Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-08
FOR PURE WATER
What Might Be Accomplished by a
Concert of Action.
TIE RESULT IN PHILADELPHIA
A Feasible Suggestion as to a
Method Of Procedure.
POTION Cr ATERSH HE'D

The admirable fight The Star has made
for pure and clear water for Washington
is bound to be ultimately crowned with
success. said M. M. Stewart OF ,Philadel-
phia. at the Arlington. land the people of
the capital may be encouraged by the result
OF the agitation which has gone on in my
city almost from time immemorial to bring
about a like change in the condition Of the
water supply.
Such reforms as theses are accomplished
only after years OF determined and persist
ent hammering and unrelentless agitation
o. the subject. The foul and unhealthy
water supply of Philadelphia Is a matter of
national knowledge and disgrace. For years
the press and the people of our city begged.
impiored. entreated, suppiicated, threaten
ed. petitioned, prayed, swore and wept for
the simple privilege of drinking glass of
water which was uncontaminated and rea-
sonably pure and healthy. Strangers were
ADVISED when they visited Philadelphia to
drink something stronger than the Schuyl-
Kill f1u1d. or to permit their thirst to go
unQuenched. -,
The Reform Finally Accomplished.
The city authorities, however. made but
spasmodio efforts to meet popular demand
The deaths from typhoid fever and other
diseases continued to swell the monthly
mortuary reports with unpleasant regular
ity. The water became fouler and more in
sipid and repulsive to the taste each year.
Tho sewers emptied their filth and disease
breeding contents above the dams into d
source OF supply already contaminated from
watershed in which cities. towns and
factories are situated by the hundreds. In
| a word. the water supply Of Philadelphia
became too vile and unhealthy to be toll
Grated.
The worm has finally turned. just as it
Will right here in Washington when the
time Is ripe for that non-vertebrate crea-
ture to lift Its head and cause its would
be destroyers to foe in confusion. The
pressure became too strong. and with the
sum Of SIP 900. 900, which Is to be spent in
giving US renovated and to be hoped
pure water supply. we trust that 1t will
not be necessary for US much longer to
offer apologies for our drinking water.
Continued Agitation Necessary.
washington. however. will never realize
| the fulfllment of its dream by supine meth
! DDS. 1t is peculiarly situated city from a
political aspect inasmuch as no pressure
may be brought to bear upon Congress to
| make the necessary appropriation save by
popular sentiment and irresistible public de-
| mand. Politicians are proverbially indiffer-
ent to such influences unless they are of
| such q powerful and overwhelming nature
| that they cannot be gainsaid. The fact
that the people Of the District cannot re-
| buke at the polls recalcitrant members who
are Indifferent to patent and urgent needs
| Is one reason why they are compelled to
bear the infiiction of the muddy compound
of Virginia and Maryland soil and surface
DRAWINGS as was endured this winter 1t
amounts to much whether a people may
| appear before their governing body and
| legislative authority petitioners or as
| voting sovereigns.
Concerted Action Suggested.
81 visit Washington frequently, and year
after year am greeted with the Same COM
| plant as to the muddiness of the water.
recall one season when it was stated that
| this condition prevailed for a period of nine
months, a great deal Of rain having fallen
that winter.
II have also observed that The Star in
champtoning the cause has not been sup
ported by concert Of action on the part of
either a temporary or a permanent organ
| ization to bring about the desired reform.
1t would seem to me that a committee
| should be constituted whose avowed pur-
pose 1t is to bring about such a condition
| that our persistency Of agitation accom-
plished in Philadelphia.
| 'If the Washington board of trade feels
| that such a question Is not one which prop
| erly comes within its scope-though can
conceive Of no equitable reason why 1t
| should not-a special committee Of promi-
nent citizens ought to be organized which
WOlQQ leave no legal OF ordinary Slep I'LL
| taken to bring the matter to focus, and
| to secure the ultimate wherewith to give
| the capital of the nation water which will
| sparkle in December as in July.
Effect of Organized Action.
Politicians become statesmen through tho
organizations of their respective parties
and it is organized unions in the ranks OF
labor which have accomplished much for
| the workingna.n. What is everybody's bus
| mess is nobodys business. Everybody in
this city demands change in the water
| system, yet none save The Star appears to
| be giving voice and agitation to that spe-
| cifc result. The people Of Philadelphia be-
came finally eXasperated and their demands
| were needed. The popuiace of Washington
| has not yet reached that stage. but it could
be promoted by determined and or
| ganized effort. The details of action are OF
minor Importance once the wheels are set
| in motion to exert the pressure which will
| accomplish the reform
What Is Done in Other Cities.
New York leads the cities Of this eoun-
try in its lavishness Of expenditure Of
money on Its splendid water supply. 1t seems
| but a year or two ago that untold millions
were expended upon new aqueduct, and
| now the city is expanding millions more in
| increasing the supply. Croton water is es-
tains declare that 1t will keep longer than
the water taken in other ports. The Gro
| ton watershed has been practically all con-
demned at fabulous cost, that it may be
free from possible conta mination Buildings
on side hills siopina toward the Croton river
or its tributaries a mile away were con-
demned The water Is at all times pure,
clear and sparkling.
The Potomac Watershed.
with proper filtration and such means
| as modern science has at hand the Poto-
mac water may be made as clear and pure
as any. The watershed of the Potomac is
a good one as an entirety; in fact. It Is so
| superior to that of the Schuylkill that q
comparison fails. The soil Of the states
through which the Potomac winds its way
| is alluvial, and therefore washes from the
banks of the river and its tributaries, Great
ing a permanent dtscoloration SO long as
the rains continue.
This condition Is an inevitable one, and
can be met only by the applica tion of i'm
proved methods Of treatment and filtra-
ton. These necessarily cost money, but
an insignificant sum compared with the
magnificent results which are within reach
If a determined effort were made to win
out here as was the case in Philadelphia"
Found Out.
From the Cleveland Gospel Review.
"Ha, hal! he cried. with a bitter sneer
as he suddenly revealed himself to the