New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-09
PHILADELPHIA'S PROBLEM
AGITATION FOR A SUPPLY OF GOOD
WATER
sCHUYLKILIl-RE1IEF HOPED FOR FROM
THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.
Hotel Netherland,
New York, Nov. 20, 1898.

Philadelphia. April (speciaD.-The helpless1ess
Of the citizens OF the city is startling character
istic OF the water question With clanor all
sides for relief Of kind from the supply Of
impure water. nothing is accomplished. Mass
meetings held and petitions signed. yet nothing
IS done. The citizens helpless in the hands OF
the Councilrnen. who withhold action.
With the advent OF the new administration relief
Is hoped for but Just what is to be done is still
puzzling question For thirty years the agitation
for an improved water supply has been going on
in Philadelphia. The works at Paramount erected
in 1920 were regarded the time a marvel Of
engineering skill. Since then the supply OF water
for domestic and other purposes has been taken
from the Schuylkill River. Year after year the
population has grown along the banks OF the river
for 100 rn,Jas above the city the headwa-
tiers OF the stream Each year the menace to the
health OF the people has increased from its many
sources Of contamination
At intervals IN the last thirty years tho PROPOSE
! ton to change the source OF supply and abandon
| the use OF the schuykill entirely has been raised
and discussed with more or less interest Ten
years ago the sewage from the thckl- populated
district OF Manayunk suburb OF the city only
slx miles above the Fairmount works and less
than that distance from the pumping station or the
| largest reservoir the source OF apprehension
Of danger TO the city's health. As A remedy. a
sewer six miles in length constructed to divert
| the sewage OF all tho upper district OF the city
| from the county line TO below the pumping station
| a. Paramount.
But other troubles have arisen. Every heavy rain
convert. the river into a torrent OF mud. and or
| late years the washing and refuse from the coal
mines near the h.adwaters OF the stream have
been q source OF great annoyance although OF no
particular source OF peril TO public health. AT
times the river has been turned black
EPIDEMIC OF TYPHOID FEVER
The present agitation for pure water arises from
an alarming epidemic Of typhoid fever beginning
last November and raging ever since with more or
legs prevalence There have been approximately
600 cases OF fever reported since January ana D"
| deaths according 70 daily statistics. No other
causes except an impure water supply can be as
signed for IT. With an increase OF the epiueHlc
the cry for a remedy has been intensified fltra-
ton has been proposed as an immediate measure
OF relief Ultimately. with the steadily Increasing
| popuaton in the schuylkill Valley, It VIII De
necessary 10 draw the supply OF water for the city
from another source a gravity supply, IKE those
=, Nev-York and Boston, will have to be adopted
I'm the future II is merely question OF time "'e'
the schuylkil River will be abandoned entirety
The proposition TO filter the water supply was
strongly urged by the former city administration.
But the efforts OF the administration nave De ,,
blocked by political opposllon &C. apSropriate
g. 100 900 for experimental filtration plants anu a.
dtona subsidiary reservoirs Inc ,hS unnbIc loan
Of ilI o,j 900 authorized 1897 has been hamperea
ey MIN T b46ay stu B GeeaeS H APE
The opposition to the proposed remedial meas-
ures has aroused public sentiment. and recoiIiE,
there has been a general agitation BY coHI..elcia
| and civic bodies. which have brought the SINS
est kind OF pressure bear upon City IL,
| net Concerted action has been taken by Calii.s
| 10 the attention OF the Mayor the nesessl,y
az nure water He Is OH record as opposing me s'Io
or lease Of the waterworks 10 private InslS a,
The sentiment Of the community as eHpIeSs.seu a.
| nuhl,c rneetinzs is also strongly opposed 10 II 49,.
nlans as measures FOR Keller from impure wafer.
Viz stoppacs OF waste and nltratlon ne SuoyeCs
~ waste has been pointed out one OF the cHuses
~ rad water With vast quantity wasted. .ne
water docs not have time 70 subside In me 49,
voirs The average daily pumpaee If estlnate" a.
OK zoo or gallons equal 10 30 gallons per uai P
| bcsd 81 the population The reservoir capacity IS
about Ave times that amount 10, ,A ahou,
There are FIVE distributing reservoirs ana "u T
some time the reservoirs have not been lIleu 10
,heir fIll limit because the demand for water 80 -
ries II out as fast Il Is pumped In. Inc p'LIre
anparatus has not been equal 10 the task OF 80,
nc the basins full Some OF the works nav -.
com pelled pump directly into the Watel ia...
and service pipes. This Is an evil known a. ,5ts
| humping In the sections OF the city VIZ a.
system has been adopted typhoid fever mas IT, r,ar
ished The water is pumped dlrect from sn,dsrce
10 the houses There Is practically no -s,, h, sub
THE water does not get n chance 70 purity % s'"-
sidence and exposure 70 the air -. 49,.
| The pumping capacity OF the WORKS has Sson
neglected by the city for years No ehort nj IT,
made 20 keep pace with the growth OF popu.ss 80
The nrst need is more pumps and then on .ys,t
| more reservoirs After that filtration, ana e'e"'
ualy a supply Of water from purer sources