The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-10
AS TO RIVER WATER
Rapid Publication Found to Take
- Place in Still Water; Not -
r.: in Rapids.
Investigations Being Made to Throw
Some Light on the
Process.

From, Tho Journal Bureau, Room <5, Poet
Building, Washtngton.
Washington, Nov. 1O.-The issue be-
tween Chicago and st. Louis occas stoned
by the opening Of the Chicago drainage
canal. through which the sewage Of Chi
cago Is conducted to the Mississippi river
via DesPlaines and Illinois rivers is based
upon the condition in the minds of the
people of st. Louis that there Will arise
effects detrimental to the water of the
Mississippi river at that city. The whole
dispute centers. therefore. about the old
moot question as to how long distance
1t Is necessary for river to flow In order
to purify itself.
1t Is known from chemical analysis and
physical eXamina ton that varying de-
gree of publication takes place in river.
In early days this was thought to be due
to AGRA ton. and the tumblng OF water
down mountain sides became the basis
for poetic Implication Of purity. The eN-
periments Of the Massachusetts state
board of health have shown that aeration
has little or no effect upon the condition
of organic matter in water-that is, the
organic matter is not assisted in it's oxi-
da ton by agitation in the air. 1t was also
found that the highest degree Of activity
in oxidation processes is to be found in
quiescent or stagnant waters. 1t then be-
came clear that self qualification In a
sluggish stream Is far more effective than
in a swift current. and that dams and
other impediments have a beneficial effect
upon the condition Of water in river chan
nels.
The PRONUNCIATION Of these facts led tc
an entire change in the ideas concerning
the distance necessary for stream purifi
cation. and it is now understood that nc
hard and fast rules can be set for guild
ance in determining the purifying power
nf tow,
appointed to inquire into the conditions
of England's rivers. reporting to the Eng
l1sh parliament in the early seventies, helC
that no stream in the United Kingdom wa!
sufficiently long to effect it's own purifca
ton. The familiar and oft-quoted prin
c1ple is that a stream purifieS itself II
twenty miles. but how this distance was
ever determined or who was responsible
for Its general acceptance is matter O.
doubt: certain 1t is that the statement
is entirely wrong in the majority Of cases
Pettenkofer, Herring, Stearns and Others
have given formulate which are undoubted
ly true for the rivers upon which these
gentlemen worked. but which can in M
wise be accepted for rivers in general, anc
1t remains for the investigator to deter
mine by actual experiment the purifying
power OF each stream with which h
has to deal
The work Of eXanlina ton of the surface
waters Of the United States, recently in
augurated In the division Of hydrogra phi,
Of the United States geological survey. il
cooperation with the various college lab
oratories throughout the country will b,
useful In the determination Of the self
purifying powers of many Of the inter
state rivers. These results will be highl,
beneficial to the municipalities and cor
pOratiOns which may be looking tOwar,
the establishment Of sewerage system
and purifcation works.
During the coming winter it is expecte,
that M. O. Leighton. photographer of tn
geological survey, will take up this wor]
upon various rivers in Indiana and Illinois
and will so far possible extend this re