The Portland daily press., 1896-09-12

sracted worldwide attention. The mu-
nicipslity, since it .inaugurated them,
has been in receipt of letters from all
parts of this country and from Euro
pean cities. The unique nature OF the
system Of purihcation seems to have ex-
cited International curiosity. The pump
ing station is about three aud one-half
miles northeast of Lexington, on the
banks Of the Ohio river, whence the
water is obtained. The reservoirs are
two miles from the station and about the
same distance from the city itself. The
daily consumption Of the water is about
"a, GOO, 900 gallons The experiments
dealt with publication of 16o. goo gallons.
The experiments so far have been entire
ly satisfactory, part from mechanical
difficulty connected with the imperfect
through which the wateF had to pass.
This ia a defect which In no way mill
tatss against the system as whole.
The principle involved is this: By
subjsoting the water to sufacientlyIpow
erful current, eleetrolysis results, this
meaning the resolving of a portion Of the
water into its elements, hydrogen and
oxygen. A portion of this freed oxygen
assumed that molecular form which is
commonly known as ozone. Now ono
Is one of the most powerful disinfectants
known to science. 1t exercises its bene-
ncsnt powers by combining with harm
fal substances, thus oxidizing them and
rendering them powerlsss for evil. Nine
len this of the popular disinfectants owe
their powers for good to this "oxidizing"
PROCESS, which is dependent on the pres
ence of free oxygen. The nitrogenous
substances found iE drinking water, and
which are In the main responsible for
disease and sickness, are tackled by this
ozono and instantly rendered harmless.
Animal refuse, deoaying vegetable mat
ter, sewage and the like ell come under
the head of nitrogenous substances. The
passage Of the electric current also lihsr-
etes a quantity of free oxygen, which Is
Rbsorhsd By the water and which renders
the fnid sparkling and healthful.
"Deaa water'' from which "free" oxy-
gen has been expelled not only cannot
support such life as is found in watsr
but, in addition, Ia not 1t for human
consumption. 1t 10 for this reason that
water that has been boiled and from
which the oxygen has bean expelled is
fat and tasteless
Another aspect of the system is this ::
Physicians are pretty we'll agreed that
most forms Of microbes and bacilIi can
be destroyed by sufficiently powerful
electric current. The microbes that can
survive an intermittent shock OF 30. o0O
volts must have remarkable organiza-
tions Analysis of the treated water
81, Aho% M mi rrCh 10 rtoa ~
through the ordeal. Subsequent to the
first series of electric shocks to which
the water is subjected Ii runs the Raunt-
let of powerful electro magnets which
repsl diamagnetio particles metallic
Particles, aikallnes, etc. tc.-preoipitating
them to the bottom Of the purifying
tank. There is also secondary cleo
trolysis apparatus which gives the final
quietus to such harmful matter as may
have escaped the preliminary process.
The apparatus, in brief, Is this: The
water flows through a feed pipe into q
porcelain-lined receiving tank three feet
square. Poles from a Ruhmkorf coil
ars ninety seven miles of wire on the
coil, BY which, with the aid of a suffic-
lently powerful dynamo, 10000 volts Of
aieotrioity are Internationally discharge
through this water. The water through
The medium of a discharge pipe, then en-
ters second vat, which is three feet IL
diameter by seven feet in depth. This
last chamber is made Of iron, lined with
India rubber, and is pear shaped. The
lower enc connects with a waste pipe
by means of which the refuse and Other
matter precipitated during the process
may be draw off. At the top of thii
cham ber and also at its lower section is 9
berries of wires connected with anothe:
dynamo, which supplies continuous
galvanio current. this giving the secon
Diary electrolysis.
On the top of the chamber is large
electro o-magnet surrounded by O series
Of smaller ones. The water by pressure
is forced past these magnets into q second
vat or chamber similar to the one first
named and again descends into another
pear-shaped vat. The process is repeat
ed in third case, SO that the water has
to run the gauntlet of three preliminary
chambers and pear watts. In all, there
fore, it recsiyes the discharge from three
Ruhmkorf coils-80.000 volts-to say
nothing Of the trestmsnt to which it is
subjected in the secondary vats. An an
alyais of the watnr when 1t finally issues
from Its ordeal shows that 1t ia practical
ly chemically pure. 1t is crystalline In
appearance, sparkles with free oxygen
and is absolutely free from odor OF tasta
The process Is held to be about one
third cheaper than any other purifying
method now known. The only thins
necessary to success Is to see that the
dynanos are kept In good running order
and that the waste pipes are turned al
stated intervals. According to the adyo
oates of this system the gravity" or or
dinary fltering process Is nearly foul
times as expensive. 1t ID said thas tht
Lexington residents have decided tt
adopt the system, and that a revolution
in the art of water publication is ri
hand. Some chemists allege that chemi
cally pure water is not fit for human
food, on the ground that many of tn,
salts which are precipitated by the pro
cess described are the reverse of harmful
and are indeed necessary for health bu
these men, however, assert the contrary.
Jesse L. Test, ESQ.,, an old residen