The herald., 1898-09-09
WATER WAS MOST VILE
WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY
ARE TO DRINK
Report Of the County Health Officer on
the Contamination Of Lytle
Creek

SAN BERNARDINO. Sept s.-The
monthly report of the health officer IN re-
gard to the water supply for this city and
Rialto is interesting. 1t is quite lengthy
document, and the health officer says. in
part:
Numerous complaints were made, mostly
by Rialto people. 1t was claimed that
whenever the hydraulic mine was running
the water was muddy and filthy and abso-
lutely unfit for domestic use. I went up to
Lytle Creek canyon and investigated the
matter. Fortunately, found the mine in
operation.
"A comparatively large stream OF ex-
ceedingly dirty water came down from the
Christy mine and entered Lytle creek.
Above this place Of entrance the stream was
perfectly clear. Below it the water in the
creek Is dark-brown In color and SO muddy
that objects floating along an inch beneath
the surface can hardly be made out. Large
and small roots. leaves and debris Of all
kinds are carried along. On the upper part
Of the creek-that is, below the entrance OF
the water coming down from the mine
(Christy's)-the banks are lined in many
places with a mass OF black, filthy mud,
consisting Of decayed vegetable and Or
ganic matter and soil. and exceedingly
offensive to the sense of smell. This was
doubtless caused by the debris from the
Christy mine, which has been decomposed
by the heat and moisture.
Nasty
"Going down the creek, took samples
| from the creek and cemented ditch at GER
tain intervals. The farther I went down
the ditch the clearer became the wster. but
even at Rialto the water was rofey and
the vegetable matter could be discovered
| with the naked eye. The water smelled bad
1T Rialto, much more so than at the mouth
Of the canyon.
"As I have stated before in former
report. Lytle creek water. when not contain
mated, is among the purest and healthiest
IN the state, If not the purest and healthiest;
but 1t is contaminated by two agencies.
though to a vastly different degree. The
first Is the decomposed debris from the
Christy mine; the other the excretions, ETC.,
from the bands of domestic animals. es-
pecially hogs, roaming about the upper
course Of the creek. Secondly the contain
nation from the comparatively large num-
bers OF wild animals and verm!n which are
drowned every night in the ditch. Third
ly, the presence of considerable numbers Of
people who camp along the creek during
The summer months.
"Filtering the water and then boiling it
renders il perfectly healthy, but, practical
ly, this advice is of no value, as people, as a
whole. will not do 1t. 1t is, therefore, neces-
sary TO resort to protective sanitary meas
ures.
Who Will Vote
There is an entirely new great register
about ready for use at the coming election
The names have all been numbered and
placed in precincts, and II there are nc
transfers to be made, It will go into the
hands Of the printer ust as II is October II
There are 6751 names on this list Of voters
as against 1900 on the register Cancelled, al
though all Of these are bona fide voters
and the other had been in use two years
and many whose names were there were
either dead or had moved away from the
precincts or county. The vote Of the county
two years ago. in presidential year. was
1893, or only about Is per cent Of the name.
on the register. 1t is thought the cam
paign, if actively conducted, will bring ou
about the same number OF votes this No
vember The number of votes by super
vsorial districts is as follows: First, 1904
Second, 1924; Third 1916; Fourth, 1884; Fifth
1863
The death Of Capt. J. X. Schermerhorr
yesterday OF broncho-pneumonia take
away one of the best-known citizens.
prominent Mason and an active worker II
the Episcopal church, Of which for years h,
} was senior warden. The funeral will take
place Friday at p M, from st. John!
church. The deceased came here from
Texas ten years ago. He won his title o.
captain in the Confederate army, servinit
through the war In a Georgia regiment. HI
had carried for many years a magnificen
gold watch and chain presented to hin
long after the war by a Unionist he wa.
sent to capture. but on finding him Ma
son, arranged for his escape with his fam
lily through the Confederate lines to tn
north.
A Satisfactory Test
The board Of supervisors has accepted
the hot-water heating apparatus for tn
new court house. giving It a test yesterda!
that was eminently satisfactory. The tenn