The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-18
About Our Wells.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal.
The murderous assault of DIR. Hurry. re-
inforced editorially by the Journal, alarms
ne. Give up our wells? Never; or at least
not unit. we can get something better,
which is not likely 10 be soon. The idea
of having to use the bitter waters that
our hydrants have been furnishing of late
Is horrible. And, then, is that not well
water, obtained just as our city well water
is, only that the well is larger than ours
and so near the river that 1t can be re-
inforced in case Of emergency from the
pure river water, whose possible natural
impurities are so neutralized by the chem
icals used at the straw-board works and
other factories above US, not to mention
the millions Of dead fish which these chem
icals cause? Great IS science, and es-
pecially when it mounts a hobby. Just now
it's hobby is the microbe, and 1t seems the
supply is equal TO the demand. 1t is no
longer safe to hang on to the straps in the
crowded street car, for science has traced
millions of these fashionables 10 the in
nocent leather that has steadied many a
man who could not get a seat on a cushion
full of them; and no well-postei man or
woman ever handles a bank bill or even
a greensback without a shudder, for are
not all these infected with microbes? Not
long since DIR. Hurry himself demonstrated
that 1t is unsafe to handle the books OF
the public library, because they are mi
crcoy, and now come the scientists of
Chicago and assure US that block pave
ments breed microbes of the diphtheria va
riety, and persons living on or near streets
improved with wood are sure to have this
dreadful disease. He was no wit, but a
man of profound thought. who said re-
Gently that If Longfellow were writing his
great poem in the light of modern science
he would make II read
Lives Of great men all remind us.
We could make our lives sublime,
If we didn't so have to dread
That pesky microbe all the time"
How long has 1T been since a number OF
analytical chemists-among them, / think
was DIR. ~Hurty-certifed that he had about
the purest and best water i'm the world for
general purposes, excepting, probably. some
mountain districts in Virginia? That was
during Denny's administration. Can ii be
possible that in addition TO the many other
calamities a change OF administration has
brought upon us il has ~impregnated our
water supply with "pesky microbes?' Pos
sibly a few wells in the vicinity Of the
from the washings of that debris. and here
and there the unwise j~uxtaposition OF wells
and vaults may contribute unduly to the
crop of microbes, but that is no reason why
al the wells I'm the city should be con-
demned, nor even those in the very heart
Of the city. for there are no vaults or
cesspools there now. every microbe breeder
being connected with the sewer. The dan
ger, If any, is in tenement districts, where
such connections cannot be made. A proper
exercise of sanitary police power would
remedy all this without disturbing one
well in a hundred.
You may remember that about twenty
to twenty-five years ago trichira was the
popular fad with scientific men. They
found il in man and beast. but especially
in the hog. and hence the Jew was com
mended for not eating pork, and Germany
would not allow our poisoned meat to be
BOUGHT or sold within its bounds. ] wcs
about that time a guest OF a good country
dinner of pork and beans. with the numer-
Gus ct ceteras that our country foremothers
knew how to get up for company. Among
the guests was a youngster who had heard
OF the dreadful ravage of trichina. and he
thought that toothsome dish should be ia
booed because there were trichina in the
pork. / sat where l couId look a venerable
fcothlcss grandmother In the face. 1 no.
ticed q smile of incredulity upon her face
through the speech of the embryo scientist.
and when he was through she said: i've
been eatin' Pork nigh about eighty year,
and II hasn't killed me yet. SO I'll take
another piece OF that good pickle pork
and she did 1t with = relish So l imagine