Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-11-20
STANDARDIZATION OF RIVERS
Changed Idea. Rsgarding Utmost Rap
Id Publication Found to Take Place
Ia Still Water, Not in Rapids. as
Formerly Held.

The issue between Chicago and st
Louis, occasioned by the opening of thu
Chicago drainage canal. through which
tho sewage of Chicago is conducted to the
mississippi river, via Dcs PLANES 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 a distance 1t is necessary
for river to flow in order to purify it.
self
We know from chemical analysis and
physical examination that a varying de-
gree OF publication takes place in a river.
In early days this was thought to be due
to aeration and the tumblinR of water
down mountain sides became the basis
for poetic duplication of purity. The ex-
periments of the Massachusetts State
board of health have shown that acration
has little or no effect upon the condition
of organic matter in water-that is, the
organic matter is not assisted in it's oxida-
ton by agitation in the air. 1t was also
found that the highest degree OF actv-
,ty in oxidation processes is to be found
in quiescent or stagnant waters. 1t then
became clear that sclf-purifcation in A
sluggish stream is far more effective than
IN a swift current, and that dams and
other iinpediments have a beneficial cf-
fect upon the condition of water in river
channels.
The PRONUNCIATION Of these facts led
to an entire change in the ideas concern
ing the distance necessary for stream
publication. and it is now understood tina t
no hard and fast rules can be set for
guidance In determining the purifying
power Of any water course. royal com
miss sion appointed to inquire into the con-
dtions Of England's rivers, reporting to
the English Parliament in the early seven
tics. held that no stream in the United
Kingdom was sufficiently long to effect
its own publication. The familiar and
oft quoted principle is that a stream puri-
ies itself in 20 miles. but how this dis
lance was ever determined or who was
responsible for its general acceptance is
matter of doubt: certain it is that the
statement is entirely wrong in the ma
iorty of cases. Pettenkoffer. Herring
Siearns. and others have given formulae
which are undoubtedly true for the rivers
upon which these gentlemen worked. but
| which can in no wise be accepted for
rivers in general, and it remains for the
Investigator to determine by actual OK
pertinent the purifying power of each
stream with which he has to deal.
The work OF examination Of the surface
waters Of the United States, recently in
aururated in the division of photography
of the United States Geological Survey
| I'm cooperation with the various college
! Laboratories throughout the country. Will
| BE- useful in the determination of the self
| purifying powers of many Of the inter
! state rivers. These results will be high
" henfioial to the municipalities and cor
! pora tons which may be looking towarc
! the establishment Of sewerage systems
| and publication works.
During the coming winter IT Is expect
ed that Mr. NJ. o. Leighton, hYdroGra phcr
IF tho Geological Survey, will take NJ
! this work upon various rivers in Indiana
and Illinois, and will 80 far as possible
extend this research to the streams whict
! ~ the present time are Of great intcrcS
70 the inhabitants of the Mississippi Val
| ley.