The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-25
To INSTALL PLANT
To INSURE PURITY
Of THE CITY WATER
Order Is Issued After Mem.
bers Express Opinion Of
Tnnes-Dispatch
STATEAND CITY
BOARDS TO HELP
Many Authorities Assure the
Administrative Board that
City Water Supply Is
Pure and Wholesome

In order to dispel an alarm on the
part of the citizens of Richmond,
which had been unnecessarily created
by the publication of news articles
and editorials in the Times-Dispatch
in the face of statements by DR.. r.
G. Levy the city's chief health ON
Ger, and DIR. Ennion G. williams.
chief health officer for the State, a.
we'll as City Engineer Boiling and
Acting Water Superintendent Lawton.
in addition to the statements OF DIR.
Oppenheimer. chairman of the city
board OF health. and DIR. Allen r.
Freeman of the State board of health,
to the effect that the city water ID
pure and wholesome, the administra-
for the installation of temporary
hypochlorite plant with the intention
Of replacing this with a permanent
one shortly.
At the session, the board made Il
plain that ii took temporary action
merely to allay groundless fear that
had been caused among the people
by the publications in the TimeS-Dis-
patch. 1t had been expected to take
the necessary precaution to guard
against impure water by the installa-
ton of a permanent plant, but there
was no occasion for alarm at this
time and there was ample time In
which to do the work, all trace Of
typhoid in the water having passed
and the source having been removed
several weeks ago.
All to Cooperate.
The temporary plant will be instaI1-
ed today under the supervision Of
Acting Water Superintendent Lawton
and with the cooperation of Chief
Health Officer DIR. Levy and DR.. r..
d. Messer, sanitary engineer for the
State board of health.
DR., w. T. Oppenheimer. Chairman
of the city board OF health. made -
lengthy statement to the board, del
claring that he wished the admins
trative board and the health DEPART
ment to work in harmony, and assur-
ing the commissioners that in writing
to Superintendent Davis, of the water,
department, suggesting the instalia-s
ton of hypochlorite plant, DR.. Levy,
intended no slight on them. He re-
ferred to the cooperation Of the
health department in the recent In.
designations of conditions at the City
home, and pointed out the value Of
such cooperation.
Won't Hear DIR. Levy.
Commissioner Hirschberg was on
his feet in a second, He asserted
that the administrative board could
attend to its affairs itself and con-
duct its Investigations without any
outside aid.
Mr. Beck questioned DIR. Open
himer as to who had been RESPONSE
BILE for the information given to the
papers in regard to the typhoid fever
scare before 1t had been officially re-
ported to the board,
IT don't know replied DR.. Open
himer. II know that l was not re-
sponsble for what appeared In thu
papers Perhaps DR.. Levy can tell
you
DR.. Levy. who was spectator. sit-I
ting on the outside of the railing In
the board room. rose to his feet ~
II to make reply.
Never mind said Mr.. Beck. y
think I know who was Responsible
DR.. Levy sat down,
Mr.. Beck Calls Halt
"Also would like to say" cons
tinued Mr.. Beck with heat, that
these attacks upon the board havoI
got to stop. Attempts are being
made to discredit us, and II they "a
not stop I will hold those who are
making them personally responds
ble." A few. minutes later DR.. Levy
left the room. without having made
any statement.
City Engineer Charles e. Boiling.
DIR. j. l.. Whitfield, city chemist. ana
DR. Williams, commissioner OF th43
State board of health, were present
at the meeting. Including DIR. Levy
all OF them agree that the waters1Uf
ply is now safe. and as pure a. a4SS
in the country. and probably pufeH(
than 1t has ever been In the ht1t0xys
of the water department. s83
Hirschbcrg Scores paper. EASs;
Facing the spectators, Commlm
sioner Hirschherg. who resent1 Wn4E
the board terms the unwarrantao &&43
tacks upon the purity OF its mottv<
In regard Its action concerntngt
recommendation Of the chief h4al
officer. bitterly denounced the Ti1n
Dispatch. which he charged had M
only injured the good name o1 r.
city, but gone further and rotae4
its growth for fifty years. ~
THE boavd of health" he eAad
persisted In Ignoring this board
in SO doing it has been atdA4
abetted by certain Influences.
this I mean the Times-Dispatcl&
said with denunciatory amp
(which, by sensationalism and
representation, has done thea5S
great injury. It has retar14x
growth Of Richmond nifty
Captain Carlton Mccarthy. Nh1
terances the day before caua1
prevail. ISeas clear that tn ~
istrative bdglrd acted - INIT
senting newspaper attacks ~
and that the utterances Is ~