Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-23
Samples Of Potomac Fluid to Be
Carefully Examined.
SPECIMENS FROM HARPER'S FERRY
May Lead to Measures Against
Sewerage Systems in Towns.
SCOPE OF INVESTIGATION

river, not only with view to determining
the sources and extent Of the supply, but
to secure samples of the water, which will
be examined bacteriologically.
The different rivers of the United States
are being surveyed under this division. AS
1t Is, or was until recently, very low water
on the tributaries of the Potomac the time
was deemed expedient and the parties were
sent out. One of these, in charge of
Arthur P. Davis of the photographic d.
vision Of the survey, is at Cumberland
Samples of the water there, at Harper's
Ferry and at other points along the Poto-
mac will be taken in specially sterilized
bottles and sent here to the marine hos
pltal bureau, where they will be examined,
l nder the direction of the surgeon general
Inc photographic division of the survey
is ntted Tor examining the water chemical
~, out not bacterioiogically, so the marine
hospital bureau will do this The samples.
When the tests have been made, will be
compared with samples taken from the
river near here, so that it can be determin-
ed exao tly how many of the impurities In
the water come from the towns on the
heauwaters and how many are gathered
on the way down.
Preventive Measures.
II it Is found that the sewerage systems
OF cumberland and others of the towns
On tne upper Potomac ere largely respon-
sirle Tor the impurities of Wasnington's
orinK,ns water, in all probability efforts
Will be taken to have the places adont
other means of discharging their waste
matter. Legislation may be asked of MARY
iand 10 prevent the continuance of the
present methods in vogue in any of those
towns should defects be discovered
photographer Newell stated TODAY to
The Star reporter that there was no spe-
cial object in view when the plan to have
the samples of the water of the upper
fotomac anaiyzed was Carried it into eff
doing such thing for some time. he said
Dut 1t had been postponed until a favora BILE
opportunity like the present presented it.
sell sen. Last snmmeS 1t would have been
oohe, zone nut the men We're not available, and
other things prevented. AS the water
was extremely low few Gays ago the
opportunity was seized upon. There were
positively no new conditions he said which
naa presented themselves in regard to the
water. as 1t Is as it has always been. He
thought thai as the supply and other de-
talls on the points of the river above
Ndsnihstoh were to be examined into the
samples OF water should be taken
The bottles to be used are specially pre.
pared at the marine hospital bureau. so
that no foreign matter can be in them
%hen the water to be analyzed is intro
utGeu. uhey are completely sterilized,
which Kills any bacteria they may contain.
Mr.. Newelrs Views.
In speaking of the Potomac water Mr..
Newell, who has studied the best water
supply systems throughout the country.
said to The Star reporter:
THE water here at Washington. T NAV
say. Is good when it is good and very ba
when it is bad The water varies consid
erably. If a local storm occurs on the
head waters of the river up about Cumber-
land and the other towns there the water
Is apt tc be bad This is on account of the
water washing down great amount of
sewage. general storm will dilute the
water 80 that 1t will not be as bad as under
the other conditions If there should hap
pen to be an epidemic of typhoid fever or
other disease there it would be dangerous
for Washington.
The Potomac water is rather peculiar in
one respect. The Shenandoah and the main
Potomac come together at Harper's Ferry.
The tributaries of the Potomac are gener-
ally mountain streams, flowing over granite
and gravel SO the water is apt to be clear
The water of the Shenandoah comes from
limestone country, and as it flows along a
blush sort of clay is disintegrated, which
discolors it. When 1t happens that the
most of the Potomac water comes from the
branch at Harper's Ferry 1t is mostly clear,
and vice versa when the supply Is mostly
from the Shenandoah. In this way it can
be determined without much difficulty
which of the two streams at Harper's Ferry
happens to be furnishing the most water at
oily psai liSuitai tiLic.
Supply Ranks Well.
1.-The supply here ranks we'll with that of
most of the cities in this country, though
1t is far below the standard of that in
European cities. 1t is better than the
Philadelphia water, but is not equal to that
of Boston. 1 believe that the farther south
one goes the worse the city reservoir sys-
tenn Is found Foreign cities filter their
water. We are so accustomed to drinking
diluted sewage matter that II does not ap-
parently worry us.
1.-The principal foreign element in the
Potomac water is the fine mud, which Is
not of itself necessarily productive of had
results, but which is apt TO attract bad
company in the shape of vegetable and ami
NAL matter.
IF the water should be found bad, from
the samples to be analysed. either of two
things, or both, should be done. The first
of these is to prevent the towns above
from emptying their sewage directly into
the tributaries Of the river, or the main
body. Whether they can be prevented from
doing this is a different thing
I'm Massachusetts there Is law which
forces the towns to filter the sewage and
waste matter through sand and gravel.
charged into the rivers. 1 have drank
water at Framrgham, Mass, filtered in
this matter, and 1t Is about equal to the
regular supply of many cities. The sewage
located on hill, two or three acres in ex-
tent. The water percolates through and
comes out in the shape of little springs on
the side Of the hill. Vegetables are culti-
waited on the beds where the water is dis
charged through pipes, and 1 have seen
some magnificent crops of corn produced
in this manner. The irrigation is rather
costly, but not so at all, when the splendid
results are considered.
Sets nm Example.
The state of Massachusetts, found that
on account of its large population It had to
adopt this system.
1T Is setting an example in this rsspeci.
after experimenting twenty years or so
They have had a commission, Which Is
really the board of health, for about four
years. They have the advantage of prom
Using large appropriation for the purpose.
The rivers up there are small, and hey
must be kept free from pollution.
The second thing to do is to filter the
water as 1t Is taken from the river before
1t Is allowed, to enter the mains Supplying
the city. This can be done by having II
turned from the reservoir on beds of sand
and gravel. A certain amount of the mat
ter in the water accumulates In the reser-
voir after 1t comes from the river, so that