Newspapers / Daily Economist (Elizabeth City, … / July 26, 1905, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Daily Economist (Elizabeth City, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
i ii i A L JUDICIOUS aovertIseh: THE WEATHER: AdvrU la The Partly cloudy tonight a n 1 Thursday. Light N. E, Winds. ' - ECONOMIST o r Beoause the People Read ' VOL. 5. ELIZABETH CITY, N. C. WEDNESDAY JULY 26, 1905. NO. Da ly v J Present City Water : v Suppy Condemned Report of Expert J L. Ludlow Recommends ' : Point Near Brick House on Pasquo- 1 ; tank River as New Source. -Water Company Promises to Conform With Requirements Named in Report to Frunish .Good, Portable Water V as Soon as Possible. , The board of aldermen held a spe cial meeting last evening In the mu nicipal building to accou the report 7 , v, uter supply of . this - city. 'Svery number of the board was preseatex- cepi Mr. GL M. Scott who was out of I trie city. The report of the commute.) :ui! dint Bf Mr. Ludlow, which appear be low were read and iiscussort at length by . the comrcittee and The board, and they , were finally adopt- Following are the reports: Elizabeth City, N. C, July 25. iTo the Honorable, the Board of Al derman of Elizabeth City: , The undersigned committee, ap pointed by your Honorable Board on June 5, 1905, to investigate the trou- ' be and failure of the Elizabeth City Water and Power Company to supply water to the cty as per its contrac ' of, June 1, 1903, and report to the Board such action as we deemed ad' visable looking to a recission of said contract -or thel proper method to - compel said Water and Power Com' '- pany to fulfill its part of said con tract, respectfully submit . the follow- ; ing report Your committee secured the ser vices of J.- L. Ludlow, C.-E, M. S : ; consulting ' municipal, sanitary and i vrtiraunc engineer, or winston-saiem P:'N. C.; to make a trip to Elizabeth City and examine the .water plant . - of said company and the surrounding situation and report to- your com mittee .such defects, if any, In the water plant and water suppy to the , city, as he might find upon such in vestigation committee fully In the V matter as to whether the water com pany was complying with its contract and, if not, to make such suggestions as would enable hem to do Be. Said Ludlow had mado his report to your committee, a copy of vhlch we ierewith submit with this report, We also submit an extra copy of his report which we would suggest, that the board have served upon the offi cers of said Elizabeth City: Water & . Power Company. ' J -' Upon considering the report afore said ,your committee have reached - the conclusion that the mid Water & Power Company ' has not complied and la not complying with their con tract to provide and furnish to the corporation of Eizabeth City an ade quate supply, of good, wholesome, potable water, suitable for all do; mesti purposes. - 'i i W6 - further conclude and recom- fcend from the report aforesaid that the best place for the Water & Power Company to get Its supply of"water would-be from the neighborhood of Ludlow $250 for his services in this matter and In addition the feeaof-tbe MrL,dlewlaUv6ohf"weo s iiui neuny- bo oujecuonauie as would be organic pollution due to a more thickly populated water shed Botn tnese streams, however, are subjected to the condition so common for his chemical and bacteriological analysis of, the water and $3.70 'ex pressage on wimples of water shipped him; also that your committee em ployed the services of a boat to tke Mr. Ludlowj and committee up "tho river and creek to Investigate con ditions and get samples of vaf.)i for which - they agreed to .pay ; he ' sum of $5.00; all cf which bills are hereto attached and made a part hereof and we recommend that you approve. & low and pay same. - -Respectfully submitted, ., H. T. GREEHI.EAF,- Chairman. ' H. D. WALKER. M. D., I. FEARING." M. J)., J 1TEYWOOD SAWYER, C. E. THOMPSON. "' 1 ' ' Committee. Water Company at this time should be found to be unsatisfactory. The available sources of water supply"' for your cify appears to be two, viz: Pasquotank river . and Knobbs creek. So far as general con tamination of surface streams is con cerned, "both of these streams are favorably situated, having their origi in the swampy or socalled "desert" country and passing through the swampy lands nearly their entire lenght, rendering it impracticable for for more than a very 'sparse popu lation ever to dwell on 'the wfcter shed so that an excess of pollution due to animal organic matter on the water shed of either of these streams s very remote. ; There will naturally, of course', be an organic pollution of the vegetable origin due to the - swamp gladsome event, all the eonsummat skill and taste of a large numlwr young ladies had been employe. during