The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-30
CITY. OF MANILA.
VIII Have Fine Water Supply Great Prorress in Last Few Years.

WyIl Have Elne "utCE SuRRsS Progress in Last Few Years. Manila will soon lead the cities of the Orient, according to Major J. +. Case, chief engineer of the capital or the Philippines, in the matter of we'll paved streets, harbor facilities and hl- tration, water and sewerage systems as she already does in police and nre departments, says The Philadelphia Ledger.
 Major Case has been inspecting the Philadelphia filtration plants with a view to obtain suggestions rom the filtration system to be installed Tn Ma nila under his direction. He consoers Philadelphia's water system the finest ha has ever seen and not the least re- markable or interesting feature, ne says, is its economy of operation. Manila's water supply Is now pump ed from the Ameriquina River, at a polnt about nine miles above the city. It goes into reservoirs of total ca pacty of 160,000.0O0 gallons-equal to about two days supply. From these reservoirs the water flows directly into the service popes. For a distance Of twelve miles above the city the river is more or less polluted by the refuse from numerous small towns. and Tn establishing tke new water system 1t
  the foot of the range of mountains which divide Luzon longitudinally at point about sixteen miles above the city.
 To Prevent Pollution. To safeguard this supply 1t Is pro posed to include 120 square miles or the water shed as a public forest do- main. from which all settlements shall be excluded, and as 1t is wild; unbroken territory, nearly covered with forests' there is anticipated no difficulty in car rying out the project
 Mator Case says that the slow sand filtration idea will be used in the new water system. Of the efficiency of the idea he thinks there Is no longer any doubt. as no matter how pure the wa ter in the Island of Luzon may seem if is impregnated with the germs or dysentery at certain seasons Of the year whether polluted or not by the refuse of towns or cities. In connection with other municipal improvements 0 complete system or un- derground sewers Is to be constructor and for both undertakings-water ana sewers-the Government has authorized the issue of city bonds to the amount of $4,000.000.
 Capital Ia F1Ourishing. Manila ia fortunate in respect to her finances, so that the proposed bonded Indebtedness presents no difficulties' Major Case says that the Luzon capi- tai Is unique in that she has no ln- debtedness, either bonded or otherwise; hut on the contrary. has handsome surplus in her treasury. Indeed. so prosperous is she in this respect that this year the tax rate was reduced from 2 per cent. to 3-S per cent. on the citv'a total assessed valuation of about $40, ,00o. .000.
 It Is expected that proposals for the construction of the water and sewerage systems will be advertised about Jan nary next, with about six months allowed for submitting bids. so that American contractors may have oppor- tunity of bidding for the work
 Maniilla's municipal government consists of a board of five members three Americans and two natives on which Major Case serves In his ca pacity as city engineer. and an adVis-