PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES. 45 



hawk junction. Albany, at least, has since introduced a filtration 

 plant." 



Not only can a river be infected by sewage from a city but it 

 may be infected by a single individual. The fecal discharges of a 

 person suffering from typhoid fever thrown upon the ground have 

 been known in well-authenticated cases to have been washed by rain 

 or melting snow into a stream which serves as a water-supply. The 

 outcome was a serious epidemic, with loss of life. 



Cities are being built up so near each other on these Kansas rivers 

 that it seems advisable to suggest and even to demand that no untreated 

 sewage be allowed to flow into these streams, and that no unfiltcred 

 water be allowed to enter the service-pipes of any water system. 



Special caution is needed in this section, for an abundance of water 

 can only be obtained from these rivers. Think of the list of larger 

 cities on the Neosho all taking their water-supply from this river and 

 emptying their sewage directly or indirectly into it — Emporia, Bur- 

 lington, lola, Humboldt, Chanute, Erie, Oswego. The same state- 

 ment may be made of the cities on the Verdigris, though a smaller 

 list on a smaller stream — Fredonia, Neodesha, Independence, Coffey- 

 ville. 



A chemical examination of the water of these three river systems 

 was carried on in the laboratory for water analysis of the University 

 of Kansas during 1903-04. The expenses of collection were defrayed 

 by the division of hydro-economics of the United States Geological 

 Survey. The work was under my direction, and I was ably assisted 

 by Mr. A. W. Sellards, K. S. U., in 1903, and by Mr. P. C. Jeans, 

 K. S. U., in 1904. Collections of water were made principally during 

 the college year at Ottawa, La Cygne, Emporia, Burlington, Chanute, 

 Oswego, Benedict, Independence, and Fredonia. Turbidity readings 

 have been made since July, 1904, at Ottawa, Emporia, Oswego, and 

 Fall River. Results are to be published in full. The most important 

 conclusion to be drawn is that these rivers, on account of the organic 

 matter and turbidity, do not furnish a water that can be used as a 

 household supply without treatment. Investigations should be un- 

 dertaken to find the best method of treatment for rendering it service- 

 able, whether by filtration or by settling-basins, with or without a 

 coagulant. Preliminary tests, when a treating plant is to be estab- 

 lished, are almost a necessity, and have been shown to be of great 

 value at Louisville and Cincinnati, where the Ohio river was tested. 



As a rule, a turbid river- water contains organic matter and bacteria, 

 but sometimes a turbid well-water may be practically germ free, 

 when the water of a deep well contains a large amount of ferrous 

 iron. Such water may be clear and bright when first drawn, but be- 

 come turbid on standing. Most people do not like to drink a turbid 



