water taken just above where the reservoir is to be constructed gave the following results upon analysis:

It was proposed to construct this reservoir at the extreme northern end of the village but a few feet distant from the road. It was to be fed by a large spring which is the present source of supply for the Blue Mountain house by two brooks which come down the side of Blue mountain and unite just above the point where the dam is to be located, and by several springs which flow from the ground at about the same point. The surroundings of these springs are very unsatisfactory, as there are three dwellings, a blacksmith shop, barn and outhouses just north of them, and the grade is such that drainage from these buildings must pollute the water of the springs unless strenuous measures were to be taken to prevent such pollution by both surface and subsoil drainage. It was proposed to construct an open drain below the houses to prevent surface drainage into the reservoir, but at the best the surroundings would be very suspicious. At a meeting of the water commissioners held Monday, the 11th instant, which I attended, they determined to abandon the idea of constructing

a reservoir at this place on my recommendation, and to depend upon the spring which is the present source of supply for the Blue Mountain house to supply this part of the village, but to so connect the pipes that, in case this spring gives out during a dry season, the pipes will be kept full from the other sources of supply. I took a sample of the water of this spring, which is well up on the side of Blue mountain, above all buildings of any kind, and has a small reservoir of masonry about it. The sample was drawn from a faucet in the Blue Mountain house and gave the following results upon analysis:

In the event of a shortage of water from the above three sources of supply during a dry season, which, however, is not expected, the commissioners propose to pump water from Crystal lake, a small lake some distance from the village, over a hill back of the Hotel Utowanna in an uninhabited section. I took a sample of the water of this lake and on analysis the results were as follows:

At the request of members of the board of health I took a sample from Blue Mountain lake, far from the shore, and on analyses it gave the following results:

In the absence of explicit information, this water would be passed upon as being of good quality, but it is never so safe to use the water of a lake situated as this one is, into which there is certain to be more or less drainage, as it is to get a water from more favorably surrounded sources. It is certain, however, that no typhoid fever need be feared from the water of this lake so long as it is not used for drinking purposes.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

Yours very truly

THEODORE J. BRADLEY, PH. G.

BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN

Water supply

BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN, February 13, 1900

Secretary, State Board of Health:

Dear Sir-Under instructions herewith is transmitted a resolution passed at the annual meeting of this society concerning the source of water supply to the borough of Brooklyn, New York city.

Truly yours

D. MYERLE, M. D.
Secretary

Whereas, It has been stated in the public press that, owing to the present scarcity of water in the borough of Brooklyn, there is a possibility that the water from Baisley's and the Springfield ponds may be again supplied to consumers; and

Whereas, Careful examinations, extending over a period of 12 months, showed that the water of said ponds was totally unfit for human consumption by reason of the abundance of bacteria, some of the counts being as high as 35,000 per cubic centimeter, among which bacteria were bacilli coli communis, an organism having as its habitat the intestines of animals and men ̧ and therefore an index of the source of pollution and of the dangers connected therewith; and

Whereas, Said water contained an amount of nitrates, nitrites and albuminoid ammonia indicative of contamination; and

Whereas, The Brooklyn health department in its "Report on the water supply," on page 144, said: Baisley's and Springfield ponds are evidently polluted, but are not now in use. Their condition is such that at no time should they be readmitted to the supply;" and

Whereas, As the result of an inspection of the pond and environs at Springfield, made in September, 1896, and based on a knowledge of the chemical and biological conditions, a report was made to the State Board of Health which resulted in that body condemning this source of supply as unsafe; therefore be it Resolved, That the Medical society of the county of Kings hereby protests, in the interests of the public health, against the use of the water from Baisley's and Springfield ponds or either of them, and calls upon the department of health of the city of New York, and particularly upon its representative in the borough of Brooklyn, to prevent by all means in their power the readmission of the water from these ponds into the water supply of the city.

Resolved, That the committee on public health be requested to present in person a copy of these resolutions to the acting sanitary superintendent and to the authorities having in charge the water supply of the city, and the secretary of the society be instructed to send a copy to the State Board of Health.

THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF THE COUNTY OF KINGS
D. MYERLE, Scoretary

ALBANY, May 7, 1900

W. T. JENKINS, Health commissioner, Sixth avenue and Fifty fifth street, New York:

Dear Sir-In compliance with a resolution adopted at the last meeting of the Board, I enclose herewith for investigation and report by you at the next meeting a complaint made by the Medical society of Kings county concerning the alleged use of water from Baisley's and Springfield ponds as a part of the water supply of the borough of Brooklyn.

Very respectfully

BAXTER T. SMELZER

17

Secretary