Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-07
FILTER OUR WATER.
srRoNG FLEA FOR MAKING THE
suppLY CLEAR AND PURE.
PROOF That II CAN Be DONE
Professor Maiiet Says IL IL Roth Pos
sibIe and Practicable TO Fiiter All
We Nced-saccessfuI Experiences
of other Cities.
Richmond. Va. August .. iSs,


10 thc Editor Of the Dispatch:
There seems 10 be some doubt in the
-ebHc mind as TO whether the whole
wa,er supply for the city can be filtered
an a satisfactory way. In order 10 remove
This impression. Il IS only necessary 20
give the matter slight investigation,
and then the only quetion 70 be decided
is which is the best system II is plain
90 any one who chooses to examine the
rr.rc.ple Of sedimentation for clearing
tbe water that Il is not practicable, even
fff did not possess the further objection
OF being the most expensive plan. The
water In its present condition, II left in a
recher for twenty-four hours, will be. 20
all ntcuts and purposes as muddy as II
,a. when put into IL. and. besides. viii
r-s. most offensive Odor. Any one IN
f..e.ted can try the experiment without
ans COST
0r ,he 2Sth OF July wrote Professor
j Vs. Mallet. az the University of Vir-
cua ls follows:
.U.ar S.r.-We are all very much inte-
rested in having clear water here for use
all over the city. 10 is worse this season
Than BE- ever has been. Some discussion
has arisen as TO whether IT is possible
and practicable 20 filter the water for
OH. whole city. ! have recently read your
very interesting article in Johnson's Cy-
clopela on Water" and take the lber-
IS OF writing 10 ask whether the water
here con be filtered for the whole city
II FOR any reason you do not think proper
% express any opinion l shall take no
offence at 10. as it is not my purpose TO
involve myself or any one else in any
controversy. 1 take IL for granted that
you arc familiar with local conditions,
and shall await your reply with interest"
PROFESSOR WALLETS VIEWS.
To this he replied, under date Of July
D.h.
University OF Virginia,
Charlottesville, Va. July 20. 1898.
IS s. T. Patteson, Esq, Richmond, Va.
Dear Sir.-In reply to your letter of
yesterday l would say:
'1 10 is undoubtedly possible and prac-
tcable 10 hlter the whole of the water
supply for Richmond.
o. such filtration, TO be efficient, must
not only be arranged for at first, but az
forwards continuously managed, by COM
potent careful. and trustworthy people.
o. The best management 10 be adopted,
the best location for the filtering plant,
and the cost can only be determined by
a detailed consideration of the conditions
at Richmond.
Il have no objection whatever TO stating
this opinion, nor any objection TO your
making whatever use Of it you may deem
proper. Very respectfully yours.
-. W. MALLET."
We all know that Professor Mallet is
admitted TO be the leading expert in the
United States on water. Besides being an
expert chemist of extraordinary ability,
Ne is IN every way practical man.
EXPERIENCE OF OTHER CITIES.
knowing that many cities have altering
plants which are in successful operation,
! wrote 10 the mayors of several, but
have as yet only had time to hear from
one. 1t is from Hon +. Watkins Mayor
Of Chattanooga, and is as follows:
Chattanooga. Tenn. August 2. 1898.
"Mr 5. S. Patteson, Richmond, Va:
Dear Sir.-Your letter of the 10Th
ultimo. addressed to the Mayor was re-
Ceiyed by me yesterday morning
THE water for our city is furnished by
an Independent water company. and is
filtered by standard altering works. They
use both the National and the Jewell.
The water is pumped from the river into
reservoir above the fltering station
into a second reservoir. In this way in
case of necessity. we have both reser-
voirs 10 draw from. The water is pump
ed directly into the mains from the
second reservoir. l do not know what
the cost of this filtration is, but it has
been very great success. Yours, very
truly f. WATKINS. Mayor"
| am in receipt Of a communication from
the private secretary of Hon. Charles A.
Collier Mayor of Atlanta. which has its
water supply filtered. saying that in a
few days he would advise me as TO the
cost OF the plant and keeping it up. WI
mmgton, Del. has just opened up it's new
altering works. which are giving great
satisfaction. Sioux City on the east bank
81 the Missouri river. In Iowa, filters all
If the water which Is used by the city in
very simple way. A large number OF
,he cities in this country filter their
water supply. Many years ago IL was
thought next 10 impossible TO filter the
supply for a large city. but now the only
question is Which is the best and cheap
est way to do IL?
Antwerp, I'm Belgium. a city of more
'hdu 10000 inhabitants. has its entire
water supply successfully filtered. 1t was
one of the pioneer cities I'm ats efforts to
secure filtered water and it finally adopt
cd iron filings as the material over which
the water is filtered. II has proven tn be
3 great success.
HOW IT HAS WORKED HERE.
There Is a manufacturing establishment
in Richmond which cannot conduct ITS |
business without filtered water. and the !
secretary and treasurer Of the company |
has this TO say-viz.
With reference 10 our conversation re- |
sltling the possibility and feasibility Of |
hitcring the water supply of the city of |
Richmond. | have 10 say that / consider |
such scheme entirely possible and |
feasible, and sincerely hope that the day
is near at hand when such will be a fact.
We require and use very large quantity
'i water in our process of manufacture.
ahl the supply OF water must be clear
ana pure Our source of supply is the /
same as that from which the city draws,
ana we have no trouble in altering IT. We
use the "JewelF' system of filtration and
-e cost of the plant was small when the
Nlst satisfactory results obtained are
dhcn INTO consideration. The cost of
Aaintaining the plant is practically no
NNs. except when the water IS in its
.ist condition, when a limited quantity
alum or some other coagulant is neces-
"y In order 10 supply the I'll
.i,d article in that condition Of
'osoiute purity and clearness that
necessary for our purpose.
SIS 10 this point l might state, in tho
Al OF our experience with the James
Fer water and our efforts TO filter same.
ld the consequent study Of the subjec:
'I NItrgffOu that / hnlfoVa that Hlter-