The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-13
MADE THE PEOPLE SICK
FIVE ANALYSES Made BY THE
STATE CHEMIST.
PAID FOR WATER AND COULDN'T USE IT
Or. Royster Says the Water Was Unfit for
Domestic Use, Injurious to Health,
But Not Dangerous
TO Life.

The hearing of testimony in the suit
for damages. brought by Mr., c. +.
Sewers against the Raleigh Water Com
pany, was commenced yesterday before
Justice of the Peace Watts. The plain
tiff was represented by Douglass 4
Simms and b. G.. Beckwith; the defen-
dant by Armistead Jones and Ernest
Haywood
Five witnesses We're examined-Mr.
c. f. Sewers, the plaintiff; Mr.. A. Il.
Stronach, who was made sick by the
water; Prof. A. w. Blair, State chemist,
who made several analysis of the water:
Dir. Hubert A. Register, a member of
the committee of physicians appointed
by the aldermen to make investigation
in regard to the water, and Mr.. J. w.
Lee, who discontinued use of the water
on account of the acid in it.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Lees testi-
mony, the plaintiff rested his case and
counsel for the defendant asked for an
adjournment of the case on account of
other important cases. BY consent the
cause was continued for hearing before
Justice Watts till Thursday, April Goth
mt 10 O'Clock a. M, upon agreement of
counsel that if the case is appealed by
either side it shall be placed upon the
trial docket by consent and heard at
the next term of the Superior court
which begins April Oath.
Mr. Sewers testified in regard to the
presence of sulphuric acid in the water.
between January and April, and its
consequent unfitness for domestic use
or drinking purposes. He told how he
had been unable to continue the use
of the water and his difficulty i'll get
ting well water. His damages he placed
at $40.
Mr.. Stronach testified as to the bad
quality of the water. and said drinking
it had made him sick.
Prof. Blair's evidence consisted for
the most part in analyses of different
samples of the water. There were five
of these as follows:
February 21st--water drawn from city
hydrant at station house. by chief of
police. Solid matter. 1862 grains per
gallon; hardness, II. degrees; calcium
carbonate, OF grains per gallon; chic
rine, % grains per gallon; free am
monia, .066 parts per million; albuminoid
ammonia, .033S parts per million. Color,
turbid
Reaction with litmus paper-decided-
~ acid. Sulphuric acid, $50 grains per
gallon. Small amount of iron, alumina,
calcium and magnesium, trace of copper
and nitrates.
A water containing so large amount
of sulphuric acid cannot be considered
wholesome for drinking purposes, and
its usefulness for domestic purposes is
materially impaired. The chemical
analysis shows the presence of only
small amount of organic matter.
The usefulness of this water for all
domestic purposes is greatly impaired,
Prof. Blair said, by it's hardness, and
for drinking purposes by the sulphuric
acid
February 23rd-Water from hydrant
in the laboratory of the State chemist
was analysed as follows:
Total solid matter, 100 grains per
gallon; hardness, II. degrees; calcium
carbonate, OF grains per gallon;
chlorine, % grains per gallon; free am
monia, .05 parts per million; albuminoid
ammonia, .O362 parts per million.
Color, turbid.
Reaction with litmus paper-decided-
ly acid. Sulphuric acid, sos grains per
gallon. Small amount of iron, alllmnia,
and magnesia; and trace of copper and
nitrates.
"A water containing so large u quantity
OF sulphuric acid, either free or com,
bined, cannot be considered wholesome
for drinking purposes, and its usefulness
for domestic purposes is materially i'm
paired. But little organic matter pres
ent.
This water is about the same as that
of the first sample analysed.
February 24th--water from intake of
city supply: before passing through the
pipe at Caraleigh mills, where the sui
phuric acid was taken in:
Total solid matter, 3.66 grains per
gallon; hardness, 1.5 degrees; calcium
carbonate, AZ grains per gallon; chic
rine, p grains per gallon; free ann
monia, .02 parts per million: albuminod
ammonia 90 parts per million.
Only the slightest traces of sulphuric
acid found. even after the water had
been greatly concentrated by boiling.
The chemical examination shows this
to be very pure wafer. There is only
q small amount of organic matter pres
ent.
February 25th-water from sand pit
after passing through the sulphuric acid
district:
Total solid matter, 205 grains per
gallon; hardness, 1863 degrees; Calcium
carbonate, 1916 grains per gallon;
chlorine, % grains per gallon; free am
monia, .0642 parts per million; albumi-
mold ammonia, .0925 parts per million:
sulphuric acid as sulphates, 1908 grains
per gallon.
A water containing so large amount
of sulphuric acid as sulphate cannot
be considered wholesome for drinking
purposes. The hardness, which is moi
natural, is very much against the water
for drinking and for domestic purposes
The total solid matter is also unnatur
ally high.
March 13th-water from city supply