The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-10
EAST SIDE OFFICE
4, CENTRAL Az AND Cd ST.
Telsphone-Both lines, mo. o."
News Items. eocial Items and Want Ads re.
eelved before noon printed In same days Journal.
Water Commissions Report

q
ter, but there is nothing that Mime
! apolis has not got at the present time,
that is needed as much as q pure water
supply.
The readers of T h e Journal were
provided last evening a comprehensive
synopsis of the report of the special
commission created by the council to
/ advise that body in it's future action
with reference to improving our water
. supply. The report impresses us favor
ably. Manifestly the gentlemen who
prepared it have taken pains to gather
{ the facts, and have given us the best
of their professional Judgment as to
: what these facts call for.
They dispose of the theory that
! water might be obtained from artesian
wells on the ground of probably insult
hclent supply, excessive cost and the
, hardness of the water, which would be
unsuitable for steam making purposes
, and most domestic uses. They dispose
also of the propositions to secure water
from Lake Superior and Mile Laos on
! account of the cost, the first cost in one
.
(, In the other upwards of $6,OOO,OOO.
With no other available source of
supply than the river, they assure us
that this source is better, and for a
long time, at least, less liable to con-
tamlnatlon than most similar sources
employed where the population is
denser, and that by means of filtration
it can be made satisfactory.
AS to the character of the filtration
plant and its location, the commission
report in favor of sand filtration bv
gravity, and Recommend as the best To-
cation, ground little to the west of
the present reservoirs and little low
er IN elevation. They do not condemn
mechanical filtration which, it appears
from their figures, can be constructed at
somewhat less expense, but express a
+ preference for sand filtration on the
ground of larger experience from which
to draw conclusions, as we'll as on ac-
! count of lighter expense for operation.
. The report, however, leaves the council
at liberty to adopt the mechanical
filtration plan if it should seem to be
! desirable. 1t is probable, however,
that that body will be guided by the
Judgment of their expert advisers, both
as to the kind Of filtration plant and it's
location.
The commission advise the council
that by going to work promptly the
plans and specifications may be pro-
vided in time for the next working sea.
va
would probably be sufficient for its
construction.
A very pleasant incident in connec-
ton with the preparation of this re-
port is the statement by Mr.. Lowry to
the commission, when they inquired of
+ him the price Of the land necessary for
the construction of the filter plant, in
: order that they might incorporate that
4 item in the estimate of expense, that
4 he would be glad to donate to the city
the sixty acres necessary for the en-
largement Of the water plant.
+ In this generous gift, the citizens of
I Minneapolis have another evidence of
. the public spirit and liberality of our
4 much esteemed fellow citizen. When
Z the reservoirs were constructed on the
most suitable site, and the only one,
in fact. available, Mr.. Lowry not only
Z donated the ground necessary for the
purpose, but at his own expense con-
structed splendid road leading to the
plant. He is still ready to be gener-
! Gus, and he could not make a gift to
i the city that would confer benefits
! more widely among all the people than
one which would expedite the supply
ling Of pure water