MIRR¢ No. 36 STRATFORD, ONT., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1928 Vol. 5 Claims Sample of Water Submitted Not Fair Test To the Editor of The Mirror: For the past 12 years Stratford has had an enviable record for pure water supply at low rates. The samples sent for inspection were taken one from Douro street, a dead end, the other from a City Hall tap, which is understood to be used very seldom, consequently could be considered a dead end, in fact in 1917-18 the water from this tap was found to be the worst in the city and took months longer to clean up than any other place where samples were taken from and eventually the water was allowed to run for some hours before it finally tested pure. 'There can be no reasonable doubt that had sameples been submitted from ordinary house taps the supply would have tested pure, as has been the case almost without exception for 12 years. That there should be a large amount of colin bacilli found in such samples as were submited is not a fair test of our ordinary supply. That in Strat- ford's water supply typhoid bacteria has been found is far from the truth and it would have been better to have submitted further samples from other sources before calling public attention to an unsatisfactory test taken from such sources. It must be understood that water may test out 100 per cent. pure in 95 per cent .of the homes of this city and yet in the other 5 per cent. due to little use there might be a larger quantity of colon bacilli than is found in pure water and yet have no trace of typhoid bateria. Where water tests out as the sam- ples sent it is considered unsatisfac- tory and points to pollution of the sup- ply. Before advertising that Strat- ford water contained typhoid bacteria, steps should have been taken to learn the cause and tests made at the source as well as at different points of the city. At this time of the year there is lit- tle chance of contamination and there need be little alarm until further tests from other taps show the supply unsatisfactory. Such alarming ad- vertising is not in the best interests of our good city. JAMES J. MASON. PHONE Fos JONES, : PEAL ESTATE: INSURANCE A rather alarming incident this week was the disclosure that a test of the city water indicated that the water was not pure. This is the first bad test that has been reported on the city's water supply for some years and unless it was simply an accident with no serious consequences the situ- ation calls for immediate action. The mains have all been flushed out and a checkup made at the waterworks. A new supply of water has been sent away for a test and the result of it will be awaited with considerable anx- iety. The fact that there are two cases of typhoid fever in the city lends color to the idea that something may be wrong. On the other hand since only two cases. developed there could not haye been any very serious infection of the water supply so that there is no need to be particularly alarmed over. It would be safer per- haps to boil the water until the official O. K. is given but the need of that seems doubtful. * bd * A definite start has been made on the organization necessary to the stag- ing of the scenes for the film of Strat- ford which is to be made during this year by the Ontario government mo- tion picture bureau. This is an inter- Pertinent Patter BY THE PHILISTINE esting event, not only because of its unusualness here but because it is a matter of business for the city. A picture such as the one which is pro- posed to make is about the best ad- vertising a city can have and for that reason if for no other the citi- zens ought to be keenly interested in the project. A good organization has been formed to handle the work of arranging the sections of the film. It is hoped to get some winter scenes right away so that the film can be finished during the summer, rather than carrying it over until next win- ter. ak * * Considerable interest has been aroused by the Board of Education's new salary list. In fact H. Wiggles- worth, former chairman. is inclined to think apparently that the board is misleading the public somewhat in the matter. According to the state- ments made the meeting the increase will amount to about $3,000 with 30 teachers affected. According to Mr. Wigglesworth the increase will be $5,- 000 or better and will be merited by about 50 teachers. These are rath- er serious discrepancies and will have to be reconciled. In any event the question of salary increases just now PEQUEGNAT'S Opp. Post Office Campaigning For New School in Falstaff Ward The ratepayers in Falstaff Ward are out campaigning either for a new school or to have the present one re- modelled. Since it has been doing business in the. same stand for over half a century there seems to be some reason in what the ratepayers have to : say. The sanitation is bad, the heat- ing and ventilating of the poorest and the schoo] too small anyway to give real service. The cost of building a new school would not be so terrific and if the ratpeayers there are willing to pay for it and have been and are pay- ing for new schools in other wards it would seem that they ought to be given a fair hearing. is a debatable point. Everyone is in favor of fair salaries but whether this is just the time to increase salaries or not is a question and one that we would be inclined to answer in the negative because of the fact that there will not be any worthwhile decrease in city obligations for several years and no increase in the way of in- creased population and business con- cerns. The same argument applies to other salaries of city employees but apart from that there is one thing sure and that is if al] these increases are going to be granted the tax rate will have to go up. an * * The Agricultural Society is making preparations already for the Fall Fair and plans are taking shape indicat- ing considerable in the way of im- provement in this year's show. A good midway has already been se- cured and the various committees struck to work out the prize list and other attractions. It would be a good thing if the society would call in some one who understands such things and have the grounds here laid out on a definite plan and then make an effort to have some sort of a building program launched and car- ried out. W. B. ROTHWELL TEACHER OF VOCAL' -- PIANO re STUDIO Fr 42 WATERLOO STREET? MATT AR cra ce nia OPP: YiW.C. As i = PHONE 1858J i i Fp. 7