought of
ts ..stemeuts published a week ago with
,.te-.ree 20 the purity Of the water, the
Trc,peor sad ne had read them carefully,
aai sldsd
"Wih al respect for the opinion so
srs.., expressed 10y these most estimable
gentlemen. all well known to us, as emf
non, ln their professions. think there was
a.l,a. deal SAID which is highly sensa-
r,iaL Considering that nearly one-half
che SUMMER flow Of the river Is passing
down the canal and at the rate of mile
orr.. ne az hour and the very small amount
oflanase added 10 II, even If allowed 10
continue flowing into the canal, 1t is quite
e,.r,tch # the Imagination TO characterize
tae c4lal as q sewer. For the same reasons
t.st these gentlemen condemn the canal
ssaseuer. that portion Of the river which
ff-vle recommend the water to be pumped
vom should be condemned as n sewer;
leoau.eit has larger proportion of the
saur kni of drainage discharged into it
cluus Its summer flow.
CLEAR wATEB-BAsINs.
"Vhat DO YOU think is the remedy to
have better water if the surroundings of
cer water supply is as bad as repre-
tnteit
"Ile simplest remedy is 10 carry the
l-.Ilcc Of all the creeks and hill slopes
ASA. from the canal, as was suggested
some years ago when this same question
a.s eAamiucd into by the officials of the
Dty under complaint Of the Board OF
H-aau. But, in my opinion, the best
I.an yet suggested by any one to have
i'.Ic as well as clear water Is the recon-
. suladou Of Mr. Boiling, superintendent
o.. Nator-W Orks. to construct IA clear
Wat,r-baslu ia the rlycr above the pump
v.-6s and near the canal with pipe or
c.auuel leading to the pumps. This plan
would keep the supply TO the reservoir
,lder existing conditions practically free
,.om possible communications and give us
}esides what we have long hoped for
c.ear drinkiHs-water'
WAS ONCE CONTEMPLATED.
What 10 you think of the plan sug.
f,s.ed by MIR. Whitcomby"
III YOU VIII call upon Mr.. Boiling and
lave ham take you TO the pump-wOrks and
&C., lam explain matters there you Will SEQ
IL yourself that this plan Is already part
.. tie arrangement Of the new works. and
,a,y requires the laying down Of some
e.l, or ten pipes now piled up ut one
eide o. the lock, and the building of a
short dam with gates ~ il 10 perfect the
.eia..s for pumping from the feeder. This
arrangement would have been completed
a.l Dpcrated ten years ago If the canal
laJ been maintained as navlgable water-
$685.. The objection TO pumping water
irln the feeder or the river near Il is that
'he water Is no better than that IN the
canal and has more aggravated source OF
cor;amiuatlon, and therefore the com
; .a'ut ABOUT contaminated water would
uJ. cease
IHE Destruction or GERMS
What do you think Of the theory ad-
ylr.cd that the germ in water Is never de-
sIul.1 CT ITS danger leesened by dilu-
t.,t"
10 IS absurd and absolutely refuted by
experiment. and by both chemical and bio
l.-a.a, science. All organic matter. whether
.lol,e or the lnhnltesimal microbe, like
cay ot- or putresclble matter. 10 finally re-
.Fr1 INTO Us elements, III which forms 1t
Us uegtIauzed by dilulion like any other
gaseous matter but IN conjunction with
a.luou YOU have abundant ar,ation, so that
C.u-.a. exposure to sunlight aud the at
i.- lgte. Iaust combine 10 destroy germs
a. AIS other organic forms. and hnaily re-
? Fc taeu INTO their elements. II the
t--.iy is maintained thai germ once IN
O.. water /, never destroyed. then no part
our river would DO III 10 drink from,
~ we should be IN danger from dozen
O. more habi,able settlements on the river
b-OY5 our city,