The herald., 1898-03-04
1rountain Water and Other Kinds

Mountain Watsr and Other Kinds
To the Editor OF the Los Angeles Herald:
The great Importance of the water Ques-
ton In municipal economy ID universally
conceded, and in our own city 1t has as
sumed q shape at this time which calls
for the most active. intelligent and careful
handling on the part Of the local admin
istration.
The available sources Of water supply for
this city are alleged to be numerous, and
great stress has been laid upon the desir-
ability of piping the mountain streams to
obtain a pure and adequate supply. Con-
sidering the large .and rapidly increasing
size of Los Angeles and the absolute ne
cessity for pure and plentiful supply Of
water, the subject Is one that is of vital In
terest to every consumer.
Recognising this fact, the Southern Cali
fornia Academy of Sciences has for the
last eighteen months been investigating
the character of the water supplies OF
Los Angeles-not only the natural supply,
including the waters of the river itself at
different places, but It has Investigated
all possible sources of supply, and IN
cluded also an investigation Of the artifi-
cial waters called pure" A series OF
analyses of the most thorough kind has
been conducted the result of which the
academy proposes to publish in bulletin
shortly to be issued for public informa-
tion. in which the full particulars of the
analyses made will be given.
One or two conclusions arrived at may
be indicated here, the first of which Is
that the popular idea about the extreme
purity of mountain water In Southern Call.
fornia Is not supported by the results OF
chemical and meteorological analysis. The
amount of decayed vegetable matter con-
tanned in mountain water, except In cases
where 1t is obtained direct from the melt
ing of the SHOWS, appears to be consider
able. and is serious objection. ON the
other hand, water that has been filtered
through sand deposits Is apparently freed
from contamination.
The outcome Of the various analyses
shows the city to own the sources OF sup
ply Of the purest and best drinking water
which has so far come under analysis. The
water referred to Is that on the Providen-
cia rancho. few miles above the city-a
source Of supply adequate for all future
purposes, and which is owned by the city,
title having been acquired through con-
demnation suit a few years ago. Prof. A.
j. McClatchie, who Is the chemist and
bacteriologist for the agricultural and ex-
perimental section of the Academy of Sci
ences, furnishes the academy the follow
ing analysis Of the water taken from those
lands:
ANALYSIS
Total grains of mineral matter per
gal ......................... so.s
Total grains of hardness per gal. Ills
Total grains of hardness, after boil
Total grains of alkalinity per gal......11.02
Calcium carbonate. grains per gal.... So
Calcium suiphate, grains per gal...... 10
Magnesium carbonate, grains per GAL. 1.S
Magnesium sulphate, grains per GAL. III
Sodium chloride, grains per gal........ 1.S
Silicia. al and iron.. n........................ 81
Organic matter, only trace. "a bac-
teria per c. C........................
Prof McClatchie adds the following note
to this analysis: There is a very small
amount-in fact, but a trace-of organic.
matter present. This Is an excellent show
ing. Out of some dozen waters used In Los
Angeles and examined by me during the
last six months, l have found none that
surpasses this one. 1t is an excellent wa
ter for drinking purposes. and is, in fact,
as good as any bottled water sold In the
markets of this city,
The Investigations above referred to,
which have been quietly conducted by the
Academy Of Sciences, attest the interest of
its members in the public welfare, and
feel sure will be of extreme interest to
your readers.
Investigations on the water supplies of the
city, and, as already stated, will publish
the same in one of its regular bulletins.
In the meantime the writer feels confident
that the citizens of Los Angeles will be
both surprised and gratified to learn that
the city itself owns and controls the source
Of supply of the purest and best water
tributary to the city. Very truly yours,
B. r. BAUMGARDT,
Secretary of the Southern California
Academy of Sciences.
Los Angeles, March 3, 1898.