The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-11
Yacht Clubs Are
 Urging Legislation
Protest Against The Dumping Of Sewage And Fifth into Our
 Rivers And Streams

Some idea of the widespread extent of the "anti-river-pollution" move
 ment may be had when it is cons1d-
 cred that nearly every yacht club in
 the State is circulating petition re- garding the proposed legislation on the subject, and a flood of signatures is pouring into the halls of the Leg islature at Hartford.
 House Bill No. 7OS, introduced by Representative J. Henry Blakeman of Stratford, provides that the State Board of Health shall have general oversight and care of all inland and 1 tidal waters, including all streams, lakes, and ponds used as sources of water supply, and all springs, streams, and watercourses tributary thereto. Mir. George A. Wilson, a member of the Pootatuck Yacht Club of Strat- ford, an enthusiastic yachtsTnan who
 has cruised in every nook and corner of this State and Long Island, is visit ing most of the Connecticut Yacht clubs personally. in order to secure
 as many signatures possible to the petition which is being circulated.
 MT. Wilson says: 'I have been sur-
 prised at the enthusiasm with which the yachtsmen have taken hold of this public movement. Everywhere it has been the same story, everyone
 eager to sign, and anxious to remedy the intolerab b1e conditions which the
 proposed legislation is designed to cor
 rect. Many of the clubs are also 1 contributing financially to the neces- sary4 expense of the movement, feeling they will be well repaid by the re- suits which it is hoped to bring. Through MT. Wilson's courtesy we publish below a copy of the standard form of petition which has been wide ] ly circulated throughout the State:
 "The undersigned. representing the -.- .--... Club or mem bers, situated in. Conn, do hereby respectfully urge your hon orable Committee to report favorably upon House Bill No. 7os; An Act l Concerning the Disposal of Sewage in
 Inland and Tidal Waters of the State of Connecticut introduced by Repre- sentative J. Henry Blakeman of Strat- l ford.
 .ewe ask this consideration at your hands because the proposed legislation 1 directly affects our health, comfort and general we'll being. It also affects our opportunities for recreation and 1 pleasure.
 F. .sIt affects our health, comfort and
 we1e being because we live near the water, and in the summer time are ac-
 custonaed to1suse it for boating, bath ing, fishing, etc It is scientific fact, proved beyond all doubt, that I the presence of sewage in rivers, streams and harbors is 7detrfnrentaI to l the health of those who live near
 such waters and who bathe in them
 or sail over them.
 1 .sIn many places in. our State the I condition of the waterways is now such that foul and obnoxious odors lare prevalent, particularly. at low tide, 1 when the effects of sewage are left on l the flats. As yachtsmen are accustom- l ed to cruise in the various waters of 1 the State. the condition of one place is necessarily a condition that interests l and effects the yachtsmen of all places I in the State.
 Bathing is simply out of the ques- 1 ton when the tide is ebbing, in most l places, due to the prevalence of such | undu1y large amounts of sewage as to i make bathing unhealthful and dan l gerous as well as unpleasant. In l some places there are sewers empty ing at both sides of the bathing-pla- l ces, so that those who have the hardi- rhood or the Ignorance to try bathing in such places are covered with sew age both coming and going regard less. of whether the tide is at ebb or | flood.
 ssThe right to fish in the waterways l of the State is open to all, yet the l supply of. edible fish has been reduced to a fraction of what it formerly was, by the dumping of sewage into our streams. This filth has driven the 1 various species to purer waters. We're the fishing and shel1-fish industries re- | ton in this State, the high cost of living would unquestionably be low | cred for the result would be a plenti- full supply of fish accessible to all, and | an increased supply of shel1-fish- In- stead of growing seed oysters, the I groveers of this State could raise full- I grown oysters of choicest quality, and 1 naturally the resulting economy would l benefit the public.
 l .eThe only objection that can prop erIy be presented against the passage I of this bill is that it would entail an expense upon the cities and towns, that would eventually be obliged to 1 "c1ean up'' their sewage As taxpay- CTS in these cities and towns, the l members of our. Club declare most | emphatically that they for their part are entirely willing, collectively as l yacht clubs and individually citizens 1 and taxpayers, to bear their due share Of the slight increase in taxes that 1 will in some cases be necessltated by l such cleaning up. We make this tbenefits to be derived from pure. wa | terways free from pollution will out i weigh many times the comparatively small question of cost.
 1 sIn conclusion we would remind your honorable body that the yachts men and owners of summer homes are in the aggregate large body. that they are recruited from all parts of the State (Inaking the shores of the
 Sound and the rivers their Mecca in the summer-t -time), and that the State of Connecticut is one with much 1 larger proportion of shore-line to it's size than most others
 The reference to>oysters and she'll
 fish in the above petition was brought to the attention of MT. F. S. Beard sIey of the Andrew RadeI Oyster Co.,,
 of Bridgeport, and formerly vice-pres- jdent Of the SeaIshipt Oyster System. MT. Beards1ey said: "I am glad to see that the yachtsnen are taking up this l matter so enthusiastically and think I MT Wilson deserves great credit for the good work he is doing. As a