Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-30
A PLEA FOR PURE WATER
Is Endorsed by the Signatures of
Over Eighty Physicians.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED
To Maintain and Advance the Prosperity
Of the Northside.
HksUON0R'S APPEAL FOR A BOND ISSUE

letter to the voters OF Allegheny City. 1t
will be issued tomorrow. In it the Mayor
ardently advocates the issue of S. 250, 900
worth of bonds to pay for much-needed
public improvements His Honor declares
that in this feature the Northside is behind
every other city in the United States. He
also makes an earnest argument for purer
water.
The Mayor says in his letter: "Our water
st present is taken from the river below
Herr's Island, and at a point opposite
Twenty-second street, Pittsburg When the
Davis Island dam is up, the back water ex-
tends about half mile above an infuent
pipe, making dead water at that point We
have on the Allegheny side, above our in
fluent pipe, four sewers, one of them DRAIN
ing all of Troy Hill, besides several tan
neries and white lead works. On Herr's
Island are two factories for making fertiliz-
ers, one large abattoir or slaughter house.
and large stock yard, all their DRAWINGS
emptying into the river above our Water
works.
Polluted by Sewage From Hospitals.
''On the Pittsburg side there are some II
sewers, including large ones like Twenty
eighth street, from West Penn Hospital;
the Thirsy-third street, draining nearly all
the East End; the Forty-second street, from
ST. Francis Hospital, and altogether the
sewage from some $4,000 people, within
three miles above our present water supply.
The new dam at Heirs Island will make
the water still worse; that the water is full
of filth and absolutely smells when drawn
from the spigots no one will deny.
"And now for the remedv We propose
to lay 6O-inch pipe, commencing at pres
ent water works, thence up the Butler road
to Pine Creek and river bank and Clare
mont to Nine Mile Island, where we would
get pure water. At this point We would
place a small pumping station, at an esti-
mated cost of $50, 900, and deliver the water
to our present works in Allegheny. The
estimated cost of running this pumping
plant per year would be $4,000. At Nine
Mile Island there is an excellent site for
reservoirs for the future, or, if the natural
fltering system is adopted, the island would
make perfect place. Above the island for
five miles the hills are close to the river and
no chance for town being built in the
future.
Looking for Pure Water Supply.
fIn advertising for bids for extending the
water main to Nine Mile Island, we will re-
serve the right to stop at Six Mile Island,
SO that if we find the water good at that point
and the natural plan of filtering through
the gravel practicable, We could stop there
and save large amount of money. If we
stop at Six Mile Island, the sewers of the
Poor Farm, workhouse and new town of
Aspinwall could be extended below our
pumping station.
with regard to streets we are probably
behind every city in the United States. 1t
costs from $4,000 to 500, 900 per year to
clean and keep in repair our old cobblestone
streets, or about three times the interest on
the proposed bond issue for streets Now
that the streets are washed clean, the pub
lie can see their condition for themselves,
and it simply resolves itself to this ques-
tion: Our cobbIestone pavements are worn
out Shall we buy new cobblestones and re-
pave, or put down good improved pave
ments? The actual saving in repairs, with
out considering the question of improve
ment 10 adjacent property, will more than
save the interest and amount placed to the
sinking fund yearly. 1 consider it a good
business proposition to save money by re-
pAdNAuS OuI O1u CODUltSlOuts WIFI D ROOO,
substantial, improved pavement
Many New Sewers Are Needed.
GAS to sewers, whether the bond issue is
favorably voted on or not, certain work
must be done next year; the present
Butchers lun sewer is in bad condition,
and must be promptly looked after "A
sewer to run from Butchers run to the
river, via Madison avenue, can be con-
structed at far less cost than the OLD plan of
a street or open water way. Woods run
must have sewer from the river to Brigh-
ton road, TO drain large portion of the
Tenth and Eleventh wards. A main sewer
on Perrysville avenue is absolutely neces-
sary, as that portion of the city is without
auv sewers.
'Our light towers in the Old CITY should
be removed, and an equal number of lights
on mast arms used instead A number of
streets without lights must be looked after,
besides new lights in the rapidly growing
suburban districts
''If the bond issue is favorably consid- |
cred by the people and passed, the mi!lage
the first year will not be increased more
than 4 to 1'mill, and when all the bonds |
are issued, the millage would not be in
creased over from 1 to mills above present |
millage, and, in nv opinion, 1 mill will |
cover all increase when all bonds are is |
sued. !
"To do the work by direct tax would |
make millage of over 30 mills If the |
bond issue is voted down, we must increase |
our millage mills for sewers alone, with |
out considering water or streets
''The citizens of Allegheny are all aware |
of the fact that we must improve our water.
streets and sewers. If this is done our city |
will steadily advance; if the bond issue |
fails, then direct taxation is the only |
remedy"
Bad Water Causing Much Disease.
Over so physicians of Allegheny have
signed the following Recommendation for a |
better water supply:
"We the undersigned physicians of the
city of Allegheny, believing and kno wing
that contamination of drinking water is a
contaminated by the dejecta of those suffer-
ing from germ disease, do heartily concur
in the movement now on foot whereby
the people may secure q better sup
ply of pure water. We recommend
the movement on account of the
following sources of impurities, all |
of which empty into the river above the in
fluent water pipe: Sewers of Pittsburg, es-
pecially those carrying the waste from the
West Penn Hospital and the Mercy hos
pital, the Thirty-third street sewer, drain
ing nearly all of East Liberty, which will
increase as that part of the city grows
"From the cattle yards on Herr's Island.
which fill the water with nltrates and
urates, and from the private sewers along
the banks of the stream on the ALLEGHENY
side. It is our belief that If We avoid
those sources of filth that the mortality of
the city will be lessened, and in case of an
epidemic that better water will not only
help those who are suffering from an illness