The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-17
(TAR OR OIL, BUT
IT'S BAD ON FISH
Witnesses Tell Committee They
Can't Eat Perch From
James River.
---
GAS HOUSE MAKES DENIAL
Finally. Water Will Be Analyzcd
to SHOW Exact Cause
Of Trouble.
GAS HOUSE MAKES DENIAL

Fr.- HW. .LEL VI - .H
For more than two hours last night
the Council Committee on Light heard
witnesses testify that James River IL
polluted by a substance which some
declare is tar. while others assert Ii is
an oily scum emanating from the Gas
fIouse, marrlnR the snowy hulls OF
pleasure craft and injecting fish. which
renders them unfit to eat. None OF the
witnesses Nas positive the tar flowed
from the Gas House, although they
arc sure the waters Of the James are
contaminated by tar.
superintendent W. j. Knowles. Of
the Gas House, entered an emphatic
denial that there is any waste from
his plant. He declared. as he pounded
the desk with his fist, that no tar
oyerfows from the watts into the river
or the creek. He admitted, however.
that there liz an oily scum which finds
its way into Gillie's Creek and thence
into the river.
Upon motion of Councilman Mon
cure, the waters Of the James will be
analyzed by a chemist In order that
the committee may ascertain Just
substance. or whatever It is, contains.
Superintendent Knowles was also au-
thorized to Investigate the matter and
report to the committee the remedy
for the nuisance.
Had Many witnesses.
Councilman George Rogers, who
started the investigation. introduced
a number Of %witnosses. who testified
that thsre Is a tarry substance or an
oily suhstenes floating pon n pene-
tratine the waters OF the James. Mr..
Rogers stated that he did not knew
who're tbs tar game from. but he Ia
positive ,here is TAR In tho river. He
also made It clear that he is aot plac-
Ing the blame upon any ono, but Is
trying to fnd out who IL responsible
in order that the committee may apply
the remedy.
According to a. B. Claiborne. seq
rotary OF the Virginia Boa Club.
John D. Murrell. representing tina
Richmond Yaeht Club. and others. the
river is contaminated by a substance
which biacksns the white hulis OF
yachts. motor boats and other small
collected taxes from. them on their
vesHels and they nee in hope that
some relief may be hal from the nui-
sRnce.
j. Harry Lauder. Deputy Commits
sioner OF Revenue. testihed that the
tar o. oil apparently flowing from the
Gas Housa mars the yachts and motor
boats. He stated the city derives q
revenue from boat owner SIR. Lau-
dor also explained that complaint had
been made that Ash taken from ths
Yiyer had been pronounced unfit TO eat.
Not Tar, Says Knowles.
Superintendent Enowles frequently
broke into the examination OF Wit
nesses. He replied TO the statement
of Mr.. Lauder os saying he did not
believe fish caught below the mouth OF
GilIie's Creek tasted of tar. He said
Il was doubtless caused by some other
foreign substance. IT have been ao-
cused Of wasting Ear and other sub
stanc@s by allowing them TO now Into
the river. I deny this most emrhati-
cally. 1t IL not trye. Thero is no
waste from the Gas Houss. II the fsh
taste Of tar or any other substance,
they have been doing 80 for years. be-
cause during the past three years l
have been selling the tar to tho Ar1ni-
taae Manufa oturfng Company"
Charles Coggtn. a fisherman. told the
committee that he caught shad and
herring in the river. which no could
not eat bscaux. of the taete of tar.
He said tar comss from Gillie's Creek.
mostly at night" He admitted that
n Is not sure II CoWles from tuo S1a
'Houss, but he cannot SOC where else
it could come from. AN 1 know Is
that ate two lsh and they had a
larry taste. / don't know for sire.
but I have my Suspicious that tbe. tar
comes from the Gas House
Gas HoAse View.
aznes EnroughtY. an emploYe. OF the
Cos Houss. denied there Is q In the
river. Ra contended the dark sub
stance is an Oily schm, and 1t Is HIS
opinion that It hewE from the Armi-
taKe Manufacturing Company. which
us on tho Gas House propurty. u tast-
ed a perch last Sunday. but did notsde-
tsot any tar. but 1t tasted like oil
to me.,'
Charles +. Arudtage. OF the Armitase
Manufacturing Company told the COM
.mtttee there as no refuse from his
plant, and certainly 40 tar, because
he is too anxious to sell n. Il don't
thave any resase from my plnat: ]
utl.i1e ali the taT that I can buy
from tbs Gas House. I sell hundreds
OF barssls Of tar to nshefnen who
dip thsir traps ard note Init" MT
Arn1ftags explained that his plant lie
located on the das House property