The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-03-03
THE N0ts Tsa EST RIVER AND
NORFOLK'S WATER SUPPLY.

NORFOLK'S WATER SUPPLY.
The Landmark Of yesterday, al
hiding to the suggestion presented
In TIE V1RaINIAN, that the North
west river will afford Norfolk an in
e1haustible supply of good, pure
water for all time to come, and to
the statement that it was strange
that this river ia not mentioned in
McAlpine's report. remarks:
"a correspondent Of The VIRGIN
IAN has misled it on the water sup
ply subject and has evidently con-
WINGED it that Maj. MoAlpine made
great break IN his examination
and failed to look into one of the
apparently principal and most i'm
portant sources OF water supply in
the locality. The VIRG!NIAN does
not mean to make a mistake, but
does so Inadvertently, assuming
that lts informant Is reliable writer
on this very interesting matter. The
truth is. rs The VIRGINIAN will find,
II 1t will take the trouble to investi.
gate and verify that Mai. McAlpine
made very full examination and
report upon this North west river,
or, az he called it, water Neck
river. and condemned it as source
of supply"
THE VIRGINIAN was sware of this
condemnation of Mai. McAlpine, OF
the "West Neck river" aud his dc
soription of that stream, conclud ed
that it was the Northwest river he
alluded to. Maj. McAlpine de.
scribes the West Neck river as:
"a broad :stream OF hundred
yards or more, with depth of six
or ten feet, and contains large
body of water. = The area of
the water shed of thia stream does
not much exceed three square miles
and cannot deliver into it. on the
average, more than 5000, 600 of gal
Ions daily"
This certainly cannot be the de
ecrlptlon OF river that flows
through Norfolk county for more
than twenty milea with width
that varies from twenty to three
hundred yards and depth that
ranges from five to seventy five feet
with an average depth of twenty
feet. and which empties into Curri.
fnck sound. twelve or fifteen miles
10 the sonth of North Landing
river, into which the West Neck
creek or river empties.
IHE TIRGINIAN tries not to make
smlstake, end it believes it has
made no mistake in attracting the
attention of our people and our au.
thorities to the North west river az n
solution for the water supply of
Norfolk for all time to come, It
Dad an analy sis of the water made
and the examination shows that it ia
free from odor and bland to the
taste, and has no deposit from
quletude Of at least ten days. The
color is slightly tinged. Prof.
4homas, who made the analysis,
stated that he was prepared to en-.
nounce "that it wae admirably suit
ed for drinking purposes and per.
iectiy adapted to all purposes where
pure, soft water is required"
HE VIRa1N1AN is under the i'm.
precision that the Landmark is mis-.
taken in confounding the "West
Neck river" or "West Neck creek"
With the Northwest river. It is not
an unusual error. no more 80 than
the error ofconfoundng the North.
east or North Landing" river
with the Northwest river. It cd
pears strange. however, that Mai.
McAlpine overlooked the Northwest
river In his Investigation. THE
VIhaINIAN again urges the import.
snce of our authorities looking into
Inc subject. II the water is what it
IS claimed to be. there is an mex
haustible supply for city of great
magnitude. ana the supply can be-
reached without crossing river.
REMOVAL OF ,COIerON ,astr.
n