The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-16
RIVER WATER IS
FULL OF GERMS
HEALTH COMMISSIONERS HALL
SOUNDS NOTE OF WARMING.
League Is Advised that
Spring Water for Drinking Purposes
Does Not Cover Danger, and that Fill
tration System Is Only Remedy
Against Impurities.

Dr. +. M. Hall, commissioner OIL
health, gave the members of the I'm
provement league some ideas on pure
water yesterday afternoon. Most OF
solved the problem by using spring wa
ter for drinking purposes, but when
DR.. Hall asked them what kind OF wa
ter they used for washing vegetables,
for cleansing their teeth and bathing
their hands and faces, they realized
that only half the danger had been met
by using spring water for drinking; the
impure city water was still source OF
great danger.
While there was no epidemic of ty-
phoid in the city, there had been
time and as the analyses OF the river
water showed dangerous conditions, DR..
Hall was inclined to ascribe the pres
ence of the disease to the river water.
It was not necessarily drunk by the vic
tins, he said, for there are many other
ways by which the germs might enter
ines system. -.
Sand System Best.
DR.. Hall declared that many people,
whether Intentionally or not he did not
know, were befogging the issue by dis
cussing various systems of filtration:
Personally he was in favor of the sand
filtration method proposed by the pure
water commission. His investigation
covering a period Of several years had
convinced him that the sand filtration
plant in the long run was fully as eff
| fective and generally more satisfactory
than other systems.
! DR.. Hall complimented the women on
the work they had done two years ago.
i The city had not yet secured a filtration
! plant, but the agitation had resulted in
closing the two lower pumping stations
! for all time, and this was a great adj
vance.
The league pledged itself to labor for
| filtration and will soon begin an aggres-
sive campaign.
The meeting was by far the most in
teresting one the league has held this
year. The ward chairman generally re-
ported that their committees were
had accomplished great deal. There
was more to be done, but the task
Of cleaning up the city would not be
shirked.
War on Waste Paper.
From the sixth ward it was reported
that the interest Of the children hae
been enlisted in picking up paper flying
in the street. Paper is a great source
school children can do a great deal il
enough Of them will take a hand. A
committee was appointed to prepare g
circular setting forth the necessity Of
getting rid of waste paper and asking
the cooperation Of the entire city.
From the thirteenth ward it was re
ported that an icehouse at Lynnhurs
; had been removed and much attention
was given to clearing vacant lots. e (
An unsightly corner near Lyndal
avenue and Lake street has been re
deemed and will be converted into
playground for small children. This ha
been filed with old wagons and littere'
with everything imaginable. The owne
will remove all the truck and place tn
land at the disposal Of the eighth war
committee. A sand lot for the littl
: children will be provided, swings 70
the larger ones, and an awning for tn
have donated the wire fencing and
, number Of citizens, including DR.. J. a
Crosby, Rev. G. M. Burton, George "
T Cooley and Chris Haugan, will dig tn
holes and set the posts.
Encouraging reports were. receive
from all parts Of the city and many in
: stances of thoro cleanups by owners o
unsightly places were noted.
! Government Flower Seeds.
I Alderman w. E.. Satterlee, chairma
e Of the special committee appointed b
' the council to cooperate with tn
l propriated for the uses of the league
: It was not much, and he advised tina
2 the money be disbursed with discrt
ton. @.-
eat the close of the meeting six bag
! of flower seeds, sent from Washingto
!. thru the efforts of Congressman Fletcl
- er, were distributed among the varior
!, wards. These seeds will be used large]
70 in planting vacant lots and other place
where the owners can not be reache
readily ...
The league and the ward committee
will meet next Monday afternoon {
the park board rooms in the city hall
q listen to an address by Judge E.
u Waite on the present charter and tt
changes proposed by the charter cor
- mission.
# - For the Playground.
~ The women Of the Improvemel
- league had scarcely planned the babie
= playground before they began to +
", ceive gifts for it and now everythir
~ Semple, Hill & Co., gave the wire fen
IL ing; the Brewer Lumber company, tt
90 posts; the United States Gypsum col
pany, the sand which the street commi
:, sioner Of the eighth ward will haul. II
New England has given two swing
o. and the gay red and white awnings W
=, be contributed by H. G.. Neal Awnil
N company. Some Of the flower seeds Sc
e. by Congressman Fletcher will
n planted in the playground and shru
i. set out until it will be one Of the mo
attractive places in the city.