the whole day in arrangin floral designs around the altar, a the crowds of witnesses who fille Winston-Salem, N. C, July 191905. " Messrs. H. T. Greenleaf, Chairman, Dr. H. D. Walker, Dr. I. Fearing, C E. Thompson and J. H. Sawyer, com mittee, appointed by the Board of Aldermen of Elizabeth City, N. C, to Investigate the character of the pub lic water supply, Elizabeth City, N. O. jGentlemen: In .."compliance .with your instructions to make an inspec tion, and examination and report on yourjwateiLsypnjyJJuive. the .Jionor to streams in the eastern portion of the state, where, the cypress and jun iper abound, in being heavily stained and colored, rendering the water very objectionable in appearance and to the taste and sight, though not necessarily and probably not direct ly injurious to health. ' ,In examining these streams, it did not appear to one that there should be any great difference in the charac ter and quality of the waters of the two in the extent of organic pollu tion, arid the difference would proba bly only be one of degree of color In the water, but the analysis thaf; have been made force me to a differ ent conclusions, , viz: that, there is quite a natural difference in the char acter of the two waters, f As stated above, while the color and stein in these eastern waters are probably" not wholesome par se, yet they are objectionable In public water supplies and must be removed to .such an xetent as to appear cleaf 'to the ordinary observer; ahff' while this can be done, ti is rather a dit ,cult and expansive undertaking. The; analysis of, the Pasquotank river water show a very high stain and color, with a large quantity of to report as follows: I spent June 26th, 27th and 28th Jn your city, and carefully- looked into the water supply, situation in all its organic matter, ,as indicated in the phases from a sanitary and health amount or free and albuminoid am- I . a.' standDoint. At a conference with f he monia, and a reasonably sman con- full committee on the 26th, the gen-f tent or cniorine. it contains very iew eral situation was discussed and an7 bacteria, only 90 per cubic centimeter, examination of the contract was made u a'soft water, and the alkalinity wherein I find the following provls- ls so low that the difficulty of decol Ions: orizing the water is Increased The said water company sliall The water of Knobbs Creek at the erect and flomnlpfft n flrt-.ioQa im'tn water works Intake, while not so date water plant, to be suDDlled with highly colored as the water of Pas good, wholesome, notable water, suit- Quotank river, still presents a nigner pected to fully clarify such a highly tween the two will have reference to colored water, and in fact does not the creek at this point, the present in this cascAn. Important .cause s!f of ihewater works Intake being of the difference in the appearance considered entirely Improper and un- of the water taken from the tap and suited for a source of public water that from the creek la that' the tan supply and should be abandoned, water does not come entirely, from That waters with much worse contain- the creek and filter, but is such water ination than the creek water can be the entire seating capacity of thi mixed with the natural ground water and are purified in many cases musfc edifice feasted their eyes on an ex 1 ,7 , ' ; I , , : 1 , 7 .r ceedmgly handnoirie scene. TherJ the filter galh-ry. My conviction that the creek ig due to the wind tide ' . , i this is the case has been conclusively above mentioned, there Is no way of wcre rar.e oWud PlantB the choice confirmed by samples of water sent determining at present how much ut flowers of the season and largA me by Dr. Walker of your committee more polluted this water may become &nd small ferns, all of which unite taken on the 3 1th inst., one from the when such a wind exists. At the in one magnificent blending of deli mllffHne' rham'hep In th fllfpr hAd Hma whon T tnnlr h umnli9 tha ....!.' a . e . . 7 . - " -"-"' uuiun. umsHive iern placed on, and one from the filter gallery, which condition did not obtain, and the anal-L:,i. r . , i shows about the same difference in ysis must ba taken Hp indicate the . ,: . 1 color that the, analysis show between constant condition of the creek water nalnnU arcn and rjder thtj the raw creek water and the tap whedrlt Is not directly exposed to this " 'v""'v wo P1""'"1- ninr water. It should be remembered that f wind tide and clearly representing the auditorium of the church wa4 fthe-collecting-chamhef of tnefllter I it in its best condition.. While it U tilling with ' people. Mr. I. M ( discharges directly into the filter gal- true that this creek water may be Mcekins rendered in fiiiinhd slvh .e.y uiiaut virvm aooui or id purified by proper means to a satis- a gefection oft the organ'aud Mrs feet, and the water in which would fact0ry degree and rendered . good, M fl ..! i.ini... ti .' be identical excont for the infiltration v,... .i Mt.M.