The St. Mary banner., 1910-02-19
Pollution Of BAYOU Teche.


The committee composed OF
State medical men, State aud
Government Engineers and sugar
planters from this section, which
was appointed by the State Board
of Health, at its last meeting, to
investigate the cause Of the pollu-
ton of the waters of Bayou Teche.
met in the Offices Of the State
Board of Health in New Orleans
on Tuesday morning last, when
the subject was discussed from
every phase imaginable, variou
reasons being urged. 1t being
said that the sugar manufacturers
along the bayou are responsible
for the pollution of the stream
and that the waste and other in
furious hemicals is permitted {"
run into the bayou. thus killing
the fish. In defense of this severai
sugar planters appeared before
the meeting. The Daily States in
part said:
"Dr. Beverly w. Smith, who presi,
ded over the meeting, asked for the
opinion of Analyst George B. Taylor
Mr.. Taylor told that the water was
contaminated by the waters which camt
into it. and that these waters had
come from the sugar factories. 1.-The
water was in very bad condition. >
he said "and is much worse during
the sugar season than during other
| times of the year,
"At this juncture Colonel Lansing
Beach. engineer for the United States
Government, came to the front anC
told that from his experience in clean
| ing hyacinths out of the bay Gus ir
that section, that the low water had as
much to do with the impurity as does
the sugar mills.
| "Dr. A. j. Estopinal told of his in
vestigation into the matter, and thai
he had taken four different samples o.
| Teche water and that all of them lack
ed purity. Mr.. Godchaux then ad
| vanced the theory that perhaps the
salt water which backed into the
| bayou from the Gulf of Mexico ha(
something to do with the death of the
fish.
"Mr. Godchaux suggested that {
thorough test be made of the waters O
the bayou and their average be taken
| Colonel Beach offered to have some
of his men take samples from the
Bayou's mouth to its end and this
offer was eagerly accepted. The
samples will be taken and sealed righ
away and then a complete chemica
analysis will be taken by the chemist:
of the health board who will repor
on this work at it's completion.
AFTER the sugar manufacturers an6
the health officials had discussed the
matter thoroughly Messrs. Kerr anC
Beach, we're asked what solution they
could devise in the matter of purify
ing the bayou's waters.
"Mr. Kerr said that the state cOulC
do nothing in the matter and that the
chemists would have to solve the
question. Mr.. Beach, however, gave
the matter an entirely new phase wher
he told that he had been working or
preliminary records which deal with
the opening of Bayou Courtableau
and giving some of its waters tC
Bayou Teche thus adding volume tC
the almost stagnant waters of this
i
act Of Congress would be necessary tc
do this and it would take some time
but he had hopes for its ultimate com
pletion. In order to make this ad
dition Little Bayou Teche would have
to be cleared from all the distractions
which now closes it almost entirely.
THE meeting considered that this
would be an easy manner In which tC
free Bayou Teche from such nuisances
as dead fish and cattle.
'sIn order to make report to the
Health Board in April, however a
subcommittee was appointed by DR..
Smith, who will in turn report to the
head committee two days before the
next meeting of the Health Board.
The following were appointed to serve
on the subcommittee: DR.. H. Jones,
chairman; Colonel Lansing Beach,
Jules Godchaux, DR.. Porter and Mr..
Kerr. This committee will meet on
March eleventh.
"Among those present at Tuesday, S
meeting we're: DR.. Beverly W. Smith,
DR.. E. Kelly, DR.. L. G. MELVILLE, Mr..
Sidney d. Porter, DR.. A. J. Estopinal,
Dr.. Hamilton Jones, Mir. George
Taylor. Analyst, Major F. M. Kerr,
Col. Lansing Beach, U. 8. A.; DR.. T.
T. Tarlton and DR.. Thomas A. Roy.
''Messrs Jules Godchaux, Edwin
Sampson and Mr.. A. j. JOnsOuAn re-
presented their interests as sugar
manufacturers.