The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-01
RIVER POLLUTION.

RIVER POLLUTION.
Councilman Cooke from the committee
appointed on June Z, last--nearly four
months ago-to examine into the source
or sources of pollution OF the Moshas-
suck river presented a report. Though APP
pointed in the first week OF the month of
June. that month slipped by, so did July
and so did August without even making
move, when the odors would bc most
noxious and the pollution most menaclng
TO health.
the month OF September would have
slipped by and only one meeting be in
prospect for report, October %, a week
previous TO election. To divert attention
from transfer ticket system. the re-
port having been on the common COM
ell table since July 1. nearly n month af-
ter this special committee was appoints
ed, comes the alleged pollution of the
Moshasuck river and though nearly a
score OF large glass jars were ranged in
row In the council chamber, last even
ins, not half dozen members were suf-
ficienty interested TO inspect them.
Furthermore, not n sample was accom-
panied with figures from an expert chem
list showing the per cent. of liquid and
solid--of effluent and sludge. well as
original condition of sample IL is evil
dent that no careful analysis was made
by a thoroughly practical and expert
enced chemist and the report is indefnite,
not 20 say haphazard.
The water IN the Moshassuck river at
Saylesville is analyzed every working
day by and expert chemist under annual
salary from the hustling owner. Frank
A. Sayles. who has the health Of his
help and local residents at heart as well
as his own material progress
Then again the notorious Grove Point
dump and garbage heap on the boundary
line between the town OF Lincoln and the
city of Central Falls. and the smallpox
hospital OF the city of Central Falls nave
both been passed by and the filter fields
In Horizons meadow. city OF Central Falls
are declared devoid OF impurities.
REPORT IN DETAIL
But here is the report and readers of
The News, as well as voters generally
can understand why transfer tickets are
overlooked and the pollution OF the Mo-
shassuck river made an Incidental issue:
ION June 7 the undersigned were APP
pointed to report at the next meeting OF
the common council the source or sources
of pollution OF the Mosha ssuck river. IL
was impossible for us to make a report
at that time because during the month
of June DIR. Chapin was so occupied wi,h
the cases OF smallpox that the necessary
could not be made. Later
the work was interrupted by an accident
TO MIR. ciapp which prevented his going
up the river The Investigations were
taken up again in September and we have
been greatly assisted by Councilman
Whelden and Inspector Samuel Whiteley
OF the public works department. Samples
OF water were taken at various points
along the river, which are herewith pre-
sented.
1--WE find that the Moshassuck river is
greatly polluted at the point where II en-
ters the city. Passing up the stream, we
find that the pollution continues 10 be
very evident as far up az the works OF
the Saylesville bleacheries in the town OF
Lincoln. The water above the dam at
Saylesville is clear and sweet az shown
by sample No. g. taken on Sept - Sam
pie No. g. taken Just below the works
on the same day, shows the pollution that
takes place during the flow OF the river
the works, When the works are
shut down the water below them Is as
clear as shown by sample No. IL, which
was taken on Sunday, Sept. y.
CENTRAL FALLS FREE.
les Is the filter bed of the Central Falls
sewerage system. This was inspected
on several occasions and only apparently
clear enluent was found coming from the
through which this effiuent passes gives
eDSeneeS eorrS OF p3lon h.n hs next point
al the Lorraine mills In the city OF Paw
tucket
'At this point The pipe opens into the
river below the surface OF the water and
discharges deleterlous matter into the
stream Sample No. was taken from
the pipe.
"on the property OF the l. u. Darling
Fertilizer company two drains discharge
into the river from which samples were
also taken. AT the rear of the Hope
cr from the city OF Pawtucket is dis
charged. When we visited the place the
weather was fine and there was no dis
'SrS HSTS oenr%S rGn o. noo the o S,e onien seTf wS
which gradually found their way through
tho swamp TO the river. This pool Is fed
from % broken =, dEs'q which sSS,S Somes from Ir2m
pany. The contents of the pool are very
foul and its character Is shown by sam
pie No. II.
PAwTCCKET BADLY POLLUTED
"Tust south of this point where tho
sewer ~ carried on treEtlc Il was found
10 be leaking considerably Further south
2 drain pipe. apparently coming from
the American Textile company, was seen
to open into the swamp. At tho time Of
our inspection 40 water was coming olt
of It. The Robert ~. Mason company
discharges a largo quantity OF waste wa
ter from It's dye works. which varies con-
from time 10 time. but Is al-
ways much discclored Just below this
point are filters for treating that portion
OF pawtucket sewage which reaches the
valley OF the Moshassuck Two drains
discharge effluent from these filters.
From one OF these cfflucnt pipes sample
No. was taken. showing that the hiters
from which the water came arc doing
their work I'm a satisfactory manner.
North Of these beds arc Two eNperimen-
tai filters. which are apparently not do
ing good work, as shown hy the sample
OF water taken. Nearly opposite the nl-
tor beds stream OF very foul water was
seen issuing from the swamp 20 the west
of the old canal and fow into the river.
CONCLUSIONS DRAWN.
1--WE are OF the opinion that tho pollu-
ton of the Mosbarsuck river T. due TO
the material discharged from tho follow
ng places. Sayles Bleachcrics and Glen
won Dye Works. Lorraine Mills. Wood
lawn Dairy company. tho works Of the
+. B Darling Fertilizer Companv Hope
Webbing company. Robert ~ Mason Dyc
works. bv crude sewage from the cit. Of
pawtucket discharged from common
iraiu 1T the al1uebtcttng establishment
Formerly the river received much polut- |
ng material within the city limits Sew
,rai sewers were discharged into N and |
"a.