-.nnni." it Wae Uuirkin, sang "Could st Thou into the filter gallery ha V-onstdfired wiaa and eood nractlce eu iluow The problem of providing a good to Becure a water that is nearest pure Promptly it the appointed hour! wholesome and po'table water suply before the process of purification is the wedding party arrived and after for your city is by no means an easy begun. . forming in tpe prearranged manner, Undertaking and to be accomplished, . The method of treating such water the inner doirs were swung back' the task must; be approached with as you have to consider has been the organ pealed forth and a chorus much care and skill, and careful at- thoroughly tried and demonstrated in - , 7 tention to details or purification. The several cases notably at Norfolk, Va. !'f f"? .vTe8 8ang .tue uhoru of original plan of he Elizabeth City where the water is of about the same Lohengrin beautiful " wedding Water Co., viz.: to secure the water natutal purity but has less stain and marcn,. as ine procession . marched by direct infiltration through the color than has either the water of with measured tread to the altar, sandy stretch of son some distance Pasquotank rver on Knobbs creek. The brideelect, looking happy and from the city, would have been a The difference between the sand bed beautiful attired in a blue silk fairly good one had it succeeded, but or English system of filtration and the it appears to have been early deter- mechanical o American type need veUng suit easing bride s roses mined thatl the quantity of water not be dwelt onT at length here, ex- and asparagus fern, leaning on the available at the site of the .filter gal- cep tfor the results that experience rin of ,her ancle, Mr. M. II: Whitej ' lery was very small, and by no means has shown can be accomplished with of Hertford, who gave her away," sumcient ior an adequate puDiic. sup- such waters. . There is no aouni was preceded bv little Miss lJorothv ply. It also appears that the creek whatever that purification, so far as o.' w. , . . , ,. Wflfpr thmiP-h -Hlafaiif nnlv oKntif 1 KA I i. wnmM(v tfca nvantn tnof- I . 6 , feet does not. find .ft- wv tn ,h flr , ,0 .t0r. run h m. D?ilT ,n nagBihoent floral wreat gallery in any great quantity owing to nlished bv either of the systems of and was followed y the maid of hort the very fine sand in that, vicinity; filtration, but it may be stated as a or.Miss Willie White.her si.ster.who even if it had, while the water may positive fact that the color and stain was, handsomely costumed, and by have been purified from a standpoint in the water cannot be' removed by the bride's maids, who were Mianes of organic matter, yet it is hardly to the most perfect system of English cbra VViiiic -A M,ar!iu "'.,,t btr hoped that the stain would have or" sand bed" flltrationrVurif"mustt fr . "T ; .. . . been removed. However, it has been have some chemical treatment ' such T'T' , ' an demonstrated that a supply from such as is in common use with mechan- r" "F'n'a Douquets. lie a source cannot be had, neither does ical filtration. In order that by means gloom entered the church by the there appear any gcod reason to hope of some chemical coagulant the dls-f side door in company with his best mata supply might ne developed I solved coloring matter . as v contained I man, Mr. Hunter AbbitL of West from .deep wells, and the logteal con- in.the water can be gathered together Virffinia an.1 th ,hf ' "" "T ing at the , altar, the I able for. all domestic purposes.' Also, "That the said water company covenants and, agrees to provide and furnish to the said corporation (Eliz- degree of pollution from organic mat ter, with less' satisfactory ratio be tween the free; and albuminoid am monia as well as having abnormally ) S n 'I what Is know as Brick House on Pas quotank river, " distant about five miles from the cltyfup the river and that the company can furnish water ccordlng to Its contract by mechani 1 filtration, adding lime to the water prder to increase .it alkillnity and I ,. 