Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-08-30
Polluting Our Rivers,

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is SUFFERING
from Its neglect in not preventing th,
befoulment OF the Milwaukee river tina
runs through the city, and Judge Nal
10y who owes his prominence for hi,
nrmness In checking anarchist intrigue,
last May, called . grand jury last
week and charged 1t With the duty Of
investigating the condition of the river.
According to the Judges statement,
more than two hundred tons OF foul
matter are discharged contrary to law
Into the river named daily, and this has
accumulated at the bottom to the depth
OF four or Ave feet. 1t Is high time
that there shoald be general awaken
ing upon this So n set OF throwing re fuse
into rivers polluting the water and en-.
dAngering the public health. The
short-sighted policy OF draining . city
Into Its nearest river, even though 1t
ran through the heart of the city, has
prevailed to such an extent that 1t has
come home to them In o bountiful crop
OF malaEial diseases.
Milwaukee is only one OF q large
number Of cities similarly situated.
For the purpose Of procuring large
manufacturing facilities, cities are gen
orally built upon some river which af-
fords not only water for various pur-
poses conn scted with manu- featuring,
but sff)rds the power itself. Phese
rivers In tins as the towns grow larger
are m AIDE the sources of the water sup
ply for sanitary, drinking and cooking
purposes. When cities come to that
point when drainage is necessary, with
an amazing want Of forethought these
same rivers are made the receptacles OF
such drainage. In the great haste to
attract man u:acturing establishments
and add TO their population and wealth,
they did not take the future In TO consid.
GRAFTON suffi ciently, and sooner or later
they pay the penalty OF their short.
sightedneeA Providence, Rhode Island,
Is instAnced IS positive victim of this
short-stghted policy. II has woven al
beehive Of Industries around 1t like the i
web of spider, and they have contri. |
buted to its wealth and importance, but
they have also polluted it's only water
course and compelled 1t to seek q RENE
dy ut once or suffer in health and pros-
perity. Many cities OF eastern Massa-
chusetts are said to be In the same pre-.
d,oAment with Providence. Though the
condition OF Wilmington is posi- bly,
not so bad rs some OF these cities to
which We have alluded, 1t may become
30 In the near future. Two small /!
rivers run through our city. No at
tempt Is made to prevent the Christ An !
from becoming the common receptacle /
OF all the filth OF the city that can be |
drained into it. Dredging machines
have been employed from time to time
to lift this pollution from the bed of the
river and 1t has been dumped at the
side OF the creek where, under the &C.
lion OF the sun by day aud fogs at |
night 1t has at times to q certain extent |
poisoned the atmosphere and thereby
sowed the seeds OF disease. Orr trou-
BILE to keep the Brandywine water
from becoming polluted Is we'll known
and our failures to do 30 are equally as
well known. Rivers which might add |
much to the attractions, salubrity and |
health of the city, and at the same time
serve "a the source Of pure water sup
ply have been turned into offenses and
menaces to health by being defiled by
manufacturing refuse. Thus we are
gliding along, our manufacturing in
cress ng or likely to increase and the
pollution OF cur rivers increasing at
the same time. Our city may soon f nd
itself Ia the same predicament as Mil
waukee, and J adge as firm and in.
treptd as Judge Malloy may yet be re.
quired to sep in and make an effort to
prevent this Wholesale pollution OF our
local rivers.