Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-10-01

Doss the city Of wheeling Mead Filters

Doss the City OF Wheeling Mead Filter?
To the Editor of the Register.
Sir:-I see in this days issue OF your
valuable paper that the members OF
the City Water Board are very much
impressed with the success of the
movement towards securing pure water
for potable purposes, which has been
made at Williamsburg, Pa, and that H.
F. Jones, OF the City Water Board, has
secured samples, etc. Also that the
City Water Board has had estimates
prepared, etc. That the members OF
the Board, however, are thoroughly
convinced of the desirability of such
plant and in due time will urge it's
erection.
Now in view of the above facts and
for fear the Water Board would over
look it, l would respectfully ask you
to publish the enclosed clipping from
the Cincinnati Enquirer of September
28th, 1897.
Cincinnati Enquirer.
There is a lot of talk about the
necessity for new water works and air
liberation, and all that sort of rot"
said Mr.. S. A. Miller, yesterday, "be-
cause it is claimed that the Ohio river
water is menace to health and life.
| understand that the building of the
proposed water works is more to bene-
fit some of the money grabbers than
the people, but, aside from that, it is
! ridiculous to assert that the Ohio river
water is full of germs" and prejudicial
to health. The truth is that the water
IN the Ohio river never contains any
impurities that are injurious to man,
and furthermore the water is never
purer than it is right now. The rea-
son for this is plain, and any one who
gives the question the slightest study
can readily comprehend it. The Ohio
river bed averages a mile in width,
and is all sand. This sand is saturat-
ed with the water which seeps in when
The river is full and seeps out when the
river is low. Thus the stream is fed
during the summer months when it is
lowest, and When some doctors say that
the water is most impure, by the water
That has percolated through countless
Sand banks. Otherwise it would dry
UP. 1t is so well filtered that it is
utterly idle to talk of it containing
disease germs. Another advantage is
tnat IN the summer time, when the
river is low, the water goes over the
rlpples and bubbles and splatters and
laughs and dances with the sunbeams.
Every gas that might have been gen.
Grated from what little decaved matter
IL contains has chance to escane and
the water is thoroughly aerated.
IN the dry season the small streams
are drled up and the refuse from the
stables and pens is not washed into the
river 10 faint the water. When tho
~, ~ IS nlgh all the impurities for
nilies on either side of the stream are
"asnea INTO 1t, but these are quickly
Uaitleo away by the great volume of
WAFER and the swift current. And.
eneie lore, while 1T is purest now it is
not injurious at any time.
Feople talk about the germs that
are carried in the water Did you ever
KNOW OF a germ disease that was ever
traced to the Ohio river from Pitts
burg to its mouth? The fact is that
water is never the source of germs, ex-
cept where the juices upon which
bacteria thrive are collected. And this
- only possible where the water is all
solutely stagnant. 10 dp-
! bacterla are microscopic fnnoi
cannot live in water for ~ iunsl' ana
weeks under the most fayoIe,, Inan Two
1 LIONS OF temperature and stagnation.
ihey die in water, but can survive in
me air. They thrive in barnyards and
nolsome places, but never in water.
Why, If it were not for the rains and
Inc rivers to kill bacteria the human
race would become extinct in q very
| short while.
bacteria cannot thrive in sand.
e GU r,l Ior ehere is nothing to feed up
on. Therefore this talk of Ohio river
water lmpurity is the veriest rot
Don't boil the water, and don't filter
II unless you want to. 1t will not hurt
you. n'''
I'm not talking at random" added
MI. Miller, but have made a careful
study of bacterology. Sternberg's
Bacterology will corroborate everv-
thing that 1 have said" r