The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-23
Subterranean Water for Drink
ing Purposes at Some Fu-
ture Date Be So Depleted
Can't Use It.
THEN MUST USE WATER
IN SURFACE STREAMS
Secretary Of State Board of
Health Tells Commercial
Club Why the City of Muncie
Cannot Grow.


future date will be SO depleted that de-
pendence for drinking water will be
placed solely in surface streams. was
the opinion OF DR.. J. N. Hurry express
ed at public meeting at the CONNER
cial club rooms last evening. Dr.
Hurry is secretary Of the state board
OF health and has made a study of the
conditions relative to the future water
supply. He advocates conservation of
the streams and says every brook
ought to be lined with trees to retain
the water in the soil. He would like
to see state law requiring trees be
planted and providing protection for
them.
Address Was Brief.
The address of DR.. Hurry was quite
brief. He came to the city under cir
cumstances that compelled his hasty
return to Indianapolis. His wife is Sc
riously i'll and the doctor felt as if he
is needed at home. He did not want
to disappoint his local audience, how
ever. SO came to Richmond on one
train, made his address and returned
home on the first west bound train.
His remarks were very interesting and
showed originality. They placed
facts before his hearers that will cause
them to think deeply about the circum-
stances.
There was but a fair attendance at
the meeting. The speaker was intro
duced by DIR. T. H. Davis, q member of
the state board of health and an init
mate friend of DIR. Hurry. DR.. Davis
took occasion to tell of the great work
being accomplished for the state by DIR.
Hurry and declared this state has
reached a high rank in matters per-
tanning to the health of it's citizens, be-
cause of the faithful and careful work
of the secretary of the state board.
Muncie Won't Grow.
One Of the statements that most Inn
pressed DR.. Hurty's hearers was that
the city of Muncie need not expect to
grow much larger. Trouble now Is
being found to secure a supply of
wholesome drinking water, and al
though Muncie does not advertise the
fact, there is probability that the
present supply will not continue for
many years. The principal streams in
the vicinity of Muncie carry water that
is contaminated by salt water from the
oil wells. The condition is true of
White river, so that instead of making
use of the volume of water in that
stream by filtration for drinking pur-
poses smaller stream that is compar-
atively free from pollution has been
chosen for the supply. This stream
is damned and the waterworks system
now is fed by it.
Must Conserve Supply.
But this stream can not fill the de-
mand always. If the city grew to
many thousands more population the
additional drain would be too great for
the supply. Muncie has sunk many
wells that penetrate deep into the
earth. But too often salt water is
found and this is worthless for drink
ing. The question then is, what will
Muncie do? DR.. Hurry says the pres
ent supply of the surface streams that
is fit to drink must be conserved. He
would avoid useless waste of the wat
er supply, also.
Indianapolis was pointed to as an
other city which has had to face the
water problem. The supply from nat
ural galleries has been consumed. A
few years ago it was an easy matter to
sink we'll and secure a good supply.
But 1t is different now. Surface
have to be depended upon. 1t
was necessary to build a filtration
plant at large expense. Even now, all
water served at the hotels supplied to
offices and public buildings is doubly
distilled after it has passed through the
filtration process.
Must All BE Pure.
Stream pollution is another thing
against which DIR. Hurry is seeking to
warn the public. He would have all
surface streams in as pure condition
as they were before cities and towns
began to pour all their refuse and sew
age into the water courses. He would
have 1t as healthful to drink from 4
river course as it is to sip from the
ton bill passed by the recent iegisla
ture was advocated by DR.. Hurry to
bring about this condition wherever it
is possible.
Anything that concerns money mat
tiers and economics is OF interest to the
business man, declared the speaker.
and he declared that every commercial
man in the state ought therefore to
feel deeply interested in the subject Of
the future water supply. 1t is the
science of hygiene. the doctor said. that
makes money quickly as it has for its
purpose the conservation and perpetua-
ton of human vitality. The human
can not exist without water to drink
Good water makes a good man. but
poer water makes q poor man and a
poor man is bad for business the
speaker argued.
OF Great Importance.
r. KIurtr said Tia nueatf0n nnr