The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-09-26
A PURE WATER SUPPLY
A Correspondent Has Not Much Faith in
the Underground Lake Theory.
He FAyoRs NORTHWEST RIVER WATER
He Expresses the Opinion That That
Is the. Most Promising Source from
"hich the City should Eudeavor
to Obtain BountifuI and Fure
supply-Opposed to Well System.
Editor Virginian:

Editor Virginian:
am not replying to the oommunIca-
ton in your paper for the sake of no
toriety or severe criticism upon the ar
| ticle referred to, but the mystery Of this
hitherto undiscovered supply of excep-
cannot help thinking that 1t shadows of
| poodie or else 1t is another of those
chimeras that to investigate will cost
us the expense of digging another we'll
to free us from debt and give us
that immunity from disease that is SO
much desired.
If you will permit me sir, to say q
few things. l will promise not to come
again unless am invited. I have exam
| ined carefully the sources Of water sup
ply to which this city turns for its
| needs and 1 have carefully analyzed
very many of them trying to discover
what we most needed, and have only
found enc, and that was Northwest
River, and unless this city wants to
waste another million of money in ex-
periments they will cut loose the grip
OF this fond delusion, and proceed to
have this water analysed at a small
cost to do such work.
Don't take my analysis; I belong
here, 1 am only retail druggist before
the community. am obscure and
mindful of my shortcomings, but 1
throw down the gauntlet and submit that
the analysis of the Northwest River
water as shown by. me Is the purest and
most potable Of any water to be found
nerea bouts In a supply such as we need
1t can be brought to this city at less ex-
pense than any other supply, and it can
be made available within four months
Ii Is free from the contamination. more
SO than any river water 1 ever saw, and
TO be fortunate enough to have such
supply is matter to be we'll considered
Now. sir, If what have written is not
the unadmiterated truth and free from
every entangled alliance, why don't some
one dispute the ground? In the first
communication 1 wrote 1 WAS surprised
70 md so many who did not know where
Northwest River was, and it is as startl-
ing to-day that in this city there are at
least $4,000 persons who do not know yet
where this river is, and who are willing
| to swallow this death potion rather than
arise in their might and INSTRUCT their
servants to examine and report upon
this water or upon the lake that lies be-
neath us and is so graphically described
by your writer
I say fatty that no such water nc this
exists in this section at the present time
me purest and most potable water in
this or any other State barely supports
such an analysis.
1t is to be regretted that we should
spend so much money and get such poor
returns. Our engineer and superin. md
ent has now gone away upon a barren
errand. He will come back no wiser
than he went. He will find no process
OF hltration at all suited here within
the limited means of the department.
ana as dernier resort we will have to
adopt the rag filter suggested by nv
friend of the underground lake
Ihere are many patented processes
LOT the nltering OF water for cities but
they need not be discussed here. for the
supply we now have, and that is ali
we are likely to have for some time to
come. IT seems that we can only rely
upon the aeration process to relieve us
OF the organic impurities that exist This
aeration process is an old one, introduced
by Lind more than u century ago, and
only In the last few years introduced I'm
the cities for the publication of the water
supply. Wherever 1t has been applied
the results have been manifest Of its
success
l have now progressed as far
INTO your space as 1t seems your liberal
ity should be taxed. We are suffering
yes. badly suffering from diseases and
Ill health in having to drink this abom-
Unable liquid called water, and are we
not to be relieved from II unless we buy
the tail end of Little Creek. and have
nothing but salt water soup for years to
come or hire the Dismal Swamp Canal?
we don't want either.
Gentlemen of the Water Board, are
you true 10 your constituencies when
you thus refuse 10 aid and assist? II
is n duty You owe us. and we expect IL.
y
pertinent, but by actual examination. if
1t is not better TO give us good water for
all time than to trust to gang or ar
tesian wells. that at best can never af-
ford you anything but an inferior quail
ity of water. One OF the largest artesan
We'll bcrers in this country has told me
that the geological formation of our CITY
and surrounding country is not adapted
10 the sinking OF artesian wells. This is
true, but it has taken upward Of $4,000
10 DrOVe If 10 while thara ra ct
those who are digging away and promis-
ing more than they Will ever realize and
10 eclipse all, after these many years of
uctcld means. lavishly expended to get
good water without success, 20 find that
there lies beneath us an underground
basin chock full of the purest water
that only needs to b. tapped to flow on
forever. How much are we expected to
pay for this?
j. w. THOMAS, JR..
Expert Analyst
so Queen Street, City.
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