The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-04-26

a measure that permits a dual water
system in this city. There are
grave reasons for believing that a
dual system greatly enhances danger
of deadly epidemics. There is a
strong feeling in favor Of demand
ing a referendum if this measure Is
not Immediately repealed by the
commissioners.
The dual water system Is some
thing in favor Of the Big Interests,
men, firms and corporations we'll
able to buy water from the city's
mains instead Of pumping polluted
bay water to their tanks.
People now understand why COR
porations, corporation lawyers and
men connected with Big Business
were back of commissioner Farrell
in the late campaign. They have
found that he will heed their voices
when opposed by the people, rather
than the voice of the people. Com
missioner Farrell voted for the dual
system.
I Commissioner Voss voted for the
dual system but he should not be
unduly censured. His religious be-
lief is based on the tenet that dis
ease is only a condition of the mind,
therefore deadly typhoid germs in
polluted water exist only in the
imagination.
Too much was not expected OF
commissioner Murnian for he barely
had been indicted into his seat.
Everything was new and strange to
him, a sort of Wonderland, so to
speak, that bedazzled his eyes and
befogged his brain.
Mayor Magney sadly disappointed
his constituents. He not only was
elected as a commoner, by the COM
mon people, but he has been credited
with having a trained mind, clear
channels of thought and a feeling
for the small and weak rather than
the large and strong.
Commissioner Phillips, so-called
Bolshevist, I. w. w. sympathizer and
red-mouthed socialist, voted against
the dual system. Commissioner
Phillips has shown such lack of
manners and chivalry as to talk to
a woman the same as he would talk
to Fat Boy, Corporation Cor
morant or the Big Interests. De-
spite his lack of polish, he took the
safe side when the public's health
was in question.
This adoption of the dual system
is based on a desire Of the Big In
terests along the water front to cut
down their fire insurance premiums.
While that is natural, it may be done
at the expense of the precious lives
of those who have little and lack
prominence in the city. It's a case
of giving to him who hath and TAX
ing away that which another SEEM
eth to have. It's the old fight of
the strong against the wsak.
Leonidas Merritt compelled many
Big Interests 70 give up their specja!
privileges in the way Of water rates.
They declared that they should have
special prices because they use1 SO
much water. Mr.. Merritt believed
that they should pay the same as
others when they possessed so much,
therefore were so able to pay.
Commissioner Merritt's action al
ways has been bitterly resented.
After two years, the Big Interests
have secured their own way once
more. If hundreds in homes OF the
poor and the working class dis from
typhoid, enteritis and other evil
dences Of polluted water, it will be
considered Goods WILL" or His NOV
ing In a mysterious way Ellis Won
ders to perform"
Fire insurance companies and un-
derwriters reduce their premiums on
industrial risks from one-third to
one-half and sometimes more, where
two sources of water supply are pro-
vided for the purpose Of extinguisn-
ing fires.
There are two sources Of supply
in Duluth, viz: The city water,
connections being made between the
city mains and the piping inside the
industrial buildings; and, secondly,
the cases in which these same pipes
are connected with the discharge
from Independent pumps that take
water from the bay or slips.
It must be understood that the
water from the bay or slips is very
highly polluted, nevertheless, it cir
culates in the same pipes with the
pure city water and is prevented
from entering the city mains only
by distractions placed in the pipes,
called check valves.
The theory of the check valve is
that it will allow the water from the
city mains to pass freely in but will
not permit the polluted water to
pass out, thus working automatically
and protecting the city supply from
contamination.
In 1903, the city Of Lowell, Mass,
had such a system. No apprehen-
sion was felt because the system was
protected by check valves, specially
made for the purpose and the best
that could be obtained. On Sat-
urday, July IS, Of that year, and in
the very week that the valves had
been inspected and repaired, they
failed to work. The city water was,
consequently, contaminated, result
ing in 1853 cases Of typhoid fever and
nine deaths.
The dual system was maintained
at Van Vert, Ohio. November 16,
1913, polluted water passed into the