Evening journal., 1905-09-22

river at several different points flushing
the river and making II an effective sewer
for the conveyance Of the city's sewage
Eventually the channel Will be deepsned
to the Mississippi river 20 take the larg-
est steamships and the country viii thon
nave an inland water route from the
great lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.
Passing from Chicago which is blessed
with an abundant supply of pure water
/ in the natural state. adequate to meet all
present and future demands l take st.
Louis as tile best type OF the second
water works system which l wish TO Illus
trate.
/ The ST. Louis water supply is taken
] from the Mississippi river which COM
tains all the sewage from the Chicago
drainage canal and is about as dirty and
nlthy water in it's crude state as It
would be possible to find anywhere. Just
at this particular time the Mississippi
river has been swollen about 80 feet by
heavy rains and has reached the danser
line in some places. and ii IS now a rush
ling muddy torrent carrying timher and
refuse i'm its now from the interior TO the
gulf. BY a most simple and effective
method. which has the added advantage
Of great economy. this liquid mud is pur-
fled giving ST. Louis an abundant water
supply for all time to come without the
need and expense of a filtration pant.
THE water is taken into an intake tower
which is located in the centre of the Mis-
sissippi river several miles above the
betty and is pumped ashore whore it enters
a series Of six reservoirs with "A capacity
of twenty-nine million gallons eacn.
While the water is being conveyed TO the
first reservoir small quantity of sui
} phate of iron and lime is added and upon
! entering the first reservoir a most re-
markable change takes place. Instantly
J the sulphate of iron and lime coagulates
with the mud and filth in the water and
carries with IL the disease germs and
foreign substances to the bottom of the
reservoir which is thoroughly cleaned
periodically The main body of water pur-
ihed passes into each succeeding reservoir
and Is allowed TO settle. In passing TO the
last reservoir the water is given fan Of
n to feet over a waterfall which serifies
and further purihes It and the water is
then ready for use force of four men
n and AT orcman is an that is required at
r and a foreman is all that is required at
of iron and lime is prepared and added
to the water supply, purifying seventy
- hve million gallons of water daily which
e is ten times the daily water consumption
of Wilmington. The total cost of handling
St. Louis water is $40 per million gai-
< Ions as compared with the approximate
- cost OF filtered water 81 to Si2 per mil
" lion gallons. The annual reports of the
- chemists and bacteriologists of the city
10 of st. Louis show that 1915 per cent. of AL
s foreign substances are removed by the
coagulation process. / will have samples
of the 81. Louis water to show, taken be
n fore and after treatment at the reservoirs
IS The third type of water system is the
slow sand filtration system which is gen
orally considered the best but most ex
a. pensive to install and operate of the thre'
"a systems and is illustrated by the Cit!
of Washington. Cincinnati and Phladel
,g phia are constructing similar systems a
very great expense. The same condition
prevail at Cincinnati as at St Louis ant
ht when the new reservoirs are completes
no "a coagulant viii be added consisting o
by sulphate Of iron, lime and alum. a filtra
tion plant is about to be constructed. AN
the total cost of Cncinnatfs new waite
system complete viii be from 10 to
millions Of dollars.
/ do not wish to reach a final conclusio
on the question at this time but recognii
=, the fact that there are many obstacles
iii the way of our city installing the slo
sand filtration system at this time fC
y lack Of necessary funds or adequat
means of raising same. The Council
Wilmington, with the mayor and cit
- solicitor and the water and health con
,,o missioners should in the meantime er
nd deavor TO secure as abundant supply
an water in as pure a condition as possb
from the upper Brandywine for the pre-
T. ent and future needs Of the city
strict enforcement of existing Law
h against the contamination of the Brand,
as wine water should be effected and,
he necessary, a conduit erected to either tai
ie- the water fEom point further up Il
Brandywine or to carry the sewage an
iis waste water from the manufacture
plants located along the river above Il
~ city to a point below where the cry wat
@ a supply is taken.
believe further that the city shou
nD secure the use OF the new 95 million "a
Ion reservoir at the Weldin farm as so
in as possible. which viii give four to Fl
a. days water supply in the reservoir al
II allow for settling. which should very m
terially improve the water. The prese
un- Cold Spring reservoir holds but about o
days supply.
ini- AS a member of the City Council ear
VII estly endeavoring 10 serve the best
'ter terests OF the public. as well as those
TO the tax payers and looking at the probl,
cu- from a financial point OF view, I serious
'rks question the advisabiity and need
and bonding the city for an additional $500.
rted to $4,000 for the construction of a sl
at sand filtration plant at this particu
ight time which will add annual inter
the charges of from $500 10 $4,000 and
ater annual cost Of maintaining and operat
'ital the filtration plant Of s2oOo0 to $4,000
hid. q grand total of from s2S.CoO to sis 900
orts be expended annually by the Water
iues partment OF City Council or both. 2
'ort- interest on the new bonds required
Los build the new reservoir at the Wei
ario farm now under contract Is not inolu
'ols' In the above calculation
In conclusion. will say that with