The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23
WATER MAN
OF PENNSYLVAN
MAKES INSPECTION
Herbert L. Snow, Head Of
the Sanitary Department,
Praises Local Supply
TELLS OF HIS WORK
IN KEYSTONE STATE
Department Has Despotic Power Over
All Forms of Water Supply and
Sewerage and Drainage
Systems

That the Birmingham water supply
is 10 years ahead of Birmingham is
the opinion of Herbert L. Snow. chief
engineer of the Pennsylvania depart
ment of health. Mr.. Snow. who is in
vania water supply. sewerage and
drainage. is regarded as one of the
foremost water engineers in the Unit
ed States. He made the statement that
the purity Of the water here was un-
questioned and the local plant 10 years
ahead of the community after inspect
ing every water supply in the district
including the city supply, the water
company and the Tennessee Coal, Iroh
and Railroad company. Mr. Snow has
been here three days looking over
the situation with d. Stewart Lloyd,
department of chemistry, University
of Alabama, at Tuscaloosa.
lie was invited to come here by the
Birmingham water company. Mr.. Snow
made trip over every available
source of supply in this district and
left last night for his home in Har-
risburg,-Pa.
Despotic Power in Pennsylvania
Mr.. Snow is at the head of an en-
sineering department for the state of
Pennsylvania which possesses abso-
lutely despotic power. No city, borough
or citizen can lay a pipe in that state,
however long or short, without first
securing the consent of the department
of health. The department employs 500
inspectors, all of them empowered to
make arrests for violations of the sam
itary regulations and as the Birming
ham plant is owned by the same com
pany operating five plants under the
jurisdiction of Mr. Snow, his opinion
was requested on the local operations.
I'VE are very strict in Pennsylvania"
said Mr. Snow yesterday, "and although
we have despotic powers we seldom
are forced to inflict hardship upon
the water companies We protect the
companies that serve the people prop
erly from the present day antagonisml
against corporations. When we find a
company doing right we handle them
as though they were first class cit
izens. If they do wrong, we punish
them severely In our state we will
not permit any man or set of men TO
trifle with our water or allow the
slightest thing to endanger the purity
of our supply. From our state depart
ment only four appeals have been taken
although the law fixes a method of
appeal.
I'VE have 500 inspectors who have
statewide authority. They can enter
any place in the discharge of their
duty This force is in addition to a
force of 75 experts who compose the
flying squadron If we are informed
endanger the watershed of some conf
pany an inspector is sent there at once
and that farmer is made to arrange
things to meet the laws. If not, he is
arrested. We do not propose to take
any risks.
Water Cannot Be Made
NATURALLY, We have good filtered
water in our state. However, water is
a commodity which cannot be manu-
featured. You citizens of Birmingham
must work with what is given you.
God Is the only source for water, and
what he places here might be impure
in one location of this great country,
while the waters of any other section
might be crystal here. This Birming-
ham water company is owned by
corporation that operates several