Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-29
OFFICIALS ARE
TOLD OF ORDER
BARRING WATER
Interstate Water Survey Notifies
Railroad Company Not TO
Use City Mains.
ARE ADVISED OF IMPURENESS
Rock Island Health Commissioners
Puzzled State Test shows
Few Bacteria.

CIV DatttIid~
City health officials are some
what annoyed today over an order
received by c., r. I & p railroad
officials from the interstate com
merce commission on water survey,
stating that no more Rock Island
city water is TO be used until fur
Their orders are received.
Commissioner John 4. MuTrlu,
head of the waterworhs depart
meut. and City Physician DIT. G.. T
Foster interviewed d. f Coughlin,
company superintendent, yesterday
concerning the order received by
the railroad officials.
The statement from the interstate
commerce commission is 70 the ef-
feet that the commission has been
advised that city water used at the
Thirty-firSt street station, at both
public drinking fountains and for
hlling tanks on passenger and 9th
er trains. IS not as pure as Il should
be
Both the city commissioner and
the city physician are al loss to
know from what source Informa-
TON supporting the report could
have originated
CITY water has been pronounced
absolutely safe for drinking pur-
poses by the state water survey at
Jrbana and tests made by the local
chemist have proven the water TO
fore has the city water shown less
number OF bacteria than al present.
Health officers here have taken eX-
| IRENE precautions to avoid any ty-
phoid epidemic such as Is being eX-
= perienced in Moline All typhoid
cases in Rock Island. Of which
there are but few. have been traced
to the cOntagiOn in Moline
While water mains Of the quad
cities are not connected. it is said
that eravitatiOn is the probable
cause OF the spreading Of the dis
ease Rock Island is situated at a
lower level than either WatertOwn,
Silvis. East Moline or Moline and
it is pointed out that the pureness
Of the city water is responsible for
Island officials have been watching
the situation closely. Frequent
tests are being made. and in short
everything possible is being done
to avert the spreading of typhoid
fever TO this city.
Claim is made that there is no
cause for alarm here. and that the
CITY will send a sample Of the water
% the state survey at Urbana. sam
pies to the C., R l. & 2. railroad
chemist at Chicago. and that the
city chemist will also make tests
20 again establish that the water is
safe for drinking purposes.
The railroad officials have placed
cards in convenient spots. accord
ing 10 orders. which warn against
the drinking OF the city water The
company would he held liable for
any disease oCcasiOned on their
property through this source. if this
requirement of the interstate water
survey was not complied with.
Water Shut on.
The city has already shut off the
water TO the station and other pre-
cautions are therefore unnecessary.
Officials Of the city are Of the opin-
ion that the service will again be
in use within few days when il is
thought that It will be proven 10
the satisfaction of the interstate
commission that the city water is
pure
A tank is being used at the
roundhouse where water is pump
ed for the use of railroad engines
and that this is connected with the
city main. II IS considered prob
able that II any infection is found
at the station. the cause is no doubt
due TO a leak in the company mains
which are connected with the city
mains by valves which are opened
in case city water is found neces-
sary TO be used in an emergency
for engine use.
Commissioner Murrin states that
all dead-end mains throughout the
entire city are flushed regularly.
and that throughout the entire Wa
terwOrks system the striCtest pre-
cautions are taken.
The city physician has investigat-
ed conditions at First street and
Eighteenth avenue. where a nuts
ance was reported Big Boy" But
Ter. local negro fighter, has been
ordered 10 remove a number OF
hogs without the city limits by
Aug. !.