The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-02-04
Commission Studying Problem OF
Purifying Lake Water Sug.
gest Five New Plans
MUST GET RID OF SEWAGE
Plan for Digging Deep Wells is De-
clared to be Out of the Question
on Account of Big Demand
for Water

The Lake Michigan Pure Water Com
mission held meeting at Hammond,
Ind, last night to take up the question
of suggesting plans for the purifca-
ton of the lake water. Former Mayor
German, DR.. j. B. Spalding and Robert
H. Moth of Kenosha, are all members
of the Commission, but it was impos-
sible for them to be present at the
meeting The matters discussed were
of greatest interest to all cities where
lake water is used for drinking pur-
poses.
The following suggestions were made
for the publication Of the lake water:
l. The installation of gravity or me-
chanical filters.
2. The publication of the sewage
and destruction of the injurious bac-
terra now being poured into the lake.
8. The permanent stopping of the
dumping of dredging material within
five miles of any intake.
T. The use Of deep wells as the
source of water supply.
5. The opening of channel to the
Illinois river to convey all sewage
away from the lake.
The first proposal cannot be consid-
cred because of the enormous cost of
building and maintaining publication
plants for several cities and the great
ly increasing population.
The second is equally unsatisfactory.
The third is entirely feasible and
should at once be carried out.
The fourth is not possible as an ade-
quate supply cannot be secured from
such source as the city of Kenosha
alone consumes three million gallons
per day and wells driven to depth of
1900 feet have not produced water.
The same conditions exist in Indiana
and Illinois and no necessity should be
so great as to require the abandonment
of one of the largest bodies of pure
water in the world and in place install
deep wells of doubtful adequacy.
The last proposal is the most feasible
and undoubtedly the most practical.
With this object in view commit
tee was appointed to draTr a resolution
to be presented to the water commit
tees of the chambers of commerce Of
the several states, the Deep Water
Ways Commission and the Sanitary
Distinct Committee and to enlist their
aid in presenting to the legislatures of
the several states bill providing for
joint state and municipal action in pro-
ducing the necessary reforms. The fol
lowing named gentlemen compose this
committees:
D. w. D. Deis, Hammond.
DR.. J. Lauer, Whiting.
G. D. Hill, Chicago, Sewage Engi
neer.
Prof. R. L. Sackett, Purdue Sanitary
Engineer
1t was also suggested that one of the
first steps toward the betterment OF
civic sanitary conditions in Lake coun-
ty is legislation authorizing the estab
lishment of sanitary district.
Wisconsin was represented at the
meeting by DR.. O. D. Sutherland OF
GAINESVILLE, a. member of the State
Board of Health; Illinois by DR.. w
Evans, Health Commissioner of Chica
go; G. D, Hill, Sewage Engineer Of
Chicago; J. F. Brehm Of Chicago; Prof
E. Barlow of the University of Ur
bana; DR.. A. Gehrman Of the Columbus
Laboratory, Chicago; Indiana by J. H
Brewster, Water Chemist Of the State
Board of Health; HI. E. Barnard, Pure
Food and Drug Commissioner; Prof. r
L. Sackett Sanitary Engineer of Pur
due University; DIR. W. D. Weis, secre
tary Board of Health, Hammond; DR.
j. A. Lauer, secretary Whiting Board
of Health; Mayor DeBraie and W
Lewis of East Chicago.
The gathering of authorities on pub
lie health and sanitation was the mos
notable ever yet held and much benefi
can be expected from the influence i
may have on future legislature, call
ing for the improvement of the system
of disposal of sewerage, publication O
the lake water and making it usabl
for domestic purposes.