The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-14

l 4
r;oS ~ tha. current TO the north bank at
the ,r,mn- house then we will admit that we
49, haan mjsinformed. We are led to be-
IT, shs,a h a river current flowing along or
near the south tank from Boshers dam 10
the water wheels Of the Old Dominion Iron
and Nail Works south Of Belle Isle, when
,'nrid prevent the apples and the water
Tnr apated in from going TO the north
bank II would DO a matter OF regret 10
Snd that the water drawn from the river az
The oid pump works aud given us through
The Nersball reservoir ~ also contaminated
Tho military maps show an island Ia the
river Oh the south shore one ana
oue-half miles long reaching from
I obout opposite the PoWhatan Iron WORKS
a. a noint on the south bank seyen-eighths
If a mile above the feeder at Grants dam.
The river at this point Is at least ten thou
sand feet wide and It's southern bank all the
NAV from the island to Belle Isle, which u
enfirslv below the pump house, - concaYe
/ 10 the river and we naturally look Tor tne
main current OF river next TO cOhcaFe
shore.
NO REEY.
There Is. moreover, no evidence on the
MAPS Of reef acting as dam e1tehu.hg
/ across the river from the south slae 70 tue
/ end of Grants dam OF any other point NJ
/ tbouph several small islands are shown
i
| THING tending 10 throw the drainage from
! the south to the north bank, but exactly the
me Superintendent Of the Water Works
saws the drainage from the prYles AZ the
Philadelphia quarry does not 60 INTO inc
canal. We are glad to hear ID does not now,
il certainly aid AT the time the committee
examinedit. had done so for long time and
probably would have continued TO 90
80 but for the committees report Inc
super;ntendent fails inadvertently. we as
sumo 20 make il clear that be had the con
dition OF affairs changed after the commit
tees report. He also. inadvertently. we
presume. fails TO mention that dltch
through or around the clay bank. between the
excavations at Westham and the canal dlu
enable the stagnant and overflow water
fyom these excavations TO enter directly into
the canal and our drinking water. Inc SUI
perintendent tries to lessen the elect OF the
reDort Of the committee by making IT APP
pear that the report was made after o very
hurried inspection. AZ has been stated SUD
committees were left at different points
along the route, and twenty minutes ~
spection Of such points as Tuckahoe creek,
Westhan and Philadelphia Quarry would
have been sufficient TO note the serious pol
luton of our drinking water at these points.
Surprise was expressed that we did not
secure samples Of the polluted water Tor
chemical analysis.
TO EYES AND NOSE.
The evidences furnished. the eye and
nose were sufficient, and we know that e1-
pert chemists had affirmed that chemical
analysis is insufficient 70 show that wafer
is free from the germs Of disease; and, more
over. We had heard that our state chemist
IAN expert had found the water from be-
low Rockets, after all the sewerage OF the
city was mixed with it, q little purer than
samples taken from the reservoir, city
hvdrants DC With such testimonies as
TO the value of chemical analysis we
could but conclude that tie evidences 70
eye and nose were of sufficient value. Inc
biological examination made FOR the super
intendent is interesting. Seyenty-IWo DAG
terra 70 the centemetrO Of water - equal TO
about 1. 700 TO the tumbler full. 1t does not
state whether the sample was secured alter
O rainfall at which time the number would
be greatly increased and the character
changed or after a dry spell, when the
drainage is manly from springs and not
from cOntaminatlng surfaces.
Such a report 20 be reliable should have
been the result Of the examination OF many
samples OF water obtained at different
times. places, etc On the whole. ] think
the committee should feel satisfied with the
effect of its report which commended itself
favOrably TO the committee on health and
sanitation of the Chamber of Commerce
If not to the board Of directors
We can but hope that the aglta-
ton OF this important matter may
result in remedylng the conditions 50 SER
iously objected TO by many of our citizens,
and to which We have called attention even
If seemingly TO some purely imaginary.
The committee will. we are sure, note with
great satisfaction the efforts of the Superin-
tendent TO have a settling basin. TO be filled
from the river direct, promising not only
clear water, but water lmpOlluted by the
dangerous sources of contamination to
which attention has been called. This IS
all the committee contended for, and
all must hope that this plan will not
be found impractc8be. under the
present financial condition Of the city. and
ii not that q further consideration Of the
plan Of draining the water direct from
the river at the pump-house, when we are
assured can be done for 1000 may present
itself in a more favorable light and be tried
at once as q satisfactory solution Of the
mooted point as TO the purity Of the water
IN the river opposite the pump-hOuse can
not be reached without II. We hope an
unbiased sanitary expert will be employed
10 study and report upon this and other
matters looking b an Improvement IN the
sanitary condition of the city, and reduc-
ton of our excessively high death rate.
HUGH NJ. TAYLOR,
CHRISTOPHER ToNpKINs.
PHILADELPHIA QUARRY.
The following foot note is added to the
above report ana will explain itself Spe-
cial attention is called 10 It's contents:
Dr. TOmpkins' report of the condition of
affairs found at the Philadelphia quarry was
as follows The company worked about
ninety men. more or less, and their
common prvies were within six OF eight
feet of a stream, which after running
about seventy-iye yards poured its
contents into the canal the ground all
slopiug in way favorable 10 carry the
washings of the prlyes IN that direction.
No adequate protection was found 20 pre-
vent most foul contamination. the only bar
rler being Insignificant and composed of
loose pieces of granite thrown together IN
der and about the closets There was also
privy directly over the river used not so
frequently bY the men of the quarry. the
drOppings of which would of necessity find
their way 10 the Old pump works and
thence 10 the Old reservoir. Your commit
tee was also told of a stream leading from a
dairy and of q ditch or bitches from an old
field where dead horses and COWS were COM
monty thrown and deposited. The con-
tents of these streams and this ditch or
these bitches finally worked their way into
the canal ana thereby helped TO make our
drinking water still more impure
Mr.. Boiling. in criticisng the above re-
port, saws
There are about seYenty-fye or one hun
dred labOrers here who are daV-la bOrers and