The Detroit times., 1914-11-10

were responsible for st least 80 per
cent OF the pollution Of border waters.
while vessels could not be held 10 az
count for more than 10 per cent OF II.
II for that much.
The matter OF ballast water was. he
admitted. q diffcult one. Modern
freighters are equipped with ballast
tanks he said. and. when running
light, these tanks are filled with
water. before the vessel leaves port.
Upon arriving at its destination and
preparing TO take on q cargo the ball
ast Water Is pumped out Of the tanks.
Usually this Is done while approach
ing the port. but In many cases. II Is
impossible 20 do SO as bad weather
may bring serious consequences to un-
ballnsted boats.
As TO the drawing OF water for drink.
ing and cooking purposes aboard ship
there Is no fixed rule. he said. wher-
ever possible, however, vessels refuse
to take water from Lake Erie. because
II Is known to be contaminated. Many
vessels obtain their water supplies be.
fore leaving port. he said.
In reply TO question from Chair.
man Tawney. Mr.. Livingstone declar.
ed that he had received no report OF
epidemics OF typhoid on three vessels
Government reports contain these
records, according TO Mr. Tawney.
The Lake Carriers association has
Mr.. Livingstone said, endeavored &c
compel vessel masters to keep their
boats In sanitary condition and has
tried to teach its employees the value
OF cleanliness, both aboard and In per
, sonal habits. To this end d welfare
club and a sanitary committee had
beel appointed from among Its mem
bership. he said.
1T is shown by government reports
that 100000 people travelled on the
Great Lakes during the last year.
said Mr.. Tawney. @Dont you thinl
that this large number OF personi
would contamtnate. to q great extent
the waters through which they wer,
carried?'
Most assuredly they would" re
Piled Mr.. Livingstone. "Yet condition.
like these are not comparable to condi
tions brought about by municipalities
I venture to say that the pollution
caused by this number OF person
would not equal that brought about b!
q border municipality OF 10000 souls
The figures which you have quoted In
Iclude many excursionists. who are no
on the lakes for more than two hour.
| or a Cay, at most. A municipalit,
offers a continual dumpage OF sewage
"a hours in day. seven days a weel
and 81 weeks a year"
Has your association ever attempt
II unA a. - L.
other way than through indiscriminat
dumpingf" asked Mr.. Tawney.
"Only In tentative way" was TIL
answer. I'VE have talked over tn
matter of conducting experiments. bu
have done nothing as yet"
What would be your attitude tc
ward an international system OF regu
lation Of such matters, brought abou
through this commission or througl
some other agency OF the two nation
acting together?"
1--WE would be very friendly" reptile,
Mr. Livingstone. ''Of course can con
ceive Of conditions too drastic beinl
imposed. We might object to thes,
but can assure that as far as posi-
BILE this association will do all in IL
power to aid In preserving the, healtl
and safety OF residents on both sidei
OF the line"
Mr.. Tawney then called Mr.. Living
stones attention to q statement made
by Earl B. Phillips. an engineer OF tn,
United States health service, to thu
effect that the only possible solution
OF the question of pollution from th'
dumping Of raw sewage from vesseh
consisted In the installation OF 4 ster
aixing device. operated by steam an,
working automatically. The report o
Mr., Phillips expressed q determination
to try out the device on several ship
during the next season and to obtaii
as many as possible for the purposes
OF testing the effects OF the apparatus
"You may equip two. or three of ou
boats with 1t, II you wish" said Mr
Livingstone. I'VE are willing to CO
operate with you and we will be gla,
II some method of averting pollution
can be worked out"
Francis King, counsel for the Do
minion Marine association, did no
appear as friendly to the work Of tn,
commission as did Mr.. Livingstone. HI
expressed the belief that Mr.. Living
stone had overstated the proportion
of pollution between municipalities
and vessels. announcing his own belle