1 i, i A 1 1L t . t jetung iu wBLer iu uoia ine lime . . .1 -1 . f I uuu itiuiu ur uuu ireaLiuent aa recom 'fi-ntiended by said Ludlow In his report , ta your committee, 1 Jt is evident from the renort of Mr, Ludlow supported by the report cf Mr. Geo. C. Whipple, whose chemical ." and bacteriological analysis of the - water company this report, tSat the present point of Intake on Knobb's Creek' ls totally undesirable for the reasons shown in said renort a all ' futures tt contamination are higher Wre than at any other point from , t . which samples cf water were taken, while at Brick" House on Pasquotank river the analysis show the, same to be decidedly lower or totally absent, s fc We take into consideration inrecom ending this point the future growth he" city and the fact that the ex of contaminating features in v would be eliminated by go , it higher up the river tnd ,- the brick house. .j would further submit to your 3Ior lable Board hat according . to ' ict we were to . pay said 3. L. abethCity) an .adequate supply of high chlorine content ..and a larger J good, wholesome, potable water, suita ble for domestic purposes :ag : afor& said." On the 27th insta., I. was taken , up the Pasqutank river to wTiat is known as the Brick House to see the charac ter of the drainage area bf the river and to collect famples for chemical and . bacteriological analysis. I A se cured one-from , the river at a point number of bacteria, viz: 900 per cub io centimeter. Including the. bacteria coll communis, which ls one of the common bacteria usually .found In streams exposed to sewage contam ination, - though. It must not be con sidered as a sure Indication of sew age contamination in all Cases. The immediate exposure of this stream at the water- works lntako is very near theslte of the Brick House and bad' owing to.. the close proximity another of the river : water near a of a lare )mber mill with its great point known as Lamb's ferrv '' T was quantities of bark and sawdust re- then taken up Knobbs creek to in- fuse which 18 thrown Into the stream spect tne water shed and tha ernos-l w uwny.au wen DUuiFo ures and to collect samples of the of . Pollution incident to the workmen creek water at the water works intake around tne Plant and 18 altogether and at a point about a mile pr more I 1,1 adaPted as a site fora water above the water, works- intake and works intake. . about half a mile above the county Tne sample of water taken from bridge. I also collected a sample of Knobbs Creek at a point further up the tap water from a faucet in Sam- stream than the water works Intake mong . & Wood's bakery. Of these from the analysis Is shown to contain five samples I had chemical and hac- a Httle less, organic matter and chlo- (erlologlcal analysis made by Mr. Geo. rme as well as a considerably smaller C. Whipple of New York, and the re- number' of bacteria, but the bacteria suits-of the chemical analysis and ,n tnis sample likewise" contain the the bacteriological, and miacroscoplc B- coM communis. This sample was examinations are herewith attached. I taken at a point about half a mi The primary purposes for which I above the county bridge, and alto- was called there was to Investigate gether shows a considerably better the character of the water supply to Quality of water than that from the determine "whether or not it was pure I present water works - intake. and wholesome and of such quality as The sample of water taken from required by the contract with the the tap in Sammons & Wood's bakery Elizabeth City Water Works Com- shows about half as much stain or pany, but after approaching the mat- color as the Knobbs creek water, ter and considering the great impor- and a large reduction in organic mat tance o your city of having a pure ter an i the number of bacteria, but and wholesome public water supply the chlorine still remains abnormally It seemed proper that I should go fur- and the B. coli ls found among the ther than' this and investigate not bacteria. . The '"orence thus shown only the character of the water at in this wi present being supplied but the'possi- together a ble methods of remedying the con- filtej; bed dItion8 and furnishing a pure and provided by' wholesome supply in the event that pany in the! the water being furnished b water. ' Such elusion to whicb wc. must yield ls and precipitated and in addition be Vn ' V A IT 1. 1 II.. . V . I 1 1 1 . A I 4 t. . . M .1, . iuo maimura BupiJii-j.i ior tae I lniercepieu anu uiaiueu uuu ui uic i . . , t city must be the mirlfiei? .v.irera of I water in it naasaira throuirh the sand as carrled out to perfect either Pasquotank river or Knobbs bed of the filter. Either of these C W. Duke, of . the First Baptist creek. ' waters, however, present some difn-i church, was the celibrant and nr. At the time of my visit there it culties for mechanical filtration by formed the ceremony with' irreat was pointed out to that under cer- -reason of the waters being very Boft im.,reHaivene8s tain conditions of wind, a strong wind ad of very W alkalinity not being Wfc- e q n tide is formed, which backs the sufficiently alkaline to absorb the - 1 .. wu ue . uniuog water of the river up Knobbs creeks or alum or other coagulant tnem a man ' and Wlfe had bee" and causes a revere r.irrent in tho that would be required to clarify the pronounced, the party marched out. . creek to a point at east to the water waters. This, conditon, however, to the strains of the wedding march , can he remedied Dy tne addition or played by Mrs. Meekins. 