The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-29
New Method of Filtering
City Water Supply.
II IS in Operation in Daven-
port and Works Well.
Appears to Be a Decidedly Effective
Microb. Destroyer.

About every individual In the city OF
Providence, who is old enough TO read.
followed with some interest the discus
sion on the sui jsct of filtration which
but . comparatively short time ago was
carried on with great deal OF vigor.
Dopbrlsss this large percentage OF the
population of this town will be interested
Ia fi,rltion system recently put into
openation at Davenport. Ia, by which 1t
IL claimeo the water is made as pure as IL
can possibly be made when treated In
large quantities. The filter plant con-
sisss OF ten double filter shells, with a
espacity OF 75,0o0,cO0 gallons. Thess
shells are OF homogeneous teel of nine
and one mali feet in diameter and 81 feet
IN length. Each OF these is about three
quarters full Of white sea sand of Pc
culisr nature. each grain being almost OF
equal texture AMI a perfect crystal. This
san is obtained in the Gulf OF Mexico,
and differs from ordinary sand in not be-
ing porous. This IS eisimed to be an ad-
vantage, for the roasoa that the microbes
nnd no pores In the sind In which TO de-
mi robes remain on the surface OF the
rani in the filters. and these are clesned
out by Jets of wafer applied where the
impure matter is located.
These Jets come through horizontal
perf-rated arms running from a central
We ticnl rips which Is attached TO a pis-
ton in such a way that by admitting the
voter pressure from the mains to the
piston the perforated arms are forced
downward aEd backward through the
rltcring material. The result is that each
psrats particle of the contents OF the
n ters 10 practically secured. The i'm
pure matter this separated floats on the
water on the top Of the sand, and is
forced back again into the river through
q drsin CONTRACTED for thst purpose. To
-eApiate aHy possible hsxsrds- that with
such a process would seem to be but few,
the filter and sand bed are steiil;zed. 1t
is claimed thst no microbe can possibly
make its way through these filters.
A retired sea captain who during his
any years OF knocking about the world
became very much interested In that very
devout 8 ct, the Mohsm r edans, told q
party Of gentlemen last evening a very
interesting story about one OF the beliefs
nf tho Moham medane. when
Mohnmmcdan dies, he said. the popular
belief OF bis people Is that two angels APP
p, II a. his head holding bsIance. One
rt points 10 the east, the other to the
west. In this the dead mans sins rs
vel as his good deeds are weighed. Then
his soul Is transported over a deep abyss.
II he has bsen q true beiisver hi, passage
will te made sh'y ny two accompanying
angels. IL otherwise, he will be Obliged
to halt many times on the way. There
arc seven stations In the abyss. At tho
first Ie is ask Cd in whst manner lie haa
observed the religious rites prescribed oy
Moha ammed; at the second ne must tell II
be has siid his prayers regularly; at the
tEiri to .enumerafes mis- deeds OF charity;
at the fourth he must tell how ne hss OBJ
seryed the facts and festivals; at tie fifth
he will be q uestioned ss to his visits to
NJ cca; at the sixth prove that he Las at
tended to all his duties reuglarly and at
the seventh prove that he has never neg
fcted tis family. For every sin some
penalty Is imp,ssc.