New-York tribune., 1898-12-04
A WONDERFUL SEA OFBLOOD.
THIRTY or FORTY SQUARE MILES OF
RED WATER.
A STRANGE VISITATION THAT KILLED MYRIADs
OF FISH AND CRABS IN NARRAGANsETr
BAY-THE WORK OF MICROSCOPIC
ANIMAL LIFE.

Mahomet, finding that the mountain would
not come to him, went to the mountain. But
the city Of Providence, r. L, pursued differ
ent course few weeks ago toward the Red
Sea, and thereby carried it's point. Providence
stayed at home and the Red Sea came to
Providence. Whether the visit was a blessing,
however. can best be Judged after one has read
the following narrative which is no ordinary
fish story, but is derived from an account fur
nished to Science" by Brown University
professor, A. D. Mead.
That part Of Narragansett Bay which lies
north Of Prudence Island Is shaped very much
like a wedge. The base. to the southward, is
about four or five miles wide, and its length, up
to Providence is from ten to twelve miles. This
part.cuiar branch Of the main bay is sometimes
called Providence River. But whatever It's
name, the ain ansions remain unchanged. There
ore at least thirty square miles in this one area.
and if Greenwich Bay, off to the southeast and
portions of Secllonk River which runs into the
Bay at Providence, be counted. the extent OF
the water to which this story relates was not
a whit less than forty square miles.
In the latter part Of August and early in Sep
tornber this year it was noticed that the waters
of Providence and Seekonk rivers were thick
and red They emitted an offensive odor, which
at length became almost intoerabe. Some OBJ
servers described the color as chocolate.
The most remarkable phase of the situation
was not noticed until September 3, D and H.
Thousands Of dead fish, crabs and eels were
found in windrows along the beaches. Boat
men could see such marine creatures as blue
crabs menhadcn, tautog and natfsh come 10
the surface of the water and betray uneasiness.
as if they wished to escape from the element in
which they were immersed. Often they would
come TO the very shore in their efforts to avoid
the poxious influence to which they were sub
iected Indeed" says Professor Mead. the
shrimp and eels were actually observed to
climb out of the water, upon stakes and buoys,
and even upon the iron cylinders which support
the bridges and which must have been very
hot. In several instances on September ana
9 hundreds Of blue crabs were caught by q
N1gle individual in a few minutes time at the
mouth Of the Seekonk" And on the following
day hardly a live crab or shrimp could be found
anywhere within the region indicated
This remarkable event 50 suggestive Of the
plaques of Egypt and so Unprecedented along
the England coast was the subject OF
much popular speculation and also or oi'lciai
jnyestieation under the auspices OF the Rhode
Island Commission of Island Fisheries. Three
theories were advanced to explain the almost
complete determination Of fish and crabs for a
chemicals used in factories on the Seekonk and
Woonasquatucllet, escaping into the river, had
poisoned the fish. Another notion was that the
observed phenomena were the result of the abb
normally hot weather Of August and the first
part Of September
The fact that the water had tbickened and
become discolored in Greenwich LAY. which is
well sheltered from the impurities that come
down from Providence and Pawtucket. seemed
to dispose Of the first theory encctually. The
bot weather explanation was also insufficient
For not only did the worst fatality occur just
after the cold wave Of September Z and :. but
the waters about iistol on another branch Of
Narragansett Bay were equally warm. but were
not the scene Of any discoloration or Of the
deaths Of marine animals.
The third theory which was offered and
which seems to be more plausible than the
others. was based on the discovery that the
water derived its hue from the presence OF an
astonishing number Of minute living organisms.
These were ruddy or brown ard were so abund-
ant as TO render the sea opaque at depth of
only six inches. These creatures were found in
the Seekonk only when the tide carried them
up but they sWarmed in the bay at all times
for days Immediately after the wholesale eX-
termination Of life here mentioned, the organ
isns themselves grew scarcer, but they again
increased in abundance until September %,
when heavy rainstorm seemed TO purify the
water to a great extent. Even as late as the
middle Of October few Of them could bc de-
tected in the bay.
With regard to the curious form Of life which
appears to have been responsible for this sin
eular event Professor Mead says that he has