The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-21

ment, and possibly this in another year
will amount, Mayor Jones suggests, to
half million-enough to install a me-
chanical filtration plant without the issu-
ing of single bond.
IT, on the contrary, after these business
men, who at their own expense and solely
for the public good, are making a most
| thoro investigation of this matter, shall
decide that sand filtration is the more to
be desired, this will strengthen the public
confidence in the report of the commission
no harm in this-and we will feel sure
we are making no mistake in going ahead
with this. the most expensive plan.
It would seem, in view of the fact that
the pumping stations at the falls, both on
the East and West sides, have been dis
mantled, and all water is now pumped
at the Northeast station, supplemented
by the farther fact that we are the health
lest city in the world-1nore healthy than
our good yneighbor, ST.. Paul-that the
business men might take reasonable
| time to. consider how, without being &C
cused of inhumanity.
sSecond-When to do it. It further ap-
peared by the statement of the city engi-
! neer that even with a rush order it would
| take not less than two years to construct
the sand filtration plant. 1t follows neces-
sarily that even if We adopt the sand fill
{, tration, and proceed forthwith with its
construction, we must get along for two,
| if not three, spring seasons with our wa
ter as it is now. If we are to have an
epidemic of typhoid this spring, we will
have tit is foreordained-it is out OF
our power to prevent it by any system,
working night and day and Sundays This
| spring danger time is but few weeks
away. If the scourge comes this spring,
the plan adopted, whichever it may be,
can be rushed, tho it be at the expense OF
economy, and completed about as soon as
tho started now. If, however, there be nc
epidemic and the remarkably healthy con-
ditions OF the last nine months continue
it would seem the part Of wisdom, what
ever system shall be installed, to do il
| cOnservatively and economically, withou,
the extravaganza attending rash propo-
sition. = =.
This condition of public health existing
and the sand system adopted, it's con-
struction could well be extended over four
| or even five seasons, without EMPLOYING
imported labor, but insuring to our own
| citizens the work, and the expense be TAX
en- out of the annual surplus of the waite,
department.
If. while the business men are can.
vassing the business merits Of these two
filtration systems of equal efficiency, as
the expert commission reports, the United
1 states government, now hard at work or
this very question, should solve the prob
lem Of a simple. effective and inexpensiv,
method of publication Of water, how
happy we would be to think we had made
haste slowly. Science is pressing thi.
/ problem hard. Electricity and chemistr,
/ that have won so many victories of use t.
man, some earnestly believe, will soon
very soon, solve this water publication
problem in as simple manner as tn,
rule of three.
a That reasonable time be given thos,
4 who have the highest and best inherent o
the city at heart, and who cheerfully bea
its burdens, to determine in a practica
and business manner the better system
for the city to adopt, and, that decided
for the authorities to proceed in the mos
efficient and economical manner to in
stall the same. Is, In my judgment,
proposition both "safe and sane m,
friend. "a Physician" to the contrary
Notwithstanding. w. H. Fustis
Minneapolis, Feb. q.