The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1906-03-30
ecORVALLISNOTGUILTY

The State Boards Censure
and a Newspaper Article.
Much local comment has been oc-
casioned by an article that appear
ed in Wednesdays Oregonian,
on the subject Of water, typhoid
fever and college towns. 1t con-
demns the policy oflocating colleges
or universities in small inland
up-valley town" where good wat
er supply and a competent system
of sewerage cannot be supplied.
The article says:
THE state board of health has
located the cause of the late cpl
demic of typhoid in Eugene in
polluted water supply, and censures
strongly the city officials and the
water company of the college town
for permitting conditions to which
the epidemic is clearly traceable to
exist.
"Of all places in the state, that
which is the seat of state institu-
ton of learning should be guarded
from diseases of the distinctly pre-
ventable type. The trouble or mis-
take in locating a college or univer-
sity in a small inland up-val1ey
town is in the difficulty that is met
in procuring good water supply
and a competent system of sewer
WHY THERE WERE DEATHS.
age. Simply stated, a small COM
munity like Eugene cannot afford
the expense incident to bringing in
water from a distant point in the
mountains that would insure its
purity. Nor can a small commun-
ity afford a sewer system that in
sures proper drainage and compul-
sorry connection Herewith. Here
a we'll and there cesspool; dead
ends here and great open sewer
running through the town. and a
water system contaminated at its
source surely it is no wonder that
students of the university, and res
idents as we'll, sickened by dozens
from typhoid, and that there have
been many deaths in consequence
in Eugene"
Of course, the Oregonian writer S
article is especially directed at Eu-
gene, but in the absence of a saw
ing clause, it will by people abroad
be supposed to apply also to Cor
wallis. The latter is a "small up
valley town" and also college
town. The general statement in
the criticism is that a small com,
munity like that at Eugene can
not afford the expense incident to
bringing in water from a distant
point in the mountains that would
insure its purity Corvallis, as
fast as men and money can do it,
is eliminating the condition on
which the criticism on this point
will apply.
BEST WATER IN THE WORLD.
i The fortunate existence ofa mag
nifcent stream far up the sides oi
Mary's Peak presents a source
of water supply that chemical and
meteorological analysis oft repeated
and long continued has shown to
be absolutely pure and splendidly
situated for city water supply.
Engineer Miller, after an exper-
fence of a quarter century with
water works construction, declares
it to be ''as fine a stream for wat
er supply as there is on the face oi
1.-THE earth" All but three of the
IS miles of pipe line for delivery Of
this water into Corvallis homes is
already constructed. and along the
remaining stretch the pipe is al.
ready strewn, waiting for men tc
place it in position. under ground.
The water is taken from the
stream but two miles below its
source, and according to calcula'
tions can be delivered in Corvalli:
houses two or three hours after il
gushes from the mountain side.
The flow of the stream from its
source through a. rock-lined bed
over cataracts and down a declivity
Of beauty is fit to inspire poets
mise. There is no spOt or chance
for contamination and what the peo-
pie of Corvallis will get for house
hold use will be water as pure and
as sweet as there is in the world
Insomuch, the Oregonian writer
article will noti fit Corvallis very
long.
AS TO SEWERS AND SEWAGE.
Nor does this article completely
fit Corvallis with respect to sewers.
Corvallis constructed Sniendi III