Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-02-28
IS THE GRAND PURE :?
Engineer Goats Repaes to Prof.
Vaughn.
NE DEFENDS SURFACE WATERS
He says That typhoid 6~rms Are
Not Always Common 90 surface
and Riser Matters.

for BAY opinion relative - prof. Vaeghn's
lecture On the SUBJECT 81 drinking
wafer, delivered n Grand Rsp.ds i9st
Friday evening.
,hink exceedingly vel 4 H. aud l
wish more II or medical professors
would turn their atrentien - tbs al.
important -ahiec. and tab asorc 10 she
peopi, absa. H.
Wish the docfos had been more spe-
e.iie 10 the Duluth ease, and toi.. us how
many - the 1870 typhoid cases took
their drinking water from Lake Su-
pe~i,a and how many from pirate
wells \ tcw years since we had al cpl
desaic II d,ph;hcria 10 ka.amaz,o. and
| made a fasl Investigation with the city
heal-h officer and founa that in every
case nearly 4oc- the drinking water
was taken from private wells. not a case
being sccrd where The city water sltp-
ply was used; and yet the city snps.issis
taken from large well sunk IN the
same porous strata that is common with
the private wells the only difference be-
ing that the large city well takes ifs
water frora below the Danger line and
thus escapfs The contaminated waters
The Iron Mountain case. which the
doctor cites in illustration. Is worthy a
fuller reference. IN 1890 ] planned and
constructed 4 system n watec works FOR
Iron Mountain. We took our water
supply from Lake Antoine. a handsome
sheet II water covering about three
square miles III area. The west half 81
this lake WAS shallow and had
a s,rt 81 muck formation or de
posit at bottom, which seems 20 be quite
common in many II these upper PENN
sula lakes. A heavy wind would 81 dis
turh this deposit al Ia make the water
OF this part OF the lake roily or turbid.
The intent had been 10 run our intake
pipe to the middle Of the lake where the
water was deeper and the bottom clean
and rocky; but it was too late TO do this
that season and we made temporary
connections at the shore line on this
shallow west side, intending 10 run TO
the middle OF the lake early in the
| spring OF 81. Before this was done the
people had become greatly prejudiced
against the lake water. To some extent
this marty substance was drawn into the
pumps and forced into the city water
mains. This gave the water a bad look.
and slight amount Of gas generated or
| given OF by this matter made the water
unpleasant 10 the smell and taste. and
when an epidemic OF typhoid fever
broke out the following summer il was
not strange that the people should
| charge il TO this water knew there
could be no typhoid germs in this
water. but sent samples OF the water to
Prof. Vaughn for chemical analysis, and
also obtained the sworn statement of all
the leading physicians OF the city, show.
ing that there was not case Of typhoid
in any family using the water from the
city mains bad as il looked. can cite
the professor to many cities where
ample supplies are afforded by wells A
single well, and this comparatively
small. at Kalamazoo. will supply double
the quantity Of water the city uses.
| call all ground waters subterranean
whether we take them from 10 feet OF
| 10000 feet below the surface. All
ground waters. regardless Of strata con.
ditions, are supplied from the rainfall
munication with the surface waters and
| the rainfall.
The clearness with which the doctor
points out the dangers lurking in our
drinking water should prove great
help and benefit to the people OF Grand
Rapids, but his remarks relative to the
sewage contamination Of our rivers are
not 80 clear and convincing. Ii is GER
tain that Grand Rapids has no other re-
source than the river for her pubic
water supply. and this being true il is
Of the very highest importance 10 know
all the truth relative to this source ~
supply. l have expended great deal
Of time and study in investigating the
effect Of the sewage discharges Of our
cities into our rivers The result 81
these Investigations has convinced me
that the danger from this source is very
mich less than il is commonly supposed
to be. IL the city of Wyandotte gets
any sewage matter from Detroit or else
where IL is simply because of her faulty
connection with Detroit river. have
not so much faith as some profess in the
efficacy of a stream current In quickly
neutralizing and DESTROYING all danger
from sewage matter. bat j do not think
there is the slightest grounds for fear
that the slightest hint OK the sewage az
Jackson or Lansing can ever be
discovered In the river at Grand Rapids
! viii 90 farther than this. do not be
liese that sample az water taken from
the middle ~ Grand river. above the
city, and subjected 10 careful chemical
ANALYSIS. viii show as much evidence IL
sewage contamination az will a sample
81 water taken from the much Wanted
bethesda spring az Waukesha, Wis.
1 should much like 10 see an ANALYSIS
az such sample % water from Grand
rlser. The moro light the better upon
this subject.
". r. Co.rs. c. and L. r.