EDWAKD ELSWORTH. 245 



sary that certain predisposing conditions should exist in 

 the human subject. So far I have been speaking of the 

 river v^ater unfiltered ; but our City Fathers took into 

 consideration all the circumstances and possibilities, and 

 notwithstanding the comparative purity of the river 

 water, they provided for the future by the system of 

 filtration, to which I have alluded. 



This system consists of a series of sand-beds, through 

 which the water percolates into a clear water basin, 

 whence it is pumped into the upper reservoir for distribu- 

 tion. It is, in fact, a perfect simulation of the processes 

 of nature. 



The results vindicate the system. Daring the summer 

 and autumn of 1891, and continuing down to the present 

 year, a series of chemical and bacteriological test exami- 

 nations of the river water, both filtered and unfiltered, 

 have been made at frequent intervals, and under the 

 various conditions of tides, currents and temperature, 

 under the direction of Mr. Chas. E. Fowler, our efficient 

 superintendent, and while the difference is enormously 

 in favor of the filtered water, these examinations show 

 conclusively that at the present time our filtered water 

 compares favorably with the water supply of any other 

 city in the country, and is much superior to that of many 

 of our larger cities. 



Reference is made to the report of Prof. Drown, of the 

 Boston Institute of Technology, and to the special re- 

 port of Supt. Fowler, both of which are embodied in the 

 report of the Water Commissioners of the City of 

 Poughkeepsie to the Common Council, for the year 1892. 



The speaker explained at length the system of water 

 purification by means of the "Anderson Revolving 

 Purifier," which being used in connection with sand 

 filter beds, is susceptible of easy and economical applica- 

 tion to the filter system in Poughkeepsie. 



An arrangement has been entered into between the 



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