Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1915-07-09
PURE WATER IS
COMMON QUEST
Local Company Promises to Secure
Supply From Well if Satisfactory
One Can Be Found
NO site AVAILABLE ON ISLAND
Very Probable That a Filtering Plant
Will Be the Solution

The long-mooted question of purer
water supply for Boomers Ferry occu-
pied the attention of the city council
for several hours last Tuesday even
ing. At the request of the council A.
H. Featherstone, of Wallace, Ida, the
owner of the Bonner Water & Light
Company, was present and the council
went into, with him, the question of
how soon the desired improvement in
the city's water could be made.
For some time the company has
been making tests of various wells
sunk in the vicinity of the river, the
object being to secure if possible well
the water from which would be pure
and yet so located as to serve with the
least expense both sides of the river.
Tests from wells sunk on the city park
property on the Northside proved that
water to be unfit for use, the water
showing traces of sewage contamina-
ton. Likewise all other tests have
proven unsatisfactory with the ex
ception of water taken from two wells
on the Island, one from the well on
the Herb Carlson place, both tests hav-
ing been declared to be good water.
1t was finally decided that Mr.. Feath
erstone and DR.. Fry should choose
site for the proposed well, test well
should be sunk at once and samples
sent to Boise for analysis. If these
samples prove equally as good as the
water already analysed from the wells
at the Island, Mr.. Featherstone an
nounced that he would at once order
the necessary pipe, have it layed,
would move the pumping barge to the
Island and until the high water sub
sided, would pump directly from the
river at the Island, which water has
likewise been proven to be quite pure.
AS soon as the river goes down, the
company will sink well into deep
gravel, case it up with concrete in
such manner that there will be prac-
tically no danger from surface con-
tamination, and thereafter pump from
that well. If the tests prove unsatis-
factory, he will at once begin the con-
struction of filtering system.
When pressed for an expression as
to the probable time in which the pur-
err water could be furnished from the
proposed new well, Mr.. Featherstone
estimated that the new pumping sta
ton could be in operation within APP
proximately As days if the water
proves satisfactory.
Mr.. Featherstone also stated that
work on the extension of the COM
pany's water mains throughout t h c
Northside additions would be c o m
menced just as soon as he could secure
permission from the Boundary county
board of commissioners to lay the
pipe on the county bridge.
The water from the wells on the
Island is apparently very wholesome
being trifie harder" than the water
pumped directly from the river.
Later-After careful investigation
of all available sites on tie Island by
Mr.. Featherstone and DR.. Fry, the 10
cal health officer, it was decided b!
them that it would be impossible t.
secure pure water there as the Islant
is badly cut up with gulches, etc.
holding stagnant water, which woult
prove a source Of contamination
Test wells are now being sunk on tn
north side Of the river about quar-
ter of a mile above the county bridge
If pure water can not be found Their
it is very probable that the compan.
will at once install filtering plant
probably within the city limits or clos
thereto.
Des Voiqnes Is Winner Again