New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-07

director Of the Passe HyGienc institute OF Boston;
Dr. W. Barrnger and Vernon Davey, Cf Eason;
Mortimer Sampson. of Jersey City; T. Jackson II
Eeeville; J. c. Smock of Trenton: Or. Lewis VOL
man, OF Philadelphia, and Or. 7. l.. Reed, Of A.
lan.ic city
Carol p. Bassett of Summit. read a paper On
Governmental Methods of Preventing The Polu-
ton CT Streams" He said, in part:
The same man who rails against ''paternasm,,'
when his personal liberty is subjected to cOntrJi VIII
meek.y submit his physical ills to his physician, his
business complications ID his lawyer and even his
spiritual obquities to his priest: He is illogical but
finds CONSPICUOUS sympathy The prevention OF
stream pollution involves conditions requiring pa
are guarded with al the Ingenuity Of the legal fra
ternty but properties in any sense common receive
country-our common MISUNDERSTANDING beautiful
and beneiicent-are pollutei with the waste OF a
population absorbed in commercial enterprise, ana
their watersheds are wantonly stripped OF WOODS
that have adorned them and made more equab.e
1t may well be recognized at the outset thai
prejudice ana opposition WI be encountered ID a.
ton, but for the purpose OF this paper it may be
preventing the pollution and the discussion may
properly confined to consideration Of the methods
available 10 secure such oonserl aton.
The community located the banks Of stream
has little interest in the condition IN which il leaves
character in which it comes to its doors and in
seeing that it performs every possble labor before
sriHi with water that Is past mia
Ii sewage is to be disposed of. municipality. If
burden Of its removal Obvious to the interest Of
other peoples mean tile-wat-r This may "A
selfish picture. but communities are eminenty
selfish No community be expected preserve
voluntarily the purity OF a passing stream, and at
expense itself for the benefit of others. As
cannot therefore. depend upon each community
to voluntarily assist in the preservation of the
purity of streams, there has arisen the necessity.
party recognized, for the control Of the question
by UMPIRE JUDGED and ind epenlent authority
II Is difficult to reach this scattered evil but I'M
der control of competent board the various
streams In the State may be classified tidal
streams. streams subject to navigation. streams
used for water supply, distant water supply feed
ers. neighborng water supply feeders, and general
Suppose a stream is abandoned as q water sup
ply shoud i; therefore be subject to unbrlded
poll iton? Are to permit the slow creation of "A
huge nuisance Ike the Thames below London. where
exist conditions OF revolving enOrmity? The lower
Passac presents favorable opportunity for such
calamity.
The best work accomplished thus far In this coun-
try on q large scale toward conserving streams has
been done I'm Massachusetts, under an act passed in
1855. The very valuable work done under the provi-
sons Of this act Is the best Justification Massachu-
easily leads the States to-day in the results
cured under T.. believe that no better model f0-
a law I'm this State can he found than this Massd-
chIsetts law 1t is brief. clear and explicit.
Whether the State Board uf Health. COM
peent board be clothed with the power OF This
law Is matter OF incidental moment, but crying
need exists in the State for the services such a
law contempates.