Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-30
A RIVER POISONED.
Two Tons of Crude Arsenic Dumped
Into the Passaic-The People OF
Jersey City
Frightened out OF a Years Growth
The General Belief Is that No Harm
has been Done.

NEW YORK, September 29.-The statement
published Wednesday that a ton Of arsenic
had been washed by the recent flood from
the factory of the Crump Label Company,
at Mont Clair, n. j., into the tributary
stream of the Passaic river, caused good
dead of concern and anxiety among the peo-
pie Of Newark and Jersey City, who receive
their water supply from The Psssaic. The
Crump Label Company's factory is large
establishment, situated near the station Of
the New York and Greenwood Lake rail-
way at Mont Clair. In the manufacture Of
the labels a large amount OF poisonous
chemicals is used, including arsenic and
paris green. A Tribune reporter visited
the factory and saw the treasurer, Q, S.
Coleman, and the secretary, G. w. Averell.
They stated that while the amount of arsenic
reported to have been washed from the
factory was exaggerated, II was true that a
large proportion of their stock of chemicals
ma been lost and washed into Touey brook.
This is tortuous stream, with mean
depth OF about foot 10 ordinary seasons,
which runs directly by the factory, and after
an erratio course empties into Second river,
which, in turn, flows into the Passsic.
"At O'Clock on Saturday afternoon"
said Mr. Coleman, hthe brook had risen 30
high that we had to change the two gates
used to regulate the flow. The food in
creased and invaded the store-room on he first
floor, and despite our efforts the water COW
cred the floor, and in fact the whole build
ing, to the depth of several feet In the
store-room were considerable quantities of
chemicais, Including tho 4rs.nic and a large
stock of imported clay used on the labels,
some of which had been mixed with the
poisonous chemicals ready for use. The
clay was washed out, together with co8sid-
cradle amount of the arsenic and other chem
icals. Two or three barrels of varnish were
old I'd hu h. ol, If
the varnish Mingled with the water. The
food subeided in the next two hours, but rose
again at o'clock. In the coloring DOM
were several watts filled with coloriug matter,
Containing poisonous chemical ingredients
The wafer filled the room above the top of
the watts, and nearly all the color was foated
out when the food subsidized again"
Mr.. Coleman could not say definitely
how much arsenic had escaped, but it was
considerably less than ton He had no
idea Of the quantity OF the other poisonous
chemicals He calculated that the loss al
together by the flood way about $500.
"Rut," said he, "ibe stuff washed from our
place was not the only pollution of the
water BY the food. On Sunday / drove TO
Little Falls, and saw the surface of the
river covered with a thick green coloring
matter which had been washed from col
oring factory at that place. Paris green en-
ters largely in the manufacture OF the col
oring matter"
Samuel Crump, the head of the Crump
Label Company, was seen by Tribune re-
porter at his Office, 81 Murray sureei, this
city. He said: ." 10 fas,en the colors of our
labels arsenic and sugar of lead have to be
used in quantities, and these are mostly
stored in the cellar of the building. On
Saturday the flood overfowed the cellar
twice, sweeping out nearly all of it's con-
tents. Il was the most destructive freshet
that has been seen in that vicinity for many
years. Acids, sugar of lead and arsen. C
were swept into the creek and carried on to
the river.p
How much arsenic did you lose9"
"About ton. think we use about two
tons of arsenic and about twelve tons of
Sugar of lead year,
Twill not that quantity of arsenic impreg-
nate the water to such an extent that it will
be unsafe for Newark 20 draw her water sup
ply from the riverW
"Well, that is a question upon which |
hardly care to express an opinion. did my |
duty in reporting the matter. The Newark |
Water Board must decide whether there is |
any danger, and, If necessary, take steps to |
avert IT, but since the mouth of the creek is |
half mile below The point whence the city |
draws its water, and the Pafsalc flows stead |
lily south without any back tide, should |
think the arsenic would be carried off. Still /
it may liuger for months, I cannot say for 1
how long, sut ii any of it were drawn off in
the city pipes 1t would endspger life"
I'D you think anything might have been |
done 10 prevent this accident?"
Certainly not. The food was something |
that could not be expected and the proper |
place for our stores is the eellaFEsu Sam time
drainage, which was then carried of BY the
creek, was source of danger to the water
supply, and we were put TO an expense of
$1,000 in laying pipes to scaitsr our refuse
matter over half an acre of land OF course,
II the drainage reslly s.tected the water,
there Is danger that the arsenic will also
poison it. But the escape of the arsenic we
could not have provided against. Had
there been hundred factories on the creek,
and all using arsenic, the result would haye
been the salle, emily the damage would have
been increased huudredfod."
What is the extent of your loss?"
about $1,000 net think. Ga Sunday /
sstim atedii $4,000, but then included some
twenty-five or thirty tons of paper, which l
think now we shall be able to use, and l
nave had time TO make some closer figuring
One thousand dollars, ! think, will clear u.s."
Superintendent George r. Gray, of the
Newark Aqueduct Board, stated that the
chemicals that had been washed INTO Second
liver from Crump's factory could not affect
he water supply of Newark and Jersey City.
1e lett Ce1tdlu tual III was all mingled Win
be mud and debris carried away by the
witt tide, which was running at the rate of
ourteen miles an hour. 1t could not have
een carried back up the Psssaic river by a :
tide, as Second river empties in !;
be Passaic a mile aud half below the
at Belleville, where the water is =,
umped into the reservoirs. He did not be.
eve, however, that the arsenic could have
cen dissolved in time to affect the water :
A Newark physician expressed the opiu- :,
IN to-day that ton OF arsenic washed into 8
he Passaic and taken up in solution would 4
OF perceptibly affect the quality Of the !, !,
at'r, even il it passed up the river above 7
lie waterworks. Crude arsenic-such as is :
sed at the Crump factory-would be very =
ow in dissolyipg, and in such a sweeping .
de would sink to the bottom, or be carried =
1t 10 sea before it had time to dissolve. In =
der to allay public apprehension, DR.. =
~. hard, president of the Joint Board of In Il
ection ST the Pollution of the Passaic river :,
Id its tributaries, has directed the inspector Z
the Newark Board 10 procure samples of !,
e water from the Newark and Jersey City :,
and from Second river, and o.
ke them to Prof. Leeds, the chemist of the ;:
ard, for analysis. -