The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-08-08
PORTER DISCUSSES
WATER SITUATION
Water Commissioner Says Fish
Will Be Eliminated
LAYS BLAME FOR PRESENCE ON
THE OLD VATER COMPANY.
Claims Holes We're Punched In the
Screens and That He Cured COndi-
ton as Soon as Possible.

81 will give a premium for any fish
found in the mains when we get
through flushing them,' said Water
Superintendent w. F. Porter Friday,
speaking of the water situation in the
city, "and 1 want to say that we have
proceeded as rapidly as we could in
dealing with the situation. The pres
ence of fish in the water was not due
to lack of interest, incompetence or
gross negligence on our part, but was
the result of the fact that when the
old company employees cleaned up
the mush ice at the reservoir last win
ter they punched holes in the screens
underneath the water and the fish got
in through these cavities which were
not fixed by the old company. AS
soon as the water got down low
enough for me to notice these holes
started to work to remedy the matter
at once. 1t was a physical impossi-
bility to get screens for the holes and
get them in at once In order to fix
it properly it was necessary to put in
the cut off pipe and drain all the wa
ter out and clean up the reservoir We
got the pipe in due time, but the nee
essary brass fixtures did not arrive
promptly and we had to telegraph to
Troy, New York, and have them sent
by express. We shall let the water in
to the reservoir tomorrow Saturday
morning and at once begin the flush
ing of the hydrants, with the assist
ance of the fire department, and when
we get through with that, there will
be no fish left in the mains, or at
least practically none, for a fish might
escape the flushing, but thereafter no
more fish can possibly get in. We
have at all times proceeded as fast as
we could. J want to say that l have
10 hard feelings in regard to the cri-
ticisms of the conditions that existed.
While we were doing the best that we
could under the circumstances, condi-
tions were certainly bad, and l do not
blame people for being dissatisfied.
"The chlorine was not responsible
for the killing of the fish They live
in water which contains it without
showing signs of discomfort. There
were no dead fish in the reservoir.
Fish in the pipes are apt to kill them
selves trying to get out, as they rush
around trying to escape until worn
out"
How do you account for the death
of the fish in the Twin Falls restaur-
ant?" Mr.. Porter was asked.
81 cannot tell what killed them, -
he answered
"Do you think it possible that some
of the fish died while trying to escape
as you suggested. and that these when
they decayed caused sickness among
the other fish," asked the reporter
We'll I doubt that, because there
were live fish taken out of the pipes
after the fish were found at the court
house l might add that there we're
fish in the mains last year under the
mana cement of the old company ow-
ing to the fact that the old screens
were not fine enough to keep out the
little ones. and that some of them
came out in the water pipes. I think
that the fish died in the pipes for the
reason have given. but do not know
what killed the fish in the restaurant"