The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-24
THE WATER FOUL.
Answer TO a Protest Against Closing
nm Indiana Avenue Well.

Gen. William Birney, of 416 Fifth Street
northwest. has written to the Commission
ers protesting against the closing of the
well at the corner of Indiana Avenue and
Third Street northwest. He states that
he has just learned that it is the intention
of the Health Department to close the
well.
General Birney informs the Commission
ers that he is the owner Of the boarding
house 31S Indiana Avenue, and that he has
lived there for nearly two years. The
well, he states, furnishes the only good
water in the neighborhOod and is used by
thousands of persons. He declares that
the water is greatly preferred to the Po-
tomac water or that to be had from the
deep wells sunk by the District, none of
which is in the immediate neighborhood.
General Birney states that he has never
heard of case Of sickness caused by the
water from the well in question, and that
he has no faith whatever in the analysis
MADE by the Health Department
The letter of General Birney was re-
ferred yesterday tc the Water Department,
which has charge of the public wells of the
city. 1t was stated by Captain Gaillard
that the departm ent never interferes with
a well unless there is good reason for so
doing. The people in every community, he
said, become attached to the wells 1t is
often difficult to persuade them that the
water is not wholesome when it has be-
come so foul that the department does not
dare leave the well open. Turning to his
records, Captain Gaillard brought out the
analysis made by Robert Spear Weston,
who was employed some time ago by the
Washington AQueduct Commission and Is
chemist of undoubted reputation. This an
q oh nrIi
500 to the centimetre, and among them was
the bacillus coli, or eXcrement OF live ami
mails. Captain Gaillard explained that the
presence of the coli was the danger signal
in drinking water. When it is found it is
unsafe TO use the water and it is the duty
of the department to close all wells in
which ii is found.
Captain Gaillard explained that the de-
partnent does not depend alone on one
The Washington Aqueduet Com
he explained, makes an analysis OF
all the wells of the city at stated intervals.
The Health Department makes others. and
the chemists OF the Engineer Department
make still others, and when the reports
from all these sources come in there is q
record which cannot be doubted.
An enquiry at the Health Department
resulted in an examination of the analysis
made Of the water last March. The chem
isl IN charge explained that the analysis
made by him was not meteorological test
He said he sought only TO secure a record
on the well as to its sanitary condition.
His analysis was favorable rather than
otherwise. showing only traces of danger
GUS contamination. He thought the well
might be used for time without serious
results. He accepted the fact, though, that
his analysis would not have revealed the
presence of bacillus coli. and that. he inti-
mated, was the reason why the Water De-
partment did not depend upon one form OF
test
In explaining the. decision to close the
well in question. Captain Gaillard stated
that no mistake would be made, as sufIi-
cient examinations would be made to es-
tablish the character OF the water in the
well beyond a doubt.