190 
Frank Carney 
Water supply and urban density. Each year cities are becoming 
more concerned over problems of sanitation. Municipalities 
are not proud of invalids and paupers, even though these figure in 
census reports. A most important source of disease in cities is 
the drinking water; the chief duty of municipalities, therefore, 
is to supply its citizens with pure water. But in practice this 
duty is not usually recognized till some hygienic disaster arises 
or till a shamefully high death rate compels them to consider the 
question of a source of pure water or modern means of purifying 
the water. The source of the water is some assurance of its 
condition when it reaches the consumer, but it is no guarantee; 
filtering and constant vigilance in guarding against organic 
contamination are necessary. 
Sewage disposal and urban density. In most American cities 
there is opportunity for improvement in the matter of sewage 
disposal. The prevalent method appears to consider but one 
object, that is, to get the sewage out of sight as speedily as 
possible, regardless of the contamination of rivers and other water 
bodies from which drinking water is secured. Such methods 
contrast badly with the accomplishments of our civilization in 
engineering. Many years ago, a citizen^ of Cleveland read a 
paper before the Western Reserve Historical Society, in which he 
discussed with almost prophetic vision this question as related 
to his city. At that time the Cuyahoga valley proper and all 
its tributaries were used as outlets of sewers, and the river was 
left to remove the sewage. 
Urban transportation. Congested centers of population should 
have ample facilities for traveling quickly, conveniently, and 
cheaply about the city; with speed, because time is valuable; 
at a reasonable charge, because the laboring people who must go 
to their work should not be expected to contribute large divi- 
dends to transportation companies. Rapid urban transportation 
of the most modern type does not exist in any Ohio city. A few 
cities in this state are already so large in area that rapid-transit, 
preferably by subways, is imperative. 
* John H. Sargent, Western Reserve Historical Society, Tract 82, p. 295, 1891. 
