474 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 429. 



ITHACA, N. Y., WATER-SUPPLIES. 



A ' Committee of Ten ' appointed by tlie 

 Business Men's Association of Ithaca and 

 other prominent citizens has been engaged, 

 since the epidemic of typhoid appeared in that 

 city and in anticipation of the taking over of 

 the water-works system by the municipality, 

 in exploring for artesian supplies. There are 

 many flowing wells in the district eastward of 

 Ithaca, especially at Freeville, some ten miles 

 away, and on the upper levels of that section, 

 near the city. In the city of Ithaca are two 

 such wells, the one, which has been flowing 

 for a number of years and, as stated by the 

 proprietor, with increasing volume, was found 

 when measured by the committee to deliver 

 403,000 gallons per day. The other is sup- 

 plying the Ithaca Salt Works with water at 

 the rate of between 600,000 and 700,000 

 gallons. The committee has bored one new, 

 a flowing well, and is now engaged in boring 

 others to depths of from about two hundred to 

 three hundred feet, reaching strata of water- 

 bearing gravels overlaid with heavy beds of 

 clay and with water under pressures of consid- 

 erable magnitude. The members of the com- 

 mittee state that there is no question that 

 an absolutely pure, germ-free water may be 

 obtained in ample amount to supply the city 

 and with a large surplus. 



The analysis of the water, as given by 

 Chamot, is as follows : 



Parts per million 



Free ammonia 0.480 



Albuminoid ammonia 0.005 



Nitrogen as nitrites none 



Nitrogen as nitrates trace 



Oxygen consumed 0.644 



Chlorine as chlorides 61.640 



Total solid residue 304.000 



Loss of solids on ignition 78.000 



" The different portions taken gave from 

 to 13 colonies of bacteria per cubic centimeter. 

 No objectionable species were detected. 



" From the chemical analysis it is be con- 

 cluded that the water is free from any present 

 contamination and is therefore a good, safe 

 drinking water; while from the bacteriological 

 standpoint it would be considered a well of ex- 

 ceptional purity." 



The committee includes Professor R. S. 

 Tarr, professor of geology, Cornell University, 

 who has long been familiar as a specialist with 

 the geology of the region, Mr. Edgar Kay, of 

 the College of Civil Engineering, an expert 

 in hydraulic and water-works engineering, Mr. 

 M. E. Calkins, president of the Cayuga Lake 

 Cement Co. and the Ithaca Salt Works, a 

 business man of extensive experience in the 

 exploration of the salt beds of the state and 

 an expert in matters relating to deep wells and 

 the location of water-bearing deposits, Mr. E. 

 H. Thurston, director of Sibley College, is 

 consulting member relative to machinery, Mr. 

 F. M. Eites, formerly of the Westinghouse 

 Company, an experienced mechanic, inventor 

 and designer, and several business men more 

 or less familiar with the conditions determin- 

 ing the location of deep wells at Ithaca and 

 its neighborhood. Two are members of the 

 City Council. The chairman of 'the commit- 

 tee is Judge Almy, now Surrogate, and the 

 treasurer is Mr. C. D. Bouton, ex-mayor of 

 Ithaca. 



It is the plan of the committee to ascertain 

 precisely what are the possibilities and the 

 practicable ways of securing for the city of 

 Ithaca such water as is above referred to. 

 The people of Ithaca are practically unani- 

 mous in their determination to secure such a 

 supply if possible. The indications thus far 

 are thought to be that a gravity supply may be 

 had from the high lands east of Ithaca or 

 that now well-known and probably unlimited 

 artesian supplies beneath the city itself may 

 be availed of by pumping. Very possibly the 

 latter may be taken as a temporary resource 

 while exploiting the Freeville district for a 

 permanent gravity system. Meantime, flltra- 

 tion will serve, if delay occurs, until pure, 

 clear, soft and germ-free artesian water is 

 thus obtained. 



Throughout the late epidemic, an ample 

 supply of this water has been had and freely 

 used, with other fine spring waters. The Uni- 

 versity has supplied this water on the campus 

 and, where called for, to students. 



E. H. Thurston. 

 March 12, 1903. 



