Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 202, 27 May 1891 — THOSE FILTER REDS. [ARTICLE]

THOSE FILTER REDS.

For many years past the necessity of filt'ering our water haa been a question of the utmost i®lp(>rtanee. It has presented itself before us after every heavy shower of rain when our water taps give forth a fluid resembling tliin pea-soupl . As a sanitary question % the filtering of our water from the grosser impurities of animal and vegetable life will materially lower our infant mortality—at all times too high.

Former governments recognized the need of a fi!ter systeen, and Minister Thurston <jaused iuformation t© be obtained on the question and a suni to be placed on the esti» mates, .whieh was voted and is available. There is on view in the window of the Hawaiian News Co., on Merchant Street 5 a photograph of the filter plant erected for the city of Oakland, Cal. Those of our readers who are familiar with Oakland, know that before the filter system operated, the water supply of the city was true to its swampy origin insipid and permeated with vegetablespores and generally bad; whereas, since the filter system has been in operation the conditions are reversed.

Mr, Caldwcll, the eminent engineer of the Hyatt Company,—who are tho so!e inventors &nd patentees of the new filter system-visited Honeiulu in February iast, as the result of a prouiisc that bids would be called for immediately in referenee to onr tilter system. He left the bid of the Hyatt Companv rcady sealed. In this eonneeiion* it may be said that the Hvatt system of reservoir filtering is reoognised as superior and eeonomieal, and being patented, bids are—as far as the Hyatt Bystem is ooooerned—beyond the reach of competitors- * There is such a fund ofinformation at hand on the subject> collected by the former Superintendent of Water Works t thatthere need beno delay in arriving at a decision; and not a day should be loat in going on with the urgeut busin«BB or trying to kfep tho animaleulo and vegetatjon of our water supply in it# proper plaee and of carrying oJt the decision of the LcgiBlaturv. I