New-York tribune., 1906-12-15
TO CLEAN THE AU SABLE.
Riparian O1cners File Petition zoith
Governor Higgins.

Albany Dec. IA petition has Just been filed
with Governor Higgins, in which the riparian own
ers on the Au Sable River ask him TO issue
ecutive order Immediately compelling the mill own
ers to stop polluting the river and chasm.
Three years ago the State Commissioner OF
Health after investigation at the request of the
riparian owners. found conditions such that he
recommended that the pollution be stopped. Ger
tain persons interested in the pulp mills. in order
to secure delay according TO the petitioners,
caused the federal government, through the De
partInent Of the Interior to make investigation
into the same matter. The petitioners say that
Governor Higgins has based his delay in issuing
an order for the suppression of the pollution a
belief that there inconsistency between the
report filed by the State Board OF Health and that
made by the federal experts.
The petition Just filed states that while the two
reports do not agree regarding the pollution con-
dtions and their cause in Lake Champlain,
they do agree regarding the pollution of the
Au sable River and Chasm ana regarding its
cause Therefore the petitioners ask the Governor
to separate the A1 Sable River case from the Lake
Champlain case and act the former before his
term expires, The petitioners believe that Gov
ernor Higgins has been labor1ng under misappre-
hension
Edward Hatch, jr., OF the firm of Lord & Taylor
who has been active in the movement TO compel
the pulp mills tributary to Lake Champain to stop
discharging their manufacturing waste into the
rivers. IN speaking of the petition. said:
The petition calls the attention OF Governor Hlg-
gins 10 a failure to act upon the part OF the EX-
ecutlVe of the state, based upon q misconception
OK the Iacts, and urges him to take proper action
IN a case that has been pigeonholed in the EXecu-
tive Chamber for nearly two years and a half be-
cause of such msconception.
Governor Higgins fails to take action IN the
matter intend to file the same petition with
G0yernSr-elect nf Hughes This petition is the out
Health nearly three years ago. That petition was
signed by the riparian owners on the Au Sable
River, which flows through KeeSeYille and the
wyorld. j., renowned % Au Sable Chesm 1t set forth
that the river was so polluted by the sludge and
acld from the pulp mills that the water was
The state Board of Health investigated and found
the conditions TO exist, and reported to the
Governor, Governor Odell paid no attention to the
matter-at least he issued no executive order.
was recommended in the report and Governor
Roosevelt did in the Saratoga pollution Such
an order. II Issued. would compel the mills to stop
making sewer of the river and chasm.
The recommendations upon the part Of the State
Board OF Health became after Governor Odell re-
Odell.
1t has been brought TO my notice that Governor
Higgins when his attention directed to the
question of Au Sable River pollution the other day.
said that all these questions had been referred to
tho State Board of Health. because of difference
authorities to whether the pollution really eX-
listed The Governor Is mistaken in this regard:
tfon Of Au Sable River and Chasm. because .Su
authorities who have Investigated the matter were
OF one accord in declaring that the pollution really
existed
As TO the general pollution Of Lake Champlain
IT is significant to those familiar with the facts that
the stale and federal authorities did differ but
being SO. an executive order compelling the mills
10 stop poluting the chasm should have been Issued
over two years ago Action will be taken IN ref
erence to the Boquet and TIconderoga mills soon
after We show absolutely that the report Of the
State Commissioner of Health upon this phase Of
The question is based upon facts that cannot be