filters, two being a New York type of filter, manufactured by the New York Filter Manufacturing Company, and two are Pittsburgh filters.

These filters are wooden tanks 15 feet in diameter by about 10 feet in total depth. The strainer system of each of the New York filters consists of 116 copper strainers 6 inchs in diameter filled with about 84 pounds of B. B. B. shot, while the Pittsburgh filters each have 670 strainers of the slotted type. The strainer system is so arranged that the filters may be washed in sections. Two of the filters have been provided with mechanically operated rakes to assist the water wash. When the river is in good condition washing is done about three times a week, but when the river is very muddy it is frequently necessary to wash four times a day. It takes about fifteen minutes to wash each filter. It has been found that it is not necessary to filter to waste.

Pump in filter house from which water is conducted to clear water well.

From the filters the water passes to a small sump, as shown in illustration No. 15, from which a large pipe conducts the water to a clear water well. A second pipe, which is shown in the center of the illustration, connects directly with the river, so that the excess of water filtered over that drawn from the clear water well is wasted. The clear water basin consists of a covered wooden tank, 24 feet in diameter by 91⁄2 feet deep, and has a capacity of approximately 32,000 gallons. From this point the water is pumped to the town and storage reservoir by a Smith-Vale triplex 12 by 12 inch pump running about 40 revolutions per minute. The pump is operated about 18 hours per day. It is driven by 100 H. P. Allis Chalmers electric motor. In addition to the triplex pump there are two Snow duplex double acting steam pumps, size 18 by 10 by 12 inches.

The reservoir is located on a hill somewhat to the north of the main portion of the town, and has a capacity of 1,500,000 gallons. It is lined with brick laid in cement, and is 13 feet deep in the center. There are

two lines from the pump house to the reservoir, one 8 inches and the other 6 inches in diameter; there are also two lines directly from the pump house to the town.

Character of the Water Supply. It will be noted that the total area of the filters is approximately 188 square feet. As on the average 1,500,000 gallons of water are filtered through this area daily, it will be seen that the filters are being operated at a rate of approximately 350,000,000 gallons per acre per day, which is 280 per cent of the rate at which a mechanical filter should be operated. It will further be observed that no hypochlorite of lime or other disinfectant is used, either in the raw or clear water. Owing to the acid character of the Monongahela river the bacterial content of the raw water is fortunately low or otherwise, it would be extremely doubtful whether the filters could produce results at all satisfactory. The alum will not form a satisfactory flock unless the water is sufficiently alkaline. In order to produce this alkalinity soda ash in quantities varying from an average of 120 pounds daily to as high as 240 pounds, are added to the raw water at the centrifugal pumps. In order to determine the amount of soda ash necessary, the engineer in charge must frequently make determinations of alkalinity. Owing to the fact that these determinations depend on a color change, it is extremely difficult under lamp light to determine when this-change takes place. Unfortunately sudden changes from alkalinity to acidity usually occur in the night and are not always observed in time. Thus there are times when not enough soda ash is added to take care of the dose of alum. At these times an insufficient flock may be formed, with the result that the bacterial efficiency of the filters may be greatly lowered. The results of the analyses made by the State Hygienic Laboratory would tend to confirm the above suspicion as, while the bacterial content of the filtered water is usually low, sudden jumps appear now and then. To guard against such an occurrence I would strongly recommend that chlorination be adopted. I would further recommend that liquid chlorine be used, as it is cheaper, more cleanly, easier of operation and requires less space. The dose of chlorine gas could best be introduced into the small sump between the filter and the clear water well. apparatus could be located either on the brick wall at the right, as shown in illustration No. 15 or it could be suspended from the side of one of the filters.

The

I would further recommend that at the earliest opportunity the water company increase the number of their filter units in order that the plant may not be operated at a greater rate than 125,000,000 gallons per acre per day.

Note: The recommendation that a chlorinating plant be installed has been adopted, and a plant has already been ordered.

SABRATON-MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Sewerage.

On August 3rd a letter was received from Judge Sturgiss, of the Monongalia County Court, requesting that an engineer be sent to Sabraton

to examine conditions there and report on the needs of a sewerage system.

The American Sheet & Tin Plate Co. have a large mill at that point, and have done everything in their power to improve the condition of the property owned by them. Sabraton, which is a small unincorporated town that has grown up about the mill, is out of their jurisdiction, and they have several times appealed to the County Board of Health and the County Court to have the grossly insanitary conditions that exist in this village improved. The situation is clearly shown by the following extract from a letter written by the sanitary engineer of the American Sheet & Tin Plate Co.

The settlement adjoins the property of the Sabraton works of this company, and that portion immediately confronting the property consists of a population of 530 people, and of 46 dwellings. A census taken in the early part of 1914 shows the community to consist of 271 members of families, representing 71 family groups, and of 259 boarders or unattached individuals. Of the total number of 530, 346 are male adults, 87 female adults, and 97 children under 12 years of age. Nearly all the adult males are employes of this company.

The plan of lots of South Sabraton was put on file in the records of Monongalia county on December 12th, 1905, at which time the streets, avenues and alleys, except Listrava avenue, which is a county road, and except Sturgiss avenue, were dedicated to the public. On or about June, 1905, a street car line was laid on Sturgiss avenue, an embankment being constructed upon the avenue for this purpose. Subsequently drainage channels were constructed along this embankment for the removal of storm water. No sewerage system was laid out in connection with this settlement, nor any established system for the disposal of garbage.

