The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-28
The River VIII he Dredged. the Fish
Removed, and the Mill OmciaIs
VIII He Looked After.
DAVIS BLAMEs COMMISSIONERS
HE SAYS TOO MUCH TINE Is SPENT
CHASING sEINERS.
Water Company Manager Points Out
What Has Been Accomplished
at No5lesville.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
ANDERSON, Ind, July 2.-"That Is the
worst sight 1 ever saw in all my life.'' ex-
claimed DR.. Hurry, secretary OF the State
Board of Health, as he stood on the banks
of White river by the old Moss Island mill
near this city in company with DR.. Conrad.
of Anderson. secretary OF the Marion Coun-
ty Board of Health. Floating on the river,
lodged against the banks and dam were
thousands of pounds of dead and dying fish,
The scorching July sun hastened the de-
composition and a putrid stencil almost
overcame the State officer, who was ap-
palled at the sight.
The statement is not exaggerated The
fish have come down the river from above
Daleville by thousands. The trouble is due
to some strawboard factory that has
dumped its refuse I'm the river. That was
evident to DR.. Hurry who came here this
afternoon to investigate the matter. AS
soon as he saw the river and its discolor-'
alton he pronounced 1t strawboard refuse.
He recommended a line of action to the
Anderson health officer that will save In
dianapolis. Noblesviile and river towns and
farmers from the terrible pollution. DR..
Conrad tonight contracted with men 10
rake the Oeau ISn from the river and ollie
them in heaps on the bank. The work will
be begun at O'Clock in the morning. h.
l.. Smith, a fertilizing manufacturer, en-
gagged 10 free the river of the fish below the
Moss Island bridge and the dam and a
stretch of river half mile will be dredged
The sight Is one never TO forgotten. There
are all kinds and sizes from carp and suck
ers to the game black bass for which White
river has been noted.
The officers examined the dying fish and
found that a sediment of gluey consis-
1od oil -
the sediment from the strawboard mill and
not poison. The sediment floats i'm the
water and Is taken up by the gils Of the
fish. There is no escape and in a short
time the finny Inhabitants Of the river die
OF strangulation-not poison Ii is the
minute particles OF straw fibre that does
the work.
An effort was made to-day to have the
dam at Moss Island cut and permit the
putrid mass to float down the river, but
the prompt action of DR.. Conrad prevented
that being done. The other cities below
here are secure, as far this is con-
cerned. The pollution of White river ex-
tends from short distance above Dale
vile to this city and mile below TO the
dam.
Dr. Hurty left shortly after O'Clock
for Yorktown. TO confer with the officials
OF the plant there. He stated that he
would not rest till the guilty parties hard
been discovered and prosecuted. In tele-
phone communication with one of the d.
that their officers did not know a thing
about IL and stoutly denied all knowledge
of their dam being broken or cut. DIR.
Hurty said he woulo visit the plant and re-
turn here tomorrow.
An officer. it is alleged. went to York
town to-day and was informed that the
escape of the refuse of the mill into the
White river was due to musk rats burrow-
ing from the river to the bank OF the set
Ting basin dam and break ensued of
such force they could not repair IL TIL the
basin had emptied itself.
1t is certain that wholesale prosecutions
will follow this fearful destruction OF fish
and the pollution. of the river.