The record-union., 1896-05-10

the Sacramento River does not do JUS
tice to its name, which, Interpreted,
means "River of the Holy Sacrament.
1t was from it's original crystalline pur-
ity that our river received its eupho-
nious name at the hands of the Span
iards who first settled this part of the
country, and were it not for the debris
caused by hydraulic mining it would
once again assume it's native clearness,
though not its purity.
Have you ever seen the Sacramento
at it's source, where it comes ripping
down from Mount Shasta? Cool as the
snow from which it springs, and so
clear that you can count the stones in
it's bed as it flows along, it is nectar
fit for the gods, and you would surely
never recognize it as one with the tur-
bid stream that furnishes our city with
water; and / wish with all my heart
that it could be restored to its pristine
loveliness, when its channel had depth
that allowed merchant vessels to
anchor at our city front. We want
pure water; impure water is pregnant
with disease, and the origin of more
ills than one would believe.
If you want to know what you are
drinking and find out for yourself just
the extent to which our river water has
deteriorated, here is a test that will
soon satisfy you: Fill a pint bottle
three-fourths full of the water to be
tested and dissolve in the water a tea
spoonful of the purest sugar-loaf or
granulated sugar will answer-cork the
bottle and leave in a warm place for two
days. If in the twenty-four to twenty
eight hours the water becomes muddy
or cloudy, it is unfit for domestic use.
If it remains perfectly clear it is prob
ably safe to use. Water of very dan
gerous quality will sometimes fail to
give any indication by taste or smell,
but this test is unfailing, and where
there is any latent impurity it is sure
to be discovered by it's means.
Peoples ideas in regard to the causes
of impurities in water are as varied as
the sands of the sea and the stars in
the heavens A lady once knew gave
me fair sample of the frailty Of hu-
man judgment. Her drinking water
was supplied entirely from an old well
at the back of her house in which a
whole colony of frogs were located, and
could be heard at the twilight hour
melodiously piping up on their vesper
hymn. 1t gave me turn every time /
had to drink it, and you may believe 1
shut my eyes and swallowed fast, as I
used to do when a child and it was
thought necessary to administer a dose
of castor OIL
One day. in company with two or
three friends, among whom was the
aforementioned lady, 1 was strolling
through some woods not far from the
place where I was visiting, gathering
ov,1 -1a,, av,,a
the clearest little brook, that spluttered
and splashed along over the pebbles
and shining white sand in the prettiest
manner imaginable.
"Oh, wait moment!" I cried. II
must have drink of this lovely water.
Where did 1 put my drinking cup?
Here" said. Offering the lady in ques-
tion the cup brimming full Of the spark
ling water, "have some; it's deliciously
cool"
Not for worlds" she answered has
tily, pushing the offending cup from
her. Don't you know those Golden
boys go swimming in the pool this
stream empties into? I couldn't think
OF touching 1t. Ughl"
Speaking of the river reminds me OF
the new bridge, ana an accident that
occurred thereon some time since, and
CT which I have searched the papers
daily in a vain endeavor to find an ac-
count, for some weeks now. 1t is GER
tainly wonderful in this enlightened
age that so remark able an occurrence
could take place in broad daylight, wit
messed by fully one hundred people. and
the papers not get hold of 1t, is it not?
The doughty hero Of the incident-or
accident shall I cali it?-is a well
known young society gentleman, whose
auburn locks have Illuminated not a
few affairs where it is considered an
honor to be guest, and who is also not
an unfamiliar figure upon the thor
oughfares of our city, and may be seen
there at all hours OF the day and every
day in the week. I have the tale from
his own lips. He was driving in
some haste across the new bridge on
his return from a business trip to
Washington (the metropolis of Yolo
County, not d. c., when the incoming
train from San Francisco, whistling an
announcement of KS arrival, passed
putting beneath him, startling his horse
which promptly endeavored TO jump in
TO the river His attempt was unsuc-
cessful in this line, however, but he
succeeded beautifully in overturnine
the buggy, throwing his owner vio-
lently against one of the heavy beams
and almost killing him. Indeed, h.
barely escaped with his life But this
was not ali. AS he fell the shock caused