The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-23
keep DAILY GUARD
ON WATER SUPPLY.
-----.---------------
Experts Explain Method Of Pro-
tecting Product From
James River.
ALUM HAS NO BAD EFFECT
.---~---------
DR., Levy Shows How 1t Carries
Suspended Matter to
Bottom.
ALUM HAS NO BAD EFFECT


AT d meeting of the Virginia Chem
lists Club on Friday evening Edwin N.
Ezekiel, City Water Chemist. read a
paper on "The Public Water Supply
OF Richmond." In which he referred to
the time when very large number OF
springs and wells were the source OF
local supply. In respect to these. q
former Superintendent bf the Water
Department said that they were all
supplied with very excellent water"
Among the most prominent springs
were Goddin's, one on Leigh Street, be-
tween Seventh and Eighth. and two
In the Capitol Square. These and
many others have now been archcd over
and empty into the sewers.
In 1929 s. D. Crenshaw. proprietor
OF the Columbian Hotel. and merchants
en- Cary Street between Eleventh and
Fourteenth Streets formed accompany
to lay pipes from 1.-THE Basin" This
was the beginning of the present sys.
tenn. Land was purchased from Gen.
eral Harvie for the site OF pump-
house and from Major Clarke for a
reservoir site, work beginning in 1889.
In 1894 the~capacity of the pump
enlarged. Tho new reservoir was COM
pleted In 1875 and the new pump.
house was erected in 1881.
Tests Mnde Daily.
From the time OF the establishment
of the laboratory at the new settling
basin in 1904 until to-day, certain
tests have been made daily. or these
the most important are turbldity. aka
Unity and the bacteria count. Tho
most turbid water comes in the sum.
ner months, with little variation.
Quite the reverse Is true with the bac.
terra, the highest counts always being
obtainable in the winter months. The
highest bacteria count on record is
10000. and the lowest forty per cubic
centimetre fhirty drops). Tho deter
minatton OF the alkalinity of the wnter
likes the amount OF alum that may DO
added to tho water without injuring
1t for domestic or commercial purposes
DR.. q. c. Levy also presented facts
which were of interest In regard to tho
water supply. He said that the cities
of Lynchburg and Charlottesville coil.
tam!nate the water of the river. Nat.
uraily that water reaches here in two
weeks. Since 60 per cent of the dis
ease bearing bacteria in the water die
each day without breeding. the storage
OF the water IN the settling basin Il
very important matter, aside from
the fact that the water becomes clear
er by standing. Now tho water takes
month in reaching houses. The city
is entirely free from the water OF the
little creeks. for they empty into the
canal while the settling basin lies be-
tween the canal and the river.
No Harm From Alum
Finally the water may now be so
scientifically treated as to greatly I'M
prove it for human consumption. Set
Ting Will never remove everything OH
iectionahle In the water. Alum added
to the water is precipitated as high
ly flocculent prccipitate OF aluminium
hydroAide. which being solid, settles
to the bottom, and along with it car
RIGS most of the suspended matter. Ac-
cordingly. the popular prejudice. he.
said. that alum must therefore be
present In the water is erroneous. Nor
Is the water harder than before. The
only difference is that the water is
permanently" hard, due to the calcium
sulphate present, instead of item.
porarily, hard" due to calcium bicnr-
Donate, present before adding the
alum. or aluminium sulphate. The fact
that sulphur liquors are discharged
into the river in large quantities from
the paper mills at CovIngton is mat
ter for serious thought to THO depart
mcnt.
done bv DR.. w. A. Syme. of North
Carolina. at Johns Hopkins University
upon some constituents of the poison
ivy plant commonly known as poison
oak. DR.. Syme found that potassium
permanganate completely oXidizcs the
poison, and this suggested to him Its
use as remedy for the poisoning
which is so common. He found that
1t is very effective. completely curing
the effect of the poison. nr. Ma
gruder told of instances where he had
recommended it with excellent results.
officers Elected.
The club elected the following off,
GERS for the ensuing year:
President. DR.. Henry Frochling:
Vice President Professor w. r. Ruddi
Secretary and Treasurer, "A. TT. Allen.
Editing and Literary Committee
DR.. Eugene C. Bingham. A. NJ. For-
roster and ]. 3. Robb.
Membership Committee-R. 3. Ar
mold. DR.. r. T. Loving, f. N. Ezekiel
Program Committee-Dr e. w. Ma
gruder DR.. Hall canter. Andrew Rob-
ertson.