Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-04-13
AN INCREASE IN
USE OF CITY WATER
An Average of $500, 900 Gallons
Being Consumed
Daily.
RIVER SEDIMENT Is DISAPPEARING
But Health Department Advises
Observance of Precautions.
WaterWorks Condition.
RIVER SEDIMENT Is DISAPPEARING

The warm weather of the past week
has somewhat increased the consump-
ton of water, and the city now uses
an average of about three-and-a-quar-
ter million gallons daily.
The river is falling and is now COM
paratively free from sediment, but the
rate of consumption is still greater
than the filters can safely handle, al
though the plant is now in full opera
tion.
Therefore the city health depart
ment feels that'it is proper to repeat
the warning in regard to the use of
water direct from the mains for drink
ing purposes. Continued care is con
sidered necessary to maintain the
present rate of decrease in the mum Der
of typhoid fever cases in the city.
What Has Been Done So Far.
A meeting OF the finance committee
of the city council was held last even.
ing to pass upon the bill of Prof. L
G.. Smith, of Beloit, for work done in
examination of water samples recent
ly. The bill is for S416 65. To this
may be added $25, allowed to e. e.
Albee by the council. After some
discussion it was decided TO recon-
mend that the bill be allowed, and to
notify Prof Smith not to do any more
work without order
The question naturally arises as to
Prof. Smiths connection with the ty-
pboid fever investigation. and the
following will be OF interest: The
first real intimaIion that our water
system was under suspicion was in the
report of the health com missioner
for June, 1900, concerning the Pc
culiar odor of the water at that
time. In that report DR.. Craig
said: Il would respectfully advise
that the inlet pipe be tested to ascer-
tain beyond doubt that our water
comes from the main channel of the
river and not from the slough. 1 can
imagine the possibility of RATS, boats
or ice catching upon the inlet pipe
and disjointing IT.
Typhoid cases increasing in num-
ber series of samples were sent to
Prof. Palmer, of the University of
Illinois, for analysis early in February
After these examinations, although
unsatisfactory in the results, Health
Commissioner Craig felt warranted in
warning the people to boil the water.
Renews Recommendation.
The report of DR.. Craig for Febru-
airy, 1901, gave the number and dis
tribution of cases and said: 'As this
epidemic is general and there is no
evidence pointing to any other cause,
1 am strongly inclined to the belief
that our typhoid fever is due to in
fected city water.
again very earnestly renew that rec
ommendation (to investigate the in
let pipe) and that it be done as soon
as the stage of water in the river will
permit it to be done properly"
March II. last. Prof. e e. Smith,
of Beloit, reported upon samples sent
by G.. c. Albee, of the high school,
by order of Aid. Gall. The following
day + E. Lockridge arrived, COM
ing here to test the intake pipe by
means of the salt test. This work
had hardly been started when the in
vestigation was turned in another di-
rection. a citizen reported to DR..
Craig, Jr., that in a conversation with
a former employe of the waterworks he
had been told that the outer we'll
at the waterworks was in bad shape,
that it leaked and the masonry had
fallen off in places. The discoveries
at the waterworks are familiar to the
readers of TIE ARGUS.
The next step in the investi-
CATION was to ascertain, if possible,
if the intake pipe was intact. The
condition of the wells was, from the
discoveries that had been made there,
regarded as sufficient alone to cause
ali the trouble, but the report of DR..
G.. G. Craig. ST., and L. +. Lockridge
to the health commissioner, which was
mbraced in DIR. Craig, Jr's., last re-
port to the council. throws doubt
upon the int gritty of the pipe.
This matter will be taken up to-
night at meeting of the waterworks
committee. Ex-Mayor T. j. Medill
and others have been invited to at
tend. and an effort will be made to
have the men who laid the pipe pres
emit.