The record-union., 1893-08-25
MATTER FOR REFLECTION.
The Water Question Treated Upon by
Experts.
Doctors. Chemists, Manufacturers and
Others Declare for Pure SUBJ
terranean Water.

The Occidental Nedicaz Times, of which
DR.. James II. Parkinson is editor and
whose corps Of contributors includes
many of the leading physicians of this
city and San Francisco, came out yester-
day with Il special edition, of several
thousand copies. called the special Pure
Water Number"
1t is filled with carefully prepared and
absolutely correct statements regarding
the character Of the river water used by
the people Of this city as compared with
water obtained from subterranean sources
in the gravel-bed belt east of this city.
Among these articles are the following:
THE Proposed Water Supply for Sac
ramento," by the editor.
The History of the Movement in Fa-
Nor OF Pure Water toE Sacramento, and
its Present Status" by @. /. Simmons.
The History of Our Present Water
Supply, and the Necessity for its I'm
provement," by Il. L. Nichols.
The Necessity OF an Improved Water
| Supply for Sacramento, From a Sanitary
Standpoint" by W. X. Cluness.
The Dangers and the Cost of Pol
luted Water supply" by w. A. Briggs.
1.-The Necessity OF Ii Pure Water Supply
in the Conduct OF Hospitals and Public
Institutions" by I. ". Huntington.
The importance Of Bacteriology in the
Analysis of Drinking Water" by S. NJ.
MoNser.
The Suitability of the Proposed Water
supply for Manufacturing Purposes" by
II. J. Small.
The Financial Aspect of the Proposed
Water supply" BY Frank Miller.
The Legal Aspect Of the Proposition
to supply Sacramento with Pure Water"
| by Robert T. Dovlin.
~ he Necessity OF Il Pure Water Supply,
From a business Standpoint" by II.
| Weinstock.
The City's Aspect of the Proposed
Water Supply," by b. L. Steinnan.
In addition TO these articles the pamph-
let also contains reports OF addresses by
Drs. }. Il. Laine, William Ellery BRIGGS
Il. II. Look, Thomas Ross, G. e. Fowler
q. i. Simmons, w. y. Briggs. +. b. Sut-
lii, g. A. White, II. L. Nichols. L. A.
Waggoner and others at the recent meet
ing OF the Sacramento Society tor Med
ical Improvement.
THE ISsUE-THE RESULT-TITE GAIN.
The Issue-To provide that tile water
i'll the gravel beds east OF the citv be
thoroughly and exclusively tested, as TO
quantity and quality, to the satisfaction
OF he CITY trustees, and with no expense
to the city,"
The Nesult-Provided that the water
be found in sufficient quantity, and that
/ careful analyses at competent hands then
| SHOWS it 10 be clear, pure paiatable and
ltted for all purposes, the city will pur-
cnase the water at the figure named and
Will sell 1t to householders i'll the same
manner as at present obtains"
The Gain to the City-Clear. pure and
wholesome water, free from disease
breeding germs, offensive impurities or
sedimentary deposit, obtained through
the only means the city is financially
able to adopt Ample pressure for fire
protection and for mechanical purposes.
The removal of a necessary expenditure
III the near future ana the fastening OF
other improvements that are, even now,
urgently demanded"
WHERE BACTERIA GROW.
From DR.. Simmons article the follow
ing extracts are made, which show the
results OF various analyses of the subter-
ranean water from the gravel beds:
In 1887 committee of sponsible citi-
zens devoted much time to the whole
subject. They not only had the water
from this belt carefully examined by the
chemist Eitel, but experimental with The
amount OF supply forhours. without low
ering the hight of the water. In their
report, tavoring change of supply, thew
say: 'DiVested of all chemical terms.
Eitel finds the water to be pure. whole
some and good. 1t is not quite 50 soft as
the Sacramento River water, but the de-
gree between the two is very small. II
is clear and cool, pleasant TO the taste and
refreshing to the eye. With water clear
as crystal at all our hotels, in all our
houses, used in Sprinkling our streets
and spraying our trees and flowers, we
would ind that the opinion such a
change would work in the minds OF visit
ors would be alone worth the price Of the
experiment.
1.-Two years later a second committee
from the Improvement Association began
It's labOrs upon the same subject This
committee was aided by the advice of an
eminent hydraulic engineer, and together
they reported most favOrably upOn the
nature of the water and the amount of
flow. AS meteorological examination
OF this water had never been properly
made by eminent authority, DR.. I. NJ.
Mouser was employed to carefully ex-
anime a specimen and compare it with
our river water, and also the Spring
Valley water of san Francisco. His re-
port as sent to me, by numbers, is as fol-
lows:
No. Sacramento hydrant water) devel-
three drops OF water.
No. 2 deep well water from margin Of cityl
developed, after seventy-two hours, only nfty
No 5 Spring Valley hydrant water de-
veloped, after seyentytwo hours, $50 colo
nits.
This should settle the question of the
superiority Of the artisan water.
I'm December, 1891, another Citizens
Committee began to agitate the question
OF the needs OF the city for d new water
supply, and they employed Professor Ris-
ing, OF the state University, to make A
chemical analysis of the water procured
from the deep wells on our eastern bor-
der. His report is as follows:
Parts in Grains per
1,OO0,O00. gallon.
Total solid residue. gsS
total alter ignition n.-.......-12a.OO 1.4S
hIorine.............-..-..........- $50 o.55
Free ammonia.....-............ 0.O2
AlDulnlnOld ammonia. O.O5
The above tests indicatea water well adapted
for domestic use.
w. B. RISING, State Analyst.
I'm letter accompanying the report.
Mr. Rising says: The results of the ana
lysis indicate a remarkably pure water
and well adapted for a town or city sup
ply"
IN DRESSING WOUNDS.
In concluding his very able paper, DR..
[. W. Huntington, of the Southern Pa
citic Company's hospital, says:
Upon no class OF persons are the ex-
actions for absolutely pure water more
imperative than the modern surgeon in
the treatment of open wounds. Asep-
ticity, which means the highest possible
standard Of cleanliness, is the first and