The Water Supply of Albany. 



171 



supplied with pure water, were comparatively exempt from 

 the scourge. 



Mr. Chairman : The limited time allotted to this paper 

 will not permit further examples of the evil effects pro- 

 duced by au improper water supply, excepting as it is con- 

 nected with a branch of the subject in which we are now 

 interested. 



The history of all large cities which are the centres of 

 commerce and trade are identical in many particulars. 

 Their gradual growth from the plain and insignificant ham- 

 let with narrow and contracted thoroughfares, into densely 

 populated'districts, have of necessity carried with the same 

 certain improvements, promineut among which has been 

 the introduction of pure water from points, sufficiently re- 

 moved from the natural sources of contamination. 



Rome in her palmy days constructed immense aqueducts. 

 The first of which, Appia Claudia, was built B.C. 331 

 years, conveying the water from a point eleven miles dis- 

 tant. Subsequently other aqueducts were constructed con- 

 veying water fifty seven miles to the imperial city. 



Rome had nine aqueducts, whose aggregate length was 

 255 miles, affording a daily supply of 377,000,000 gallons. 

 Three of these supplied modern Rome, viz : Aqua Vir- 

 ginia, constructed 22 years B. C: Aqua Felice, 14G years 

 B. C. and Aqua Paoli, A. D. 14. 



Ancient Rome has furnished us with many lessons in 

 sanitary science : but Rome of the preseut day, through 

 successive political changes, the ravages of war, and neg- 

 lected sanitary requirements 11 lies beneath a pestilential 

 pall, and death is borne on every breeze which is wafted 

 over the once proud capital of the Cresars." 



In stating that the history of all large cities are identi- 

 cal, it is particularly so with reference to the sanitary re- 

 quirements embracing a proper water supply. Gradually 

 but surely, as the limits of a city become extended, the well, 



