The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-21
NORTH BIRMINGHAM WATERWORKS PLANT ||S ORDERED CLOSED Impure Water Given as the Cause of Numerous Cases
 of Typhoid Fever CITY FIGURING ON
 FILTERING SYSTEM Out of Forty-Six Cases of Typhoid in
 Entire City, Twenty-1hree
 Are in North Bir- mingham

Having reached the conclusion by the process of elimination that the preva- lence of typhoid fever in North Birming- ham is directly attributable 10 the inn purity of the water consumed by the people of that suburb, the city commits | sion, at it's regular meeting yesterday morning, ordered an immediate estopment of the operation of the municipal plant. A resolution to that effect, offered by Commissioner Lane and adopted unan- imously by the board, provided also that an arrangement will be made whereby the people of North Birmingham will be furnished their supply of water through the mains of the Birmingham Water works company According to a state ment of Dr. Robert Nelson, city health officer, the Birmingham Waterworks company will be able to supply the peo- pie of North Birmingham with all the water they may desire save in the case of an extensive fire
 Immediately the city will begin an in vestigation as to the wisest course to be pursued in reference to the improve ment of the condition of the North Bir- mingham water plant. There is no in tention on the part of the city to aban- don this property. The investigation will probably lead to the adoption of reso- luton providing for the construction of machinery for water filtration. It is esti- mated that the plant will be dispensing pure water within another month.
 eDr. NelsOn's Report
 The action of the commission followed the complaint of 8 delegation of promi- nent North Birmingham people, and the report of conditions by Dr. Nelson. The complaint of the delegation ranged from ton plant by F. D. McArthur, to a cold blooded declaration by George N. Stone to the effect that the water offered the people of North Birmingham was not in a state of sufficient purity to warrant those with care for health in using it for the purpose of washing their feet.
 The health officer, when called upon yestigation, stated that 23 cases of ty phoid had been reported from North Birmingham, and that the total number of cases in Greater Birmingham was only 46 Fifty per cent of the cases of typhoid. therefore he said. "are con fined to a population of 5000, out of a total population of about 140,oo0. Of the 2S cases at North Birmingham. all but four were using prior to their infection the water of the municipal plant ex- clusively. Four used water from the plant and also from neighboring springs. We have made careful examinations of the milk supplied to the residents of North Birmingham and we have exon- erated the dairymen. Bacteriological ex- aminations of the water of the North Birmingham plant reveal unmstakably the presence of intestinal bacteria"
 Resolution to Abandon
 Following this statement Judge Lane drew up resolution to the effect that the plant be temporarily discontinued and that the president of the commission be instructed to make arrangements for the furnishing of water to the residents of North Birmingham by the Birming ham Waterworks company. This reso- luton was unanimously adopted. The city will begin at once an investigation
 
 with means of filtration.
 Some months ago, as is remembered, there was proposition submitted to the people by the city through it's board of aldermen for the sale of the municipal water plant at North Birmingham. After a spirited campaign, in which charges and countercharges were made. the peo- pie by an overwhelming vote rejected the proposition, and the city retained the ownership of the plant. There has long been an idea that the retention of this plant would furnish a positive proof of the benefits of municipal ownership of public utility franchises.
 The North Birmingham delegation was composed of the following: J. H. Berry. pr. I. N. Jones. Dr. J. H. Blackwell J. A. Lewis, J. w. Cato, James Hillhouse. pr. NJ. F.. Moreland, F. D. McArthur. George N. Stone and James L. Cole.