556 



Popular Science MoniliJij 



Sampling the Drinks for an Entire 

 Large City 



Cincinnati's water is tested three times a 

 day. If it is not pure this man makes it so 



IN llic employ of the good city of Cin- 

 cinnati is a (loiij;;ht\' kniyht of the sack 

 who attcntls to the sanii)liiiii of the water 

 which, after all, i'ornis llu- basic <!rink 

 of the city. 



The water to he taken internally by 

 Cincinnati is tested at least three limes 

 a day, in ortlinary times, and oftener in 

 seasons f)f high water and the like. 



Regulation tests are made for imih 

 alkalinity and turbidity. After llu- 

 analysis has been made there is dumped 

 into the water sufticient (|iiaiilit\' of 

 iron to form ferric-hydroxide (a ji'lU-likc 



substance), which settles out whatever 

 there may be of impurity remaining. 



That is to say, the water taken from 

 the Ohio River by Cincinnati is first led 

 into settling-basins, where sixty to 

 sixty-five per cent, of the mud is re- 

 moved by simple sedimentation. The 

 water is then run to the filtration plants, 

 where the sulphate of iron solution and 

 the lime-water are added. These chem- 

 icals react and yield the ferric-hydroxide, 

 which is insoluble in water. As a result, 

 the greater portion of all remaining im- 

 purity settles in the coagulating basins, 

 as they are called. By this process per- 

 haps thirty per cent of the original 

 amount of mud and the like is removed. 



The remaining five per cent to ten 

 per cent deposited is then filtered out 

 by the sand-filter and the water is then 

 ready to drink. 



What Is the Leaning Tower of Pisa 

 Compared with This? 



A CHURCH in a litde Connecticut 

 town has become a famous land- 

 mark in the state as a result of a severe 

 storm. A few years ago the spire was 

 blown off and in falling made a half 

 turn and dived through the roof, driving 

 its point through the shingles. There it 

 has remained ever since, and as the 

 photograph shows, it presents a decided- 

 ly "misplaced" appearance. 



Tlie spire was blo«ii off the steeple and 

 its sharp end pierced the roof and stuck 



