Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-10-01
FOUND WATER
Pure after AN
EXAMINATION
Former State Chemist and
Bacterfologist Performed
50 Per Cent of Work for
Walter Thesis.
Officials at That Time Re-
ported to Commissioner
Boise Artesian Hot & Cold
Water Company's Supply
Not Contaminated.

Former State Chemist Louis Jack
son and DR.. f. +. Laubaugh, former
state bacteriologist of Idaho, did 81
per cent of the work on which H. l..
Walter q local chemist based a thesis
on the Boise city water with which to
secure a master degree and in which
he found the supply to be hazardous
Their findings were to the effect that
the water at that time was not con-
taminated but in fact had nothing the
matter with it. A check made of the
data covering the period by Mr.. Jack
son shows that Walter performed but
II per cent of the work of investiga-
ton. The former state chemist and
state bacteriologit made this favorable
report as to the condition of the water
to James H. Wallis, then pure food
and state sanitary commissioner.
1t was part of the thesis of Walter
that was used by a morning publica-
ton TO bolster up its claim that the
water supplied to Boise is hazardous in
face of the repeated declarati"A ~
the secretary of state board of health
that while slightly contaminated the
water is not at all dangerous and ii is
not even necessary to boil it,
JACKSON TELLS OF TESTS.
The investigation OF the water was
made by Messrs. Jackson, Laubaugh
and Walter covered 10 months, part of
1914 and part of 1915
Commissioner Wallis decided that
he wished to make an investigation of
the Boise water supply" said Mr.. !
jackson discussing the report today"
Accordingly Dr. Laugbaugh and my
sell took the matter UP. Mr. Walter |
volunteered to help. He said he would
proceed with the analysis if he could
use the laboratory and such an under
standing was reached. He then pro-
ceeded to collect examples of the
water and for about two months and a
half conducted the Investigation. Then
he stopped. He did no further work
towards conducting the investigation.
DR.. Laubaugh End myself discussed
the matter after Walter stopped work
and decided to continue the investiga-
lion. Weekly samples of the water
were taken and we carried on the in
vestigation Our findings were after
the investigation had covered period
Of approximately l3 months that the
water had nothing the matter with ii. |
hot ttciC was CONTAMINATION OF the |
Water and that 1t was perfectly good. |
we soon reported to commissioner !
Wallis. Later | checked UP on the
amount of work that was done in the
investigation and found that Walter
did IL per cent of it and that DR.. Lau-
oaugh and myself did SO per cent"
SILENT FOR TWO YEARS.
1t appears that after the investiga-
tion made of the water supply at this
time Walter decided to write a thesis
on which to secure q masters tecres
at Washington State college and he
selected the Boise water supply as his
subject. The report covering the Is
months investigation was used as the
Investigation and finds of Walter. II
the water was impure at that time
Walter did not make the fact known I
MI. Jackson and DIR. Laubaugh renort /
ed to the then state sanitary inspect /
or that 1t was not contaminated. They L
did not find it was hazardous.
Almost three years later the thesis /
OF Walters based on an investigation [
conducted in 1914 and part of 1917 [
submits his thesis to a morning publ /
cation wherein he infers that the water /
was contaminated and hazardous to .
public health.
PERSONAL VIOLENCE THREAT
ENED. /
Former State Chemist Jackson says I
that trouble arose during his absence
from the laboratory between his as /
sistant and Walter over the action of /
waiter In attempting to go through the
department files TO secure the cards
covering the period of investigation. /
Inc former state chemist has an affi- |
davit to support this. Walter insisted /
on taking the cards but the assistant |
informed him that his instructions |
were from Mr.. jackson not to allow |
anyone to go through the files during
MS absence Walter, he says threat |,
ened personal violence to his assist |;
ant and insisted on taking the cards.
1t was necessary to COLL in police Of
ficer to prevent further trouble. On
the day that the trouble took place a
stenographer with the secretary of the |;
board of health, DR.. Ralph FaIk, was
compiling the data that Walter wanted.
DR.. Falk explained this to Walter. The
matter was settled in this way.
HovERs AROUND STANDARD.
The analysis of the water that Ia
now being made by the state bacteriol-
ogist show that the Boise water some
times is slightly above and other times
slightly below the standard required by
the government. 1t is admitted by :
the authorities that even should the
tests call continually below the gov
ernments standard. 1t would not be
considered dangerous nor would it be
necessary to remove what contamina-
ton there was In it by boiling for 20
minutes.
The authorities also admit that the
officers Of the water company have
shown every desire to trace the source
Of slight contamination that may be
found and are working heartily in CO.
operation with them in the matter OF
securing samples. making tests, etc. :