Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-25

DR.. Billings described the system or works
of this kind put in operation at Frankfort
on-the-Main.
THE dminution in typhoid fever which
has occurred in Frankfort and In Warsaw,
he said, following the introduction or
improved water supply and of model sewers
by Mr.. Lindley has been very remarkable,
and some very striking diagrams illus
tratlng this were shown at the congress
at Buda-PeSth The Warsaw system of
water supply is by filtration of river water
somewhat as is done at Hamburg. or
course the practicability and utility of such
water works as those of Frankfort depends
on the subSurface Stra LITIGATION and the
character of the surface of the coilectln
area from which the subsoil water is
derived. At Buda-Pesth they are construct
ing new water works on the bank of the
Danube a few miles above the city, taking
the supply from tube wells located about
100 yards from the bank of the river. I'm
der such circumstances the layer Of sub
soil water from which the supply is re-
derived does not usually come from the
river, but from the adjacent valley sur
face and hillsides, because the bottom Of
water on account Of the fire clay which
accumulates on it. Dresden also has a SUBJ
SOIL water supply derived from a collecting
gallery about $40 feet long. but it is doubt
full whether this supply does not at times
receive water from the river Elbe.
In Paris the water supply is from two
sources, one the impure water of the
Seine, which is intended to be used only
for street watering and similar purposes,
and the other a comparatively pure water
from springs at a distance intended to be
of supply has been at times insufficient,
and the Seine water has been turned into
the drinking water pipes with very lad re-
suits as regards the health of the city.
WashingtOn's Water supply.
1.-THE securing Of an abundant and pure
water supply for all parts of the city,"
said the speaker. appears to me to be the
mo Of ocby he
present time. The system of sewerage of
the city is now in a fair way of being made
satisfactory, SO far as Washington itself
Is concerned, but we cannot yet say that
we have definite plan for making the
water supply what it should be. At certain
times OF the year the river water is so
loaded with sediment as to be unfit for
bathing as well as for drinking and cook
ing purposes; 1T contains fecal baci1li at
all times, although these are proba bly,, for
the most part derived from the excreta Of
horses and cattle and not of man sNI it
is possible-although not preHsx-4.4at it at
times contains organisms or substances
capable of producing diarrhoea in persons
not accustomed to its use, and that the
typhoid bacillus Is not absolutely excluded
from 1T, although it has never been actually
found in it. The engineers desire to in
crease the certainty of sufficient sup
ply at all times by raising the dam, and
have submitted estimates for that purpose,
but the plans for rapid filtration and for
do not appear to merit the approval of
the medical profession in view of the recent
experience of Hamburg and of Lawrence.
''Sedimentation alone Will not give us salts
factory results and rapid filtration through
steel cylinders, with or without the addition
of alum or other chemicals while quite as
costly as the simple sand filtration does not
give an equal guarantee of the purity of the
water. 1t Is very desirable that a careful
and systematic examination of the Potomac
river water should be made, samples being
taken at intervals as high up as Harper's
Ferry. This examination should cover a
period of at least one year, and should in
clude not only study of the bacteria, but
Of the lower algae and other minute organ
isms contained in it. This would require
the services of skilled bacteriologist and
an assistant, with a good laborat tory, all Of
which should be provided >by the District
government The meteorological fora of
the Potomac river is rich one, and con-
tains some peculiar FORMS including at
least one spirillum; over 10 different species
or varieties have been isolated at the labo-
ratory of the army medical museum during
last spring. but it has been impossible to
carry on the study through each month as
1t should be done, owing to the want Of
force to do it. An occasional examination
of gill of water drawn from a spigot in a
laboratory cannot be expected to yield re-
suits which viii form q firm foundation for
probably will not-show that at one partcu-
lar time the water contained some danger
Gus matters; but it can never be relied on
to prove that the water is at all times free
from danger. No large city in this country
has at the present time thoroughly safe
and entirely satisfactory water supply
probably Philadelphia is the worst off in
this respect, an New York and Baltimore
among the best. But Washington ought to
be the best-for the capital of the ma
ton the expenditure Of $5.OOO,OO0 to secure
at all times pure. transparent wa
ter, should be considered as wise and per-
fectly proper One which in thirty years will
be more than repaid by the increased value
of property throughout the city arising
from its desirabilfty as place of residence.
With regard to the quantity of water re-
qufred for the future needs of this city it
may be well to remember that at least
one-half of our present supply is wasted
through leaky fittings and other ways
which have no connection with household
use. With proper system OF inspection
and stamping of all water supply fittings of
District meters, and OF meters for govern
ment buildings and manufacturing estab-
hshments the average daily consumption
of water in this District should not exceed
siXty-seven gallons per head, whereas 1t has
been over 100 gallons per head. 1t is some
times urged that the wasted water all pass
es into the sewers and helps to keep them
clean, but the tricklings from leaky fittings
have no effect in this way and are a pure
waste which must be done away with If we
are to have good filter system"
Sewage Disposal.
With regard to sewage disposal, DR.. Bill
lings described only what he saw at Frank
fort and at Paris. At Frankfort they are
using the method Of chemical precipitation
with sedimentation, adding milk Of lime
and clay to the sewage, which then flows
slowly and uniformly through long rectang-
ular tanks, in which the precipitation takes
place.
In Paris. he said, about one-fourth of the
sewage of the city is now disposed of by
irrigation at point about five miles from
the city, near the bank Of the Seine The
sewage pumping works. by which the con-
tents of this main sewer are forced across
the Seine to the irrigation grounds are
situated near the Clichy bridge. The irri-
cation grounds are in two parts-one a
large experimental garden, owned and man.
aged by the city; the other, large fields,
owned by private individuals. upon which
is pumped so much of the sewage as the
cultivators may desire.
In both the soil is very light, sandy loan,
porous and easily Observation-Disclosures
poor, as is shown by the sparse and stunted
vegetation on those parts not irrigated. In
the experimental garden an attempt has
been made to show the effects Of sewage
irrigation on every form of vegetable