1 hey . I, I, T ti Z I were at once driven to thtt Norfolk the alkalinity, and the water must , . , , be subjected to both lime and alum or "ASonth;jriepothereamidrt- iron treatment. The plant that would ??oweJ ' T'ce, they , boarded, the - be required to render eltheF of these north bound train - for-I3aIUuior'e," " waters pure and wholesome and suit- Washington and other points of Tn, able for domestic consumption, aa t.prpsf, in a nan A thoi hAr,n calledfor by .consideration of the The wiu .nd 80metime at tLfl healthf ulness of your community and v under the terms of your contract with 0me of,l,he Kroom a A pamatox,- the Elizabeth City Water Co., must Va and from there will go to Nor- be of the modern and most perfect I folk, where they will reside at 110 type of mechanical filtration with a Mariner street, snitable coagulating basin for prelim inary coagulation, and have a capac- er, cannot be al o the use of the ? recently "been r Works Con i Fecure clear mnot ' be ex- i works Intake and perhaps for .some distance beyond, carrying with it the natural pollution due to tha emptying of thejdtsjewejaJntothe rl vernm the margin of the city and,, natural washings Irom the i cry-1 muBt con fess that this suggestion did not ap peal to me as being very reasonable, at least that any material pollution couM obtain at the water works In take from such a cause seemed im probable, but the results of the anal ysis compel me to modify this view and acknowledge a strong indication that i such pQllution, may come from this cause. ' As stated above, it would appear that the water from the two sources should be nearly the same, unless there is some immediate con tamination -in the one that is not in the other, and from the higher bac teria count in'the creek water than in the river water and the character of the bacteria and the higher chlor ine content and increased organic matter, all of which must be taken as evidence of possible' sewage contami nation, shows this water to be expos ed to some immediate pollution, and the most probable cause of this pollu tion would appear to be due to -the backing no of the waters of Knobbs creek and the reverse (irrent being formed. - It is very difficult, however, to conceive of any pollution sufficient to account for the chlorine found in the water, and it is my opinion that this is due to brackish water backing up the 'creek. ' . ",' Whether the river or the creek water is to be used, they must be purified before the; ecome a nil ra a tA nrhftlooAmt ply, and the natural which one of these ' the best results as ) As indicate above f ysis the ws ' ally more creek eve' above th the com i able sup- I becomes .will give d supply. . the anal-isnatur-from the le or so ake, and nake be- The happy pair were the recip ients of manv nnal.lo nrwl naoful ity to give sufficient period of coagula- tion before the water reaches the HI- P"86 n ? ' CODgratnlatlD'' ter and must be provided with proper r"u w?'"w,8ue8 01 lDeir Dost9 of appliance for treating the water with friends both lime .lor alum or iron, though more lime will be required in the Continued on 4th page. . Married Amidst Floral Splendor Miss Cornie White Became Mrs. John Abbitt Today at 2:30. Appointed Chief Operator. ' , MlSH Matt in HnV.arn ham Lu .. - v u . . u a.wo WCU ftU- pointed chief operator Tij. the 10 , phone exchange in this citv an1 aiready'resumed the attendant du knowleged the tborougb compel lailnn . .HainnJ I. n t. 1 ' . - . ""' u- ujr uer long service in swiftly and accurately "connect ing" any two 'phones in the city. The ether operators are Misses. Emma Carter and Georgia Pratt and Mr. William Hyatt, Jr. One of (he most beautiful and elaborate marriage ceremonies ever SALE OF FURNITUR6 ' ( Notice has -been served that on witnessed in this oity was celebratr Saturday, July 29, there will be sold ed this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at I a11 the remaining stock, pictures, etc, the First Baptist church, wj,eD of erm ' Sammons A Overton,, Miss Cornie Wbite,a one of Betsy's. ZZZ Lu . L - 7 " ' . ,J horses, vehicles, etc. The sale will most graceful and accomplished be held at 11 o'clock a. m th . daughters, became the happy bride corner-of Road and Fearing street". of Mr. John Luther Abbitt, a well- At 4 o'clock the same day'nlf Ttie" " ' known'yonng business maa of Nor- other remaining stock, pictures, etc,, folk, with a most promising future. eTery crtpUontlnclui:ng the To make the appearance of the ZT. ..in.e rrra. or chnrch corresponi fittingly with thej tht same Vnr. -
Daily Economist (Elizabeth City, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 26, 1905, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75