Evening star., 1898-01-10
THE POTOMAC WATER
Senator Hale Unsparingly Denounces
1t.
NO OTHER PEOPLE SO IMPOSED UPON
Mr.. GaIlnger Says a Plan Will Be
Provided
II A W Allan TREATY UP

Rev. Bishop Merrill. D. D., of Chicago
delivered the invocation at the opening of
the Senate today.
bill was favorably reported from the
Indian committee prohibiting railroad COM
parnes from charging more than 8 cents a
mile for passengers through the Indian ter
itory-
MIR. Mcmillan introduced a resolution
calling for Information. as follows:
Resolved, That the Secretary of War
be. and he is hereby, requested to report
TO the Senate any information that may
be in possession of the War Department
in relation to the filtration of the water
supply of the District of Columbia to-
SetheT with any suggestions that may be
made by the surgeon general of the army
and the officers of the Washington aque-
duct relative to such subject"
This resolution brought out some COM
ment on the Part of Senators Hale and Gal
HnEer regarding the condition of the Poto-
mac river water.
Mr. Hale said he hoped the committee on
the District of Columbia would bring about
some means by which the suffering people
OF the District could get q supply of good,
pure water
The District Imposed Upon.
Il venture to say said Mr.. Hale that
community of the size represented by the
population of this District where the people
are so imposed upon and abused in this
matter Of watel as are the people of the
District of Columbia. The residents here
are forced every day to use bad. foul water,
which is dangerous to drink and makes it
irksOme even to take bath.
We have suffered for years in this re-
spcct, on the principle, / suppose, that
what is eyerybody's business is nobody's
business. 1 have great faith in the ability
of the chairman of the committee on the
District of Columbia to do something to
free US from the miserable condition We
are in in respect to our water supply.
Mr. GaIlinger's Statment
Mr.. Gallinger then made statement in
behalf of the committee on the District OF
Columbia
The committee has not been uumind-
ful,'' he said. "of the fact that the water
supply of the District of Columbia is not
only in an Cnfitered state, but we likewise
have an inadequate supply of water for
the District The committee in inquiring
into this matter felt that the first requisite
was III some way to get an adequate sup
ply of water and then to adopt some sys-
TEN of flitration that would purify the
water.
The Water Not HurtfuI.
Ny impression is the water that is fur
nished 10 the citizens of this District is
not hurtful to the health of the people
That it ought 10 be filtered goes without
saying. but system of filtration would be
an expensive matter, and, in view of the
condition OF the treasury, it is natural
that the committee should move slowly.
l believe ex-senator Ingalls, said the
water of a certain river in this coun-
try was too thick TO drink and too thin
for agricultural purposes, and L believe
that applies to the Potomac river water
The committee is struggling with this
problem, and in due time it will be
able TO solve it. ard will ask the co-ooera-
tion OF the Senate TO put its plan into ef-
feet
The Hawaiian Treaty Taken Up.
At l2:jD pm, on motion of Mr. Davis
CMlnn). chairman of the committee on for
eign relations. the senate went into execu-
tive session to consider the Hawaiian an
nexatiOn treaty.
The treaty was not taken up Immediately
II the session, as a number of nomin ations
first ffrr-