Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-13
Turbid Water and Restaurants.

To the EDITOR of The Eoening star:
The statistics of the turbid Potomac given in
DR.. Ames' lecture last evening are of peculiar
interest to that large body Of Neutrality-suspicious.
OF whom your correspondent is one. patronizing
our numerous restaurants. Speaking for the
class, 1 may say that we cannot afford to rashly
cultivate the imagination. For our comfor.
we now refuse to go behind the testimony Of the
census and necessarily place the testimony of the
eye as of pre-eminent Importance. III fluid
Is white We acceptit pure milk. and ii slightly
yellow las recent evidence substantiates) as
rich milk. although il may differ from the
white article only by so much annotto If the
fluid is brown we accept it as coffee. although
it may be chicory and toast water. The eve
becomes our sole food inspector. and we have u
superstitious reliance on its evidence that is
eminently dangerous.
We do not as a class believe that the water of
the Potomac when vexed and turbid can be
wholesome. and therefore we often drink saline
Shiny pump water. because the eye pronounces
it clear aud free from visible disease Taste may
condemn it ut once. it may have the qualities Of
badly contaminated water, but we are accus-
toned, nay. forced. to make the eve our SUI
preme expert in all matters pertaining to the
restaurant. A chemist connected with
one Of orr colleges has demonstrated
before his class the bad qualities of certain
convenient pump water. He has analvZed
numerous waters, but do you not see that if
We accept this testimony we begin to use
that disturbing faculty, the now dormant
imagination, and what will II not present
to the mind if allowed to curiously inquire into
the history and antecedents of a cheap and
slovenly served dinner?
A gentleman whose unfortunately situated
Office compelled him to constantly overlook the
outdoor kitchen of nearby restaurant found
himself compelled to seek meals elsewhere
what he had not seen he did not know, and
would not imagine.
The scientific use of the Imagination by per-
sons placed even SO fortunately we are is no
easy or pleasing process. If we are to enter
on the scientific stage of daily existence in which
the turbid Potomac is to be drunk with
relish and the glass of clear. shiny pump water
avoided with shudder. new and perplexing ques-
tons will arise on every hand. We must de-
mand not the occasional and sensational, but
the constant assistance of the CITY chemist and
The STAR. We may be forced to dis
criminate between good restaurants and poor
ones. and even to refuse to drink or eat what
ever is set before Us; to inquire into the various
brown fluids called coffee: to speculate
upon the antecedents of sediments
found at the bottom of milk glasses;
to inquire in what atmosphere and in what
temperature and for how many hours food
served at late dinner on warm day has been
kept. There has been. no doubt, u decided
Improvement in restaurants here. due to the
enterprise Of some proprietors. and to some
discrimination on the part of minority of
patrons But the task OF creating perfect
restaurant which shall furnish good air as we'll
as pure food served with neaness and in perfectly
wholesome condition will be indeeda heavy one
unless the general public unite in demanding
the best at any cost Of comfort. Appreciation
of every effort on the part of any proprietor to
give purer water, genuine coffee. clean,
uncolored milk. sound. wholesome meats
superior bread and careful attention to all
the details of the kitchen and the dining room
are necessary, no doubt. as chemical exami-
nations and lectures upon sanitary topics. Are
you prepared. my dear STAR, to make us dis
contented with our present habits of drinking
the water that is Set before us and accepting
the food placed on the table? A. MEALER