Evening star., 1906-02-05
PLEADING FOR SPRING
WATER FROM FRANKLIN PUMP
DECLARED TO BE PURE.

Spirited defense of the purity of the wafer
of the Franklin square spring. as compared
with the city water supply from the Poto-
mac river. has been undertaken by A. w
Thomas. an attorney with offices at 1908
New York avenue. and In letter to the
Commissioners he not only protests against
the abandonment of the Franklin square
spring. but severely criticises the authori-
ties for permitting what he characterizes as
"a condition of contamination" In connec-
ton with the city water supply.
Mr.. Thomas letter reads in part as fol-
lows:
For many months II has been my habit
to bottle water from the Franklin square
spring and to daily drink of 1t in large
quantities. My health Is excellent and
have no fear that tt will become impaired
by that practice. consider that water the
smoothest, clearest, most palatabIe and
harmless water that the people Of this city
can get anywhere. / do not believe that
any cases of sickness have been traced to
its use. 1t Is far superior in potable Quali-
ties and healthfulness to any water that
does or ever can come from the city reser-
voirs. Regarding the latter condition OF
contamination has long existed and today
exists. which. IL known to the public, would
not only occasion a congressional investiga-
ton. but would produce a riot In front or
the health office, and 1t fs not those outside
of that Office who would get hurt
Absence Of Provision.
No proper provision has ever been made
for the use of workmen employed on the
filtration plant. This has been demon
strated, and when called to the attention
of the health Office slight palliative was
attempted to be made. and misleading
statement issued to the public. The evil
still exists, and In more than one place
on the grounds which those filtration beds
through which and alongside of which run
sewers.
at has been stated that the condition of
the well at 18th and Fl streets northwest
has improved. If that is so why shut 1t up?
No analysis OF the other, wells fed from
that spring is reported-the probability is
that II there Is in fact any contamination
of the water OF the spring it may arise
from the catch basin, which is often stopped
up. AT any rate until It is demonstrated
that sickness comes from the use of this
water, or that the analysis and action
prayed for by the health Office are wise and
necessary, 1t will be an outrage to compel
the many users of that spring fFrankln
Park to take to Potomac basin sewage. The
latter can never be, made decent by iltra-
ton beds until federal and state action
unites in preventing pollution of the Po-
tomac above the intake. This pollution Is
growing source of danger-and why this
haste on part of the health office to close up
DR.. Woodward's Response.
To this arraignment DR.. w. C. Wood
ward. the District health officer, replied:
Recent analyses of water coming from the
Franklin Square spring have shown an
excessive amount of chlorine. which. more
over, has been rapidly diminishing for some
months past. The presence of the exces-
sive amount of chlorine is suggestive of
contamination with animal matter That
it is due to accidental contamination of
the sources from which this water comes
is shown by the variation In the amount
1t is the policy of the health department
to recommend the closing of public wells
nation from unknown sources, or from
known sources that are dangerous, without
waiting for an outbreak of disease to result
from the use of such water, and il has fol-
lowed its usual policy with reference to the
Franklin Square spring.
Even if the public water supply of this
District were liable to contamination at the
filtration plant as the writer imagines It to
be, the fact would not render the Franklin
Square spring any more safe nor justify the
maintenance of said spring if ii be exposed
to contamination"
DR.. Woodward added that specific allie
cation against one feature of the filtration.
made some time ago. was found to be based
upon ignorance of the facts. but he recon-
mended that the charges brought by Mr..
Thomas be brought to the attention OF the
officer in charge of the Washington aque-
duct, and this recommendation has been
approved by the Commissioners.