Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-09-02
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1919
TELL THE PEOPLE.

man Backshear, as chairman of the
water and light committee, offers an
explanation of the fact that our fill
tration plant quite often furnishes
mud instead of clear water. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Blackshear, the
trouble is due chiefly to the fact that
the Rio Grande is a very muddy
stream whenever IL gets up" which
ii does periodically. AS he sees the
matter, It appears to be all a ques-
tion Of using sufficient chemical to
CLARITY the water and of cleansing
the settling pools, during which pro-
cess 1t becomes necessary, owing to
the reservoir being exhausted to
pump muddy water into the mains.
Perhaps Alderman Blackshear's
diagnosis may be correct, but r.
would hardly appear to NpfSAH sat-
isfactorily the fact Hat the city so
often serves mud instead of water
to its patrons. Granting that the
reservoiEmsy be too small to hold
a SUFFICIENT supply to outlast the
flashing out process, then someone
must be to blame, and there should
be some remedy.
If The Herald mistakes not, the
reservoir was built according to to
the plans of the Greer Filtration
company, as a part of the filtration
plant. The plant was guaranteed by
the said company, under bond. to
provide the city with a sufficient sup
ply of clear water. This guarantee
has not been made good. If ii be
merely a case of not using sufficient
chemicals, then the blame would ap-
pear to be upon the management of
the plant, but If it be due to the
limited size of the reservoir, then
someone else IS to blame.
Whatever may be the secret of the
itrouble, the citizens are becoming
very impatient. They want to
know just what is the matter. but
also whether the trouble a not be
remedied.
If the reservoir is too small, why
was 1t made too small?
If we do not use sufficient chemi-
Gals, why do we not use sufficient
chemicals?
Alderman Blackshear's eXplana-
ton is scarcely satisfactory. The
citizens want to know the answer to
these questions, which he fails to
supply. They want the exact facts
in regard TO the situation at the
plant. They are entitled to know.
In the long run ii will be better for
those who know exactly what is the
matter to say exactly. and candidly,
what is the matter. Better for all
concerned to give the people the
truth than to leave them al the
Npercy Of all kinds of wild rumors
asNo the real nature Of the oft-re-
currpg troubles.
ThApublic health has been endan-
gered ann the public patience has
been worn TO a fragile because of the
filthy stuff. falsely called water, in
the hydrants. The water has been
for days absolutely unfit for any
domestic purposes, Unfit for drink
ing, unfit for bathing-unfit even
for watering the lawn, unless one
wishes to start a sand bar in his
front yard. People who pay water
rates for alleged filtered water have
to buy distilled water for drinking
and cooking purposes. Any kind OF
home laundry work Is impossible
for people who do not own cisterns
or who can not borrow cistern water
from their neighbors.
This would be endurable II there
were any reasonable ground TO hope
hat the same condition would not
recur over and over again in the flu
ture, as il has occurred at least once
every month since the altering plant
was installed.
This Is not a question OF politics,
but a questio nof the public health
and comfort. Is the altering plant
d failure III so. let the people know
II, and let the blame be placed
wherever Il, belongs. ssDH
The Herald suggests that a COM
Nail E-lsf