The San Francisco call., 1901-10-03
TYPHOID FROM WATER.

THE Saturday Evening Post notices the alarm
ing prevalence OF typhoid in Philadelphia ad-
mitting that it is the chronic summer condition
in that city For years the public water supply has
been reeking with filth and jobbery in the manage
ment OF the supply under municipal ownership
has either prevented any attempt at betterment or
when such attempt has been made conditions have
become worse, since the consumers relying upon
official statements that the water was all right have
been reer and less cautious its use 1t is said that
in all the history Of Phladelphias ownership of the
water supply the municipal government has been
willing captive OF spectators who know how to make
money for themselves out of the public necessities
The Oldest water plants in the United States under
municipal ownership those of Washington Ctv
Philadelphia New York and Boston, and it is an in
teresting fact that for large part of every year the
water in each of those cities is unfit or dangerous for
potable uses. There is city with its supply in pri-
vate ownership that show such a record of neg
lect Of the public health which may be affected bv
water-borne diseases
One point put forward in the advocacy of public
ownership is the greater cheapness of the water But
this point is impossible OF proof because nowhere
DO the municipal show the COST to the tax
payers who are also water rate payers of the public
supply.
1t is to be hoped that this phase of the question
laws will be passed compelling cities which have gone
into business in street railroads. water and lighting
plants, to keep their accounts exactly as the accounts
OF corporations engaged in the same lines of business
are kept Only then can anything be known about
me cost CT municipal water supply If the claim of
The municipal ownership advocates now made re1a-
i've 10 the comparative cost of water by the two svs
les private and public, made upon the face of the
present erroneous system of accounts be true if is
evident t1at correct accounting will show that the
private supply Is the cheaper, for the difference
claimed Is such narrow margin that it will dsannear
when 1t becomes possible to get a correct balance
rom municipal accounts This factor in the problem
lheIe remains the question of sanitation
@S a"e0ueo Dy the water supply. Here appears the
experience of Philadelphia because for +bo 80
part of century the quality of her s,,nn,,, 49,
deteriorating, and effort by the c
has availed to correct the evil
At the present time several millions ~ "a
been put in the hands of the government of 80.
to purify the water, but the Philadelphia pano~ .o
II is probable that the betternent will be -
the citizens than for those who are undertake.; ioi
bring it about In any case long before the c;+;z.
obtain the filtered water promised them +bero
ample time for typhoid and other impure water die
eases to reap their grim death harvest"
Does any one imagine that if a corporation our.d
the Philadelphia water plant it would have taken
nearly century to call it to account and compel if 70
purify the supply? Or does any one believe that
when the corporation was compelled to do SO tbe
consumers would be in doubt whether thev were
TO be benefited in the end?
The lesson is that government can compel 70 he
zone well that which it cannot do well itself T. will
De interesting to know whether the twelve n;II;o,e
that Philadelphia spends for filters will be ctaroed
10 oettermentS OF the plant and appear as part Of
the cost OF the water supply be put to some other
account IN order that members of the city govern
Hert may continue to boast of the cheapness of the
public water