Our Water Analyzed

The present controversy that the ciiy is notv having with the water coinpauy has been attracting considerable attentiou of late. While a great deal of cotnplaint has been heard about the water furnished by the compauy, a goodly number of the city people have beeu accustomed to.'go down to the spring at the north end of State street for water,thinking that here they were getting a good, wholesome drink. Having heard that an analysis had been made by soine of our professors, and ;that the rather surprising result nad been reached that this popular spring water was worse thau the water works water, a reporter called upon one of the professors who had made the analysis to ascertaiu the truth of the report. The gentleman willing furnished us a copy of the analysis, and also one which had been made of the city water. The folio sving is the result of the analysis of the spring water, made July Sist last: .330. frrms. ohlonne per millicn. .024 gnus, tree ammonla per million . jUiti grills, iilbuminoil amnioniii per mil. 2500. ffrma.nltrlo anhydride per mlüion. ]So uitrite3. The result of the city water analysis, made the day previous, July 3üth, is as follows: 3.3 gruis, ohlorlue per million. .u:2 g-rms. free ammonia per million. ,K2 irms. albumlnoid ammonia per million. JS'o nitrites. In order that we might appreciate the analysis, the professor called our attention to the f ollowing from Dr. Cheeyer: " Water which contaius .t)ó parts of albuiaiuoid ammouia per million, with cousiderable free ammonia, is to be regarded with suspicion. Water which contains ,15 parts oC albuminoid ammonia per million, even without free ammonia, should be condemned." By comparison of the tables it is seen that both the city and spring water, according to Dr. Cheever, are far from being what is desired, but that the comparison is favorable to the city water. The large amount of nitric anhydride found in the spring water showeri plainly that the water was terribly contaniinated by contact with sewerage. The time that the analysis was made was wlien the city water had an unusuallv " üshy " taste, and wlien our water company was accused of f urijishing river water. The professor said the springs hereabouts were quite variable, and, while he judged this analysis to be a fair sample of what the spring water is, yet it would be worse at oue time than at another. While it is to be hoped that our city water may be improved, this kuowledge which we have acquired may enable us to make use of the old sayiug, " of two evils, clioose the less."