New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-12-02
Water Is Found
Badly Polluted
THE GOOSE TOWN SPRING CON-
DEMNED BY STATE BOARD
OF. HEALTH.
SIX OTHER SOURCES OF SUPPLY
ALSO FOUND CONTAMI-
MATED.

That New Ulm is in daily danger of
another outbreak of typhoid fever was
made plainly apparent from a report
received from the State Board of Health
last Saturday by the New Ulm Health
Officers. This does not mean that the
city supply is again bad for there is no
evidence to that effect but there are
many private sources of supply that are
badly contaminated and the danger that
exists will come from these sources and
if conditions be right, another serious
epidemic might follow. One of the
sources of supply examined was the
Goose Town Spring" which was found
to be unsafe for use, and the others were
six private wells, all of which were in bad
shape.
The examination Of the sources of
supply was made during the month of
September and was conducted by the
Division of Sanitation of the State Board
of which B. M. Mohler is the chemist.
Mr.. Mohler was here several times last
winter in an effort to locate the source
of pollution in the city supply. In
brief, the report sums up the present
situation as follows:
"The field data, obtained as far as
possible from the persons using the
water, in every instance shows unsatis-
factory protection from. waste materials
at the surface.Ia no case Was the location
of the avell suc1, as to condemn it as a
source Of supply.
"The analysis made of samples in
each instance substantiates the field
findings in showing the presence of
pollution in these supplies.
The State Board makes recommends
tions as follows:
''The construction of each of these
sources should be overhauled and the
necessary improvements made at once.
"A water tight concrete covering and
curling, preferably of continuous con-
crete construction, should be built over
and around each of the sources of supply
mentioned. This curling should extend
at least feet below the ground surface -
Until such improvements are made,
says the report, these sources of sup
ply can not be regarded as suitable for
domestic use.'
Of greatest import is the finding in the
matter of the 'Goose Town Spring"
This spring is the source of supply for a
very large number of the inhabitants
in that section OF the city and last winter
the report made on the water was favor
able. The users are firmly convinced
that it was good then and do not want
to hear anything to the contrary at the
present time.
A small revolution was in progress
last Saturday when the Health Board
locked the door to the spring house. A
crowd of people gathered in protest and
proceeded to break in the door. They
declared that even # the Health Board
did order them to cease using the water
or to boil it that they would pay no atten-
ton. Hadn't they used the water for
fifteen years, and did any of them ever
get the typhoid from it? Nonsense!
) They aren't afraid, not they. Besides,
where would they get their water from
if not from the spring? A proposal to
pipe the city water down to the section
so that they could have temporary
supply until matters should be righted
met with scorn. They would not have
it. They want their beloved spring,
typhoid germs and all, and they appar-
emily intend to have it. The Health
Board circulated letters among the users
of the spring water Sunday telling them
of the conditions existing and urging
them to boil all water used for domestic
purposes. Whether they will obey the
injunction remains to be seen. The State
Health Board Report on this source
of supply reads as follows:
NUMBER ONE, Intersection of
Eighth South Street and Valley Street.
This supply is located in that part ofNew
Ulm known as Goose Town" It comes
from spring in that section popularity
known as the Goose Town Spring"
This spring is supposed to be located
about third of mile from the ourlet
5at this location, but this point could not
be conclusively determined. But little
authentic information was available con-
corning this spring.
'The one and one-half inch outlot pipe
extends through a concrete floor in the
frame spling house and is reduced to a