The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-01-27
THE BAD WATER WE DRINK
Senator's Receive Reports on
the Potomac Supply.
DECLARED UNFIT FOR Use
Hydrographer Newell Gives the
Results of His Investigation "f
the stream az ltS Grihuta rie>.
Important Recon, cancellations Made
by Capt. GaiIIard-A Filter Pla at g.

In reply to a Senate resolution, the
Secretary of War yesterday sent TO
that body the reports Of various Off
cials on the subject Of the pollution oi
the Potomac water. capt. u. -. Gall
lard, of the Corps OF Engineers, says
that statistics show the river To be
Extensively muddy at Great Falls one
third the time. and clear little
more than one-haf the time. From
the distributing reservoir it is oIen-
sively muddy one-nfth the ume. and
clear three-ffths of the time. There
is found 70 be considerable pollution OF
the stream also. the GreatSei beng
along the north branch. from tUmber-
land up.
As a general thinc il is reported The
Potomac water viii compare faVora-
bly, with that of most rivers. capt.
Gailldld says il is fact proven by
demonstration that Go supply from
stream once polluted can br couSid-
erred safe for drinking without hltra-
tion oI sterilization. 50 far as the Pu-
Jumac WAS concerned IL was only
JrUth 10 say that the water Was re-
2arded with grave suspicion by many
inve eStjgators.
IL MoNiN Bt useless. f.al1 l1l. NEttls ~
says. to construct a filter plant for
less than 80 coo. 600 gallons a day. which
is about - per cent greater than the
daily consumption Of the city. BY
the process of natural filtration il
would cost 81 164 500 TO construct and
SlRl.S .Sl2 To maintain and operate the
filter BY the process of mechanical
filtration il would cost SSluunU to con-
strucJ and about an equal amount To
operate.
Among The recommendation sub
mitted is one that a board ri experts
Doe appointed 10 inyestig gate the meth
ods of filtration by the us Of Potomac
water i'm practical tests. 1t is urged
that a. a means looking tO economy
in the demonstration Of the water
works. the useless waste OF water
be stopped by the use Of meters where
ever large quantities of water is con-
sUmed
photographer F. II. Newell. from his
pant Of the scientific investigation.
says.
'Gn the headwaters Of the north
branch of the river are eighteen saw
mills discharsins their sawdust directly
into the stream. Besides these are Sev-
eral Janneries pouring effluents direct
~ into The water and at one Of these
the refuse tanbark is placed where it
Viii be washed away. Numerous mines
also contribute coal dust and drainage
waters heavily charged with iron and
other mineral matter i'm solution. At
Luke. Md, a small village about 30
miles above Cumberland. is located a
large nauer mill. with a capacity Of
more than loo tons of paper per day.
This is made from wood disintegrated
by chemicals and heat the refuse be-
ing discharged into the Potomac River
al th" rar' of over 100000 gallons a day
Below this mill is the town of Pied
mont W Va. contributing oiTal 10 the
stream. Nn the opposite side at the
town oi Wg~teruport, Georges Creek
debuUches. bringing in the drainage
from several thicklysettled communi-
ties and about twenty coal mines. These
waters are exceedingly bad. At Keyser
are q number Of factories. including
taEnery and wooden mill. each with its
characteristic e1iuonL At Cumberland
the drainage water from several mines
and The refuse from a paper mill brew
cry, distiilelN. cement mill. tannery.
dye works ana gas works is brought in
- Wills Creek. Below the mouth Of
this stream is a tight dam. raising the
waters of the Potomac and ponding
them for nearly miles. This relatively
dead water receives all Of the pollution
above noted, together with the sewage
'l 5 t'bttidHH. a CITY OF luDoo lnhahl-
tants. About 400 yards above the dam
is The intake Of the Cumberland water
works. supplying a fluid whose quail
Ties have long been a cause Of extreme
dissatisfaction.
The south branch Of the Potomac
ANA ether tributaries down TO Harper's
Ferry. the junction OF the Shenandoah
We're found To be relatively clear. the
only cause Of pollution Of note being
several tanneries. In the Shenandoah
Valley ara also a number Of tanneries
and small manufactures, with drainage
from smaN agricultural towns At
llGlTer's Ferry are pglp mills. ore each
on The Potomac and Shenandoah Be
low Harper'S Ferry are no pollu.i .ns
of 60 sequence down to the inteLa f
the Washington water works"
Ar stating that the wa,er IS un-
quest IablN unfit for use. Mr.. Newell /
says that typhoid fever prevailed in 4
'},Iai', rland during the winter of 1889. /
and an Increased number Of deaths 1
from That disease was noted 50 Wash 1
inSiun.