Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-28

according to tenor or purpose.
No matter Is Of greater concern to COM
munity than its water supply The health
and comfort of the people are largely de-
pendent upon the character and abundance
of the water furnished them. Recent in
vestigations in cities where epidemics have
caused great destruction Of life. or the
death rate from preventable diseases has
been reported as large have emphasized the
Importance of vigilantly guarding the water
supply, as it affords one of the principal
avenues by which disease can be brought
into a city and spread among its inhab-
ftants. The attention of sanitarians and
philanthropic scientists has been turned to-
wards the water which the people of Wash
IL gton drink and the result has been action
on the part of the authorities that naturally
has aroused protest among those who are
cut to inconvenience. Washington has two
sources of water supply-the Washington
Aqueduct and the general water system,
bringing the Potomac water from Great
Falls and distributing II through the city,
and wells and pumps scattered through the
city the remains of those which constituted
the only source of supply Of drinking water
before the completion Of the aqueduct- In
vestigations. conducted by distinguished
tary League. and by physicians and experts
delegated by the Medical Society Of Wash
ington including the Health OfDcer of the
District, have resulted in practically the
same conclusions-that the wells in use in
the city constitute a menace TO health and
should be abandoned as rapidly as possible.
and that the Potomac water furnished to
the city should be improved by the compile
ton at the earliest possible moment of the
works proposed by Col. Elliot, providing
means for purifying the water by sedimenta-
ton and filtration. In view of the state
ments made by the Sanitary League and
the Medical Society, the District Commits
ssoners could do little else than take meas
ures to close public wells in the city where
ever in their Judgment they could be closed
without serious public Inconvenience. and in
the order of their degree of discovered con-
tamination, or else accept in large measure
the responsibility for a continued death
rate from typhoid, much greater than it
ought to be. Already the action Of the
Commissioners respecting certain pumps
has called out vigorous protests.
The wells, or many of them, supply
water that Is cool. palatable and refreshing.
and to the eye seemingly clear and pure.
In hot weather many whose houses are
supplied with Potomac water obtain their
drinking water from neighboring pumps,
because OF its GOODNESS and refreshing quail
ity. Such people. inconvenienced by the
action of the authorities and inclined to
question the statements of the experts,
naturally protest with considerable show of
feeling. There are some sections of the
city where the people have no water ex-
cept that furnished by the pumps. and in
other portions of the city traversed by water
mains MANY cannot afford he axpapSa Of a
water connection There can be little ques-
ton. however, that those who are charged
with responsibilities in this matter have
but one course to pursue and that course
Is one which will eventually remove what
the sanitarians and physicians have pro-
nounced a menace to health. OF course
the wells in sections where people are
wholly dependent upon them for their
water, by reason of the absence of water
mains or the inability Of the people to pay
water rates, cannot be closed until public
hydralts or other means of supply are
provided. as urged several days ago by The
Star. They must have water, even II it Is
unwholesome water. In this connection
1t might be well for the authorities to
consider whether there could not be an
Improvement in the water rates. as well as
the water. 50 that the occupant of a small
portion than the rich man who dwells in
great mansion. Wherever the need of
Q neighborhood Is such that a well cannot
be closed at once careful attention should
be given to the well, with a view to pro-
tectins the water, so far as possible, from
contamination.
Aside from the positive statements Of the
reports referred to, 1t seems hardly possible
That wells, extending in most every case to
a depth below the network of sewers and
drains just beneath the surface Of the street,
could be assured against contamination. II
has been suggested by the champions of
the wells that the sewers are at fault and
not the wells; and that the sewers should
be placed In good repair and the wells not
molested- There could, however, be no as
surance or certainty in the adoption of such
plan The soil of every large city be-
comes after a time saturated and 2ermeated
with disease-breeding matter AS the case
now stands the only safe course is the clos
Ing Of the wells as rapidly as public con-
venience will permit and as discovered con-
ANIMATION in specific cases demands, and
tne Improvement of the general water sup
ply, its extension more completely over the
whole city. and the provision of sufficient
hydrants and drinking fountains to give
assurance that those who can use only free
water are supplied in the public interest as
well as their own with such water Neither
the poor nor the well-to-do of Washington
must poison themselves with disease laden
wen water or with turbid and unhealthful
Fotonac water, or threaten the public
health by abstinence from the use of water
Inc problem is to supply every part CT the
CITY and every citizen, rich or DOOR With
an abundance of purified Potomac water.
ana there is no public work Of greater i'm
portance than this, to which the authori-
ties and philosophical citizens can turn
their attention.
Ii Is confidently asserted that the rejec-
ton OF St Gaudens' second medal was not
because of the fact that the eagle did not
wear trousers.