Privies of the crudest type are the most common form of toilet facilities; some of them are even without pits, being constructed over open drains. The sewage from the barns, stores, dwellings and privies within the settlement is discharged into open drains traversing the lots and paralleling the street car line and passing thereunder into open drains discharging upon the property of this company. The effluent of these open drains is highly offensive and dangerous to health. The nuisance thus existing upon the Works property is further increased by the fact that the drains upon the settlement and upon Sturgiss avenue are also used as surface water channels, and in wet weather cause a portion of the property of this company to be flooded with sewage and to remain so for considerable periods.

A portion of Listrava avenue, which is a county road, was recently paved and road-drains provided in connection therewith, but the latter was so constructed as to discharge upon private property. The storm water from these drains and from the hillside adjoining Listrava avenue washes the garbage from the yards and the contents of privies, pigsties, stables and other insanitary substances

into the open channels paralleling and adjoining the street car track embankment, which material is in turn discharged upon property of this company.

The insanitary features within and around the houses and stores of the settlement and the overcrowded conditions therein would render it practically impossible to prevent the spread of disease from the settlement to the employes of the Sabraton works, and the existence of illegal traffic in alcoholic drinks and of disorderly conditions resulting therefrom constitute a menace to the safety and well-being of our workmen at this plant.

This company has gone to great expense to make and maintain safe, healthy and pleasant working conditions within the limits of its property; it has at its own expense distributed garbage cans to residents of the settlement and provided for periodic removal of the refuse to the best of its ability; it maintained at its own expense a competent visiting nurse, who in addition to performing all of the duties of a graduate nurse among the residents of the settlement, gave instruction in matters of sanitation and hygiene, preparation of food, sewing, domestic science, and in other ways endeavored to improve the living conditions and surroundings of the dwellings within the settlement. The pay roll of Sabraton works is one of the largest of any manufacturer in Monongalia county, amounting in round numbers to $800,000.00 per year. The yearly amount of state, county, road and other taxes assessed upon the property entitle the company to some consideration at the hands of the authorities of Monongalia county and the city of Morgantown. Nevertheless, no .sanitary improvements have been made in the settlement within the past 10 years and in response to the many representations made by officials and representatives of the company within that period.

An official who visited the settlement last week was shocked at the general conditions prevailing therein, stating that they were much worse than at any other of the 30 plants operated by this company. He realizes as fully as we do that this company has done all, and more, than could reasonably be expected of us, considering that the settlement is outside of our jurisdiction; that no serious effort to cooperate with us has so far been made; and recommended that we should now endeavor to determine definitely what concerted action may be expected by us on the part of property owners, the County Court and the Board of Health to remedy existing conditions. He desired that a report be made to him by this department, as promptly as possible, as to the prospects of obtaining such action.

On August 5th, in company with Dr. McQueen, the county health officer, Mr. Davidson, sanitary engineer of the American Sheet & Tin Plate Co., Judge Sturgiss, and several members of the county court, I visited Sabraton and made an examination of the existing conditions. There can be no doubt that conditions in this town are extremely bad and that a sewerage system is needed. The question nevertheless re

mains in my mind as to whether the owners of the class of houses that exist at Sabraton would install flush closets if sewers were to be built. At present there is no law on our statute books that would permit the State Department of Health to order that connection be made with a sewerage system. We could probably show that the present insanitary privies constitute a public nuisance and have them abated, but if the owners preferred to put in sanitary privies instead of flush closets, I believe we would have no redress. However, if only a few connections were made at first, there is little doubt sanitary conditions would be materially bettered, and for that reason I would urge that the Monongalia County Court order the construction of an adequate sewerage system for the built-up portions of Sabraton.

Judge Sturgiss desired that a sewer should be built the entire length of Listrava avenue. This, I believe, would be an unwise expenditure at the present time. I would urge however, that a sewerage system be constructed to handle the more thickly built up portions of the town, and that the design of this sewer be such that at any time in the future the rest of the town may be connected.

The American Sheet & Tin Plate Co. has laid a large sized sewer from a small ravine through their property to Decker's creek. At the upper end of the sewer, which is at Sturgiss avenue, there is a sudden drop of approximately 8 feet, which would make it easily possible to connect all that portion of Sabraton that is now urgently in need of sewers to Decker's creek through this drain. The western end of Sabraton may have to be separately sewered to Decker's creek by a sewer laid along Sturgiss avenue and Aljadid street. This last named sewer, however, I do not believe is needed at the present time.

BERKELEY SPRINGS-MORGAN COUNTY.

Water Supply.

On December 3, 1915, I visited Berkeley Springs, and made an investigation of the water supply.

General. Berkeley Springs, the county seat of Morgan county, has an all the year round population of 1500 inhabitants, though the United States census of 1910 gives the population as but 834. During the summer, on account of the numerous visitors who come to enjoy the springs for which the town is famous, the population frequently increases to 3000, and is sometimes greater. Berkeley Springs is located, as shown on the accompanying map, in a narrow valley 800 feet above sea level. The rapid increase in population is due, in part, to the large silica sand mines or quarries which are being opened up all along the eastern slope of Warm Spring Mountain. Aside from the above industry, a number of peach orchards have been opened up in the vicinity. The valley has been extensively developed for agricultural purposes, and its products now support two large canning factories.

Source of Water Supply. A water supply was introduced into Berkeley Springs about 1895. The supply for the town is derived from one