Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-08
RIVER IMPURITIES
Meeting Of District Association at the
Ebbitt House-Reports Of
Officers.

be considered from the economic point OF
view. Is the industry which pollutes the
water more valuable In dollars and cents
than the fish and the fishing? This Is the
vital question, upon which the success of
your agitation hinges"
So said Mr. M. o. Leighton, chief Of the
division OF hydro-economics of the geolog-
zeal survey, last night, at the annual meet
ing Of the Fish and Game Protective Asso-
citation of the District of Columbia, held In
the parlors of the Ebbitt The protection
of game was discussed to some extent, but
as there is little game to be hunted or pro-
tected in the District. the greater part of
the evening was devoted to fish, and to the
deplorable conditions alleged to exist along
the banks of the Potomac and its trfb-
utaries above Washington. Addresses and
appeals were made by men from the
District, and from Maryland and Virginia,
looking to betterment of the laws so that
hunting and fishing will be preserved as
sport and pastime for generations to come.
DR.. w. 8. Harlan, president of the
ISOLATION, occupied the chair, and In the
course of the evening the entire old board
of officers was reelected, as follows: Presi-
dent, w. s. Harlan; vice president, Henry
Talbot; warden, Major Richard Sylvester;
secretary treasurer, DR.. w. p. Young. The
following executive committee was named:
Commissioner Henry L. West, Justice Job
Barnard, DR.. T. S. Palmer, F. B. Curtis,
Alex Britton, DR.. H. L. Yarrow and John
Breen. 1t was announced that Mr.. Breen
is living in Norfolk, and consequently Mr..
Willard Fracker was named on the execu-
tive committee in Mr.. Breen's place.
There were present as special guests OF
the local association Mr.. o. NJ Dennis of
Baltimore. secretary of the Maryland State
Fish and Game Protective Association; r.
I'll. Gilbert, deputy game warden of Mary
land; Walter Brook, game warden of Sandy
Springs; Mr.. Bently, also of Sandy Springs;
L. T. Christian of Richmond, Va; Henry
Brauns OF the Maryland Association, and
Mr.. Leighton.
Reports Considered.
DR.. Young read the reports of the Sec
rotary, treasurer and the executive commit
tee, all of which were accepted by the as
ISOLATION. Messrs. Roberts and Fracker
were appointed committee to audit the
accounts.
Maj. Sylvester made a verbal report as
warden, stating that much legislation had
been secured and that the enforcement OF
this legislation speaks for Itself He COM
plimented the police department for It's
success in keeping down the violations OF
the laws in the District. but deplored the
conditions in the south which permit ship
ping of birds and game out of season to
commission merchants in this city. He said
that the local merchants did not know the
laws were being violated and that 1t would
work a hardship to confiscate property at
this end of the line He advocated better
surveillance by the wardens in nearby
states Mai. Sylvester also reported that
there had been sixteen convictions during
the past year for violations OF the local
fish laws and that the conditions here are
better than in any city in the country, as
far as he had been able to ascertain. He
recommended a shorter season for shoot-
ing quail.
Review of the Year.
DR.. Harlan then made his report as
president for the past year. He recounted
the work accomplished by the association
since its organization eight years ago, and
said that much had been done toward clear
ing the Potomac of pollution. He said he
had been informed. that the pulp mills at
Harpers Ferry would begin burning their
refuse with few weeks. He also referred
to, the work that is being done in con-
junction with the force in the hydro-eco-
nemic bureau of the geological survey, I'M
der Mr.. Leighton, and extended the THANKS
of the association for this cooperation.
Mr. Talbot offeredsa resolution expressing
the sincere regret of the association upon
learning of the death of Mr.. Charles II.
Laird, formerly one of it's members. The
resolution was adopted.
Mr.. Leighton spoke Interestingly for half
an hour, explaining the conditions in the
Potomac, from a scientific point of view.
He declared that no two streams could be
treated alike and that pollution in one
might not be pollution in another.
From Two Viewpoints.
Pollution" he said, must be considered
from two points of view; first the hygienic,
and secondly, the economic. By hygienic I
mean with reference to the health of human
beings, and when pollution is poisonous to
mankind it is criminal. By economic l
mean the pon-sentimental point of view
the consideration of dollars and cents. If
the poIluting industry destroys fish and
fishing, but is not dangerous to human life,
the question is which is the more valuable.
1 believe sojourn in the woods and along
the streams, with gun and rod and reel.
is to be counted as an asset in business
life. In this way we can arrive at the
monetary value of the sport, and If this
is greater than the value of the polluting
industry, then the industry should CO.
Mr.. Leighton described experiments now
being conducted at Harper's Ferry and at
the conclusion of his address was thanked
by Dr. Harlan on behalf of the associa-
ton. All the other guests made short ad
dresses. and the evening closed with
buffet supper.