The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1908-08-19
PURE WATER SUPPLY.


Times indicates what the people OF
that city are up against on the water
proposition and the idiocy of the adop-
tion OF plain sand filter proposition
for Fargo:
The inconvenience, not to say the
danger to health, which the city has
endured during the past week be-
cause the city was forced to use
unfiltered river water while the filter
was being resanded, emphasizes the
Importance of one OF the ante e-election
statements of Mayor Taylor, that
while the city had the best and the
purest water In the world for fifty
one weeks In the year, 1t should have
the same quality OF water fifty-two
weeks in the year. The filtration plant
must be refilled with sand every year
and 1t must be done at this season.
So long as the present plans prevail
the city must, In a large measure, de-
pend upon the use OF river water In
its polluted state during that time.
1t is unnecessary to discuss the
condition or the water pumped into
the city mains direct from the river.
~ NO1AtaAAAS III SOIuLlOIl dlI the HILh
and disease and death which hows
into the stream above this point The
low stage of the river and the slug
gish flow at this time makes this con-
dition worse than it otherwise might
be.
The use Of the river water unboiled
and urfiltered would soon start a
sceurge that would equal the black
death. 1t may be possible that the
people have avoided such results by
taking proper sanitary precautions
and by the use Of bottled water. But
1t would seem that the city owes to
its people the protection of their
health, and in this particular, ii
would be well to give heed to the sug-
gestion OF the mayor relative to the
question Of providing q reserve alter
to be used while the regular one is
being resanded.
AZ Even his pink whiskers couldn't
win for Col. ]. Ham. Lewis in Illinois
Ry Judge Ryan's suggestion that
Jail terms be given auto speeders-
instead of ines-is generally endorsed.
sT The auto speed -lnaniacs are get
ting theirs in many sections of the
country The occasional accidental
killing Of one saves the fool killer a
Job.
az There are fifty-one municipal
lighting plants in three northwestern
states for sale--and still some people
want to saddle graft like that onto
Fargo.
G~ South Dakota farmers want a.
state controlled hail insurance com
pany through which SO per cent of the
crop can be insured. having the set
tlement made through the county com
missioners and the payments made to
the county treasurer.
az The morning publications are in
an argument over prices of twine ana
who gets the benefit--and things like
that. The News thinks Hellstrom is
making a great record by profit from
the twine made at the state prison
and The Call thinks IL is at the ex-
pense of the farmers-and intimates
the democrats will not make much
political capital by squeezing the
grain growers of North Dakota.
AZ There was one thing about the
recent republican conference in Fargo
which indicates that factional differ
ences were forgotten. During the pre-
linninary work prior to the primary
election, James Kennedy was In charge
Of one stalwart bureau and Tom Hall
was secretary of the state insurgent
organization. They were the officers
OF the recent conferences and continued
as at the head Of the temporary or
ganization till the state central com
mittee gets together.