The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-07
OUR WATER AGAIN.
LISTEN TO THE OTHER SIDE.
Superintendent Boiling Replies to the Doc
tors Indictment Of kiehmono'a Dr'hh-
ing water--Fscts and Figures.

Nothing Of recent date has excited more
interest among the people Of Richmond
than the publication by TIKI TNKs last
Sunday of It's article on the water We drink.
The purpose Of THE TINS was to bring
This question before the public and to pro-
mote the discussion Of a subject 30 vital to
the welfare Of the city.
No doubt there are reasons why this dis
agreeable subject would DO cheerfully
ignored by the City Fathers, at least for
season. and until the mausoleum Of the
oity's cash is completed But there was 3
feeling among our people Of great anxiety
on the ever present water questio n, and II
was growing. THY TrMEs knew this. and
determined at once TO bring the matter Do
fore the public.
The result has been what might have been
expected, for this morning Is laid before
the people a reply from Dir. Charles Il; BOIL
ing the Superintendent Of the CITY water
Works In which he gives the city's side Of
the case with ability and irankness. lie
further suggests he says be has repeat
sdly suggested methods for the improve
ment OF the purity of our water supply
Hisstatements, though dealing with soien-
thc details, will be read with great interest,"
OFFICE or CITY WAgEB WogKs,
gi2 EAST BROAD SHEET,
RICHMOND. VA. August 4, 1892
TO the Editor Of the Times
There appeared an article in TIE TINES
of Sunday. July 8lst, headed The Water
we Drink which demands some notice
from this department. After publishing
the report made 10 the Chamber Of Com
merce December ~. 1891. by a committee
OF the Medical Society. composed Of Drs.
II. NJ Taylor, G. II. Tompkins, Charles
II. Shields and Benjamin Harrison, u con-
tains certain statements from DR.. Hunter
Mcclure wherein be prOnOunces our drlnk-
inc water unwhOlesOme and unfit to drink,
and recommendations by the said commit
tee DR. McGurekand Mr.. WhitcOmb 20 this
effect that we take our water for the new
pumps Immediately from the river near the
New pump house instead Of from the torebay
at the pump-house.
The article referred 10 reflects most seri-
ously upon the officers Of this department.
The committees on water the Board Of
Health aud the city councils who have had
charge of this matter for the last ten wears
(for such has been the length OF time snce
our new pumps we're put Ia operauon) VINO
sat in "a state of idleness and lethargy, ana
with no interest or care in the matter, al
lowed this thing 10 90 on. and 1t remains for
q committee of the Medical Society, COM
posed of DTs Hugh NJ. Taylor, Chris
TOPPER TOmpkns. Charles NJ. Shields and
Benjamin Harrison to make personal
examination and find that the people of
Richmond have been drinking the con-
taminated and polluted water OF the canal
for years and il would seem that such
state OF things had been allowed 10 go on all
this time with no thought or care on the
part OF the authorities having the matter IN
charge Suppose we look at some OF the
fHcts IN the case as opposed 70 the theories
which have been given cut.
IN the summon or 1884 the Committee on
Water made an inspection of the canal from
the pump-bOuoe TO Bosber5 dam and d.
Tected that the water flowing from the river
above BO-her's dam TO the canal and that
from each stream emptylng into the canal
above the pump-h0use should be both /
measured and Analysed. At that time the |
water coming from the river into the canal |
was much less in volume tnan il is now /
Careful measurements of the volumes were |
made by the City Engineer and analyses by |
DT. William III Taylor. State chemist. 1t t
vas shown by the analysis OF DR.. William /
II. Taylor that the water in the fOrebay at |
the pump-hOuse. which had received all the /
flow OF the tributary streams along the |
canal, was better than il was in the river |
above Boshers dam. due 20 the settling and /
aeration It gets along the route between the /
dam and pump-hOuse and the sample taken |
from the hydrant lowing TO the settling in /
the reservoir was better than the rest. |
Furthermore It was shown that the much |
talked OF and condemned water OF THckahoe /
creek was even better than .Croton water |
which New York city has spent millions Of /
dollars 10 procure. IL should be observed |
just here that at this time we are taking /
from the river above Bosher's dam 26l 1903 /
gallons per minute, and from all the streams |
combined along and tributary 10 the canal /
1872 gallons per minute, nor is the /
canal a slow-howing and stagnant stream 4
but 1t has velocity of one mile and a half |
per hour and 1t takes Just five hours for the 4
water entering the feeder from the river to |
reach the pumps. The chances of contami- |
nation of each Of the small streams flowing |
into the canal was looked into. With the |
exception Of Tuckahoe creek, the areas /
drained by the smaller streams were small, |
the ground cultivated in very limited /
manner. few dwelling houses and occu- /
pants. and they in most instances consider |
ably removed from the banks of the |
streams The entire north bauk of the |
canal from the pump-house for four miles /
west Is scantiy populated and the water /
shed q small one. The dividing ridge varies
from quarter OF a mile 20 a mile north of /
the canal, and nearly all the farm drainage /
goes nOrthwardly into the Chckahominy |
river For a considerable distance along |
the canal the land Is we'll covered with /
woods. and Is not under cultivation. All of /
this was under consideration and examina-
ton for weeks.
Last September the aforementioned COM /
mittee. accompanied by Colonel Cutshaw |
City Engineer. myself and others. took /
train rendered by the Chesapeake and Ohio /
railway and ran over our canal. We were |
back in Richmond in four hours. Wegot out |
and looked at TuckahOe creek wnere il |
passes under the railroad. four miles above /
the dam. and again looked at il where it
II Joined the feeder. No inspection of its
channel and banks was made 10 learn what
evils II bore, nor In what manner it acted as
n sewer. The waters of none of the little
streams were sampled or tested and may
cay Just here that all Of the streams except
Iuckahoe creek find their source from pure
springs but a short distance from their final
discharge into the canal. 1t took iust four
hours for the medical committee 10 con-
denim these streams
We come now 10 the question OF the pol
luted sewage taken into the canal at what
Is called the Philadelphia quarry. There
are about seventy-hye or one hundred
laborers here who are day laborers and who
live IN and near Richmond; they and their
families do not reside at the quarry There
are specially provided priyies for the use Of
the wOrkmen. and notices are posted all
around that these privies alone must be
used: they are not connected with and do
not discharge their contents into the little
drain which finds ife vvav into fha capoI