Year: 1863

offensive Vapor, whose nOisesome pro-
perties are almost intolerable, during the
half hour or hour of their escape, at the
distance of mile along the valley of the
creek The fluid organic contents Of the
retort pass into the creek, and although
perhaps less offensive, detraet as far as
their influence extends, from the purity of
the water.


This examination it will be remem-
bcred by the Board, was made last
autumn, and soon after report was made
to the Board Since then however a
great change has taken place in the pro-
cesses of this factory, probably in conse-
quence of the scarcity of cotton material.
Nessrs Jessup Il Moore have recently
commenced the manufacture of paper from
straw; and in this process it is necessary
to get rid of certain constituents of the
straw, which interfere with its manuiac-
ture. This involves the use of IL large
amount of the above mentioned chemicals,
so that now there is daily employed some
8 or times as much of them as hero.o-
fore, and as IL consequence proportionate
increase of chemicals is discharged irto
the creek Hence, all that was said in
the former report of Che publication of
the water by means of the fresh water
alge which grows so abundantly on the
floor Of the creek; Of the healthful influence
of the eXhalation of the volatile substances
into the air, from the sur ace of the water
in its passage along the rocky channel,
over the falls, and through the wheels of
/ fhn fnpfot,iau st- ,1.,
which not only break tup very minutey,
but also mingle with il large portion of
pure air, thus adding life and salubrity to
it d; all these means to which the committee
had before attached so much importance
they conceive, are, under existing CT ldi-
tions wholly inadequate to cOunteract the
deleterious effect upon the water, OF so
large mass of chemical substances as lust
mentioned.


The committee had also carefully ex-
amined the chemical reaction of these
agents upon each other resulting in the
formation OF Sulphate of Soda or Gauber
Salts, innocent in minute quantities or
else into the Sulphate of Lime which
being insoluble is deposi ted ON the bottom
of the creek or in the reservoir of the city
thus neutralizing the powerful acid of the
oil of yitriol. They had also alluded to
the new compounds which arise in the
bleaching process, by which the Chloride
of Soda is converted into Ammonia, easily
evolved from the water; and into com
mon salt free Muriatc acid and otaer
substances nocuous and innocuous. But
all these facts now go but for little, when
daily in front of our city we see the suface
Of the Brandywine covered with II foam
produced by the alkalies, and the gluten
of the straw, showing that whenever the
boilers or retorts discharge their contents
into the stream, body of such material
is added to the water, sufficient at leost,
in its low stages, and at season when
pure water is particularly required, TO
affect this fluid so injuriously, as to
render it disgusting TO the sight, at the
distance Of three miles from its place of
crD. .ance and also TO communicate de-
cided llatmcss to its taste, as it is dis
charged from our hydrants thus making
the condition of the water just subject
of complaint from our city.


Your committee have had several in
terviews with Messrs Jessup, and find
them not unobseryant of these facts, nor
indisposcd TO remedy them and they have
entire confidence that they will, in reason
able time, accomplish the removal of so
great nuisance from this indispensable
article of constant consumption to popu-
lation of more than 10000 persons. In
these efforts they have ascertained that
the water from their retorts contains
large quantity of carbonate of Soda, and
Il mixture of other salts and Of pure
alkoi.


In addition to the above cause of i'm
purity in the Brandywiue water, a very
important one is found on the hillsides
which line the whole course of the creek
above Wilmington, and give to it Ich
beauty and picturesqueness. II is notori-
GUS to our citizens that every heavy rain
clouds our otherwise crystal wa,er, and
sometimes so thickens it by continuous
washngs as to render it disgusting both
to the sight and taste These impurities
consist of earthly, animal and vegetable
matters. 1t will be perceived at once
that it is impossible to prevent the con-
tamination of the water in this manner,
and also that it is very great nuisance,
and merits the attention of council


Nothing has yet been devised so eilica-
cious in removing these ingredients, which
are only suspended, not dissolved in the
water, as the natural process of subsi
dence; and it would seem quite practca-
BILE by the construction of an additional
depositing reservoir to accomplish this
desirable object, at least so far us the sup
ply of the new reservoirs may extend.


These are the main facts Of which the
Committee have any knowledge in regard


to the character Of the substances thrown
into the Brandywine, their quantity, aud
the natural processes by which the water


becomes in any degree relieved of their
presence.


The Committee are here disposed to go
a little further than the literal meaning OF
the resolution under which they were
appointed, and advert for few minutes
to the. question, what constitutes pure
water, and what impure water Pure
, water has the qualities Of transparency
/ freedom from taste, odor, and fatness
, (which last result from the want Of atmos-


pheric air, or from certain vegetable ol
animal additions TO it,) and affords nt
| rcsiduum ON evaporation


Two species of constituents render
S water unfit for common use one is th,
d presence of 1. large amount of mineral, the


other of organic substances; the former
, produce hardness, as it is usually termed