The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-05-10

nag tnore4sedt And other Interests
soe nt sS~ nt.' moi si' Sn
| seqtiai that communities are able TO
obtain water OF reasonable purity
Ism he river but ALSO that the
and that bathing beaches be other
than dangerous disease producing
Sssurslly. with the insr...lns
attention has been paid TO the In
The h,,lps sGPl: . q 18th G .natac and q
Ststss and Grsat britain. signed Jan.
Vary ~. 1908, the d9veInmsnt Of
tns w un'tsd 5ists: and c &c "a: , ON
fersstiopsi aoint comm'ssisn Tor S In
siusions And rsoommsndstions, dues:
s ,Sn Ms.r 70 ta' SS'nSs
siHi%eiff' 6. dn,.a STATE: Pubic Bic
Health servioe. was employed by
nna ss e SA f.d s-as:y
and. thereafter. and until September
-. 1919. an Investigation was oar
flsd on BY DR. MSlcT.niin unds.
ssrsetsl Of sSs Gnissd States a'; see.
ton and Powell OF the Canadian sec.
Se w.r. msas s D'trS
May to October. ieiS. and on tho
.ss s Of *. tommi..ion. h :RSSo' n
s.ary saD. sas m anal r:DsTs Hf the
After the date. January le. 1914.
the Commission adopted and pub
hsned so much of the report Of this
first branch of the invsstis stion.
Public hearings with the city and
state OFFICIALS were held In Detroit
SsptsmSsr 20 and so 1874 and Pub pub
ton from navigation were held in
Detroit on November 10 and II. 1914.
Upon the completion OF the investi-
pS;StioD Of "a" boundary S waters s' bS Dr. o.
Mclaughlin. the International Com
mission employed Prof. Earle b.
Phelps. also OF the United States
neer. to make studies and formulate
plans for remedia; measures. pos
sible and advisable. Early in 1915.
under the direction OF Prof, Phelps,
Detroit in charge OF Mr.. Ii. c. Nc.
Crae. formerly division engineer OF
the Baltimore Sewerage Commission
In charge ct the construction and
disposal plant. The studies OF the
conditions In the towns and cities To-
Gated on the st. Clair aud Detroit
y yea Sna the ress these ss nsss
LEGATIONS are now In the hands OF
the International Joint Commission.
Realizing the lack OF Information
! concerning Detroit conditions. the
Honorable BODY. october 8. 1914. as
follows:
To, the, Honorable the Common
"Gentlemen:--As your Honorable
Body IL aware, sessions OF the Joint
International Commission, appointe ed
to consider the pollution OF boundary
matters. were held In this city and
Windsor during the past week. II
seems to be conceded that pollution
exists; not only by the members OF
the Commission. but by your own
Health Department as well. and the
discussion seems to be taking on the
| form OF an inquiry as To the best
methods To be recommended TO city
OFFICIALS TO correct existing conditions.
No dcnnite plan or investigation with
this eod In vew has been made by
the officials OF the City Of Detroit.
consequently no data was at hand
or facts. which could he presented TO
Inc Commission In concrete form.
In view OF tho Importance OF the
matter IL would seem desirable that
some Investigation should be made
by Detroit city officials as to what
means OF disposal or treatment of
our sewage, II any should lie. under
taken, IN order that the subject
might be more inteiligently discussed
AZ future sessions OF the Joint In
ternattonal Commission. which will
undoubtedly be held here.
TO start the matter, I would rec
Dmmcnd the appropriation OF $4,000.
10 be expended under the supervis on
OF this department.. and the refer
ehce ~ this communication to your
committee on Ways and Means.
keSpectfully submitted,
GEORGE II. rENKELr.
on october 18th the appropriation
OF $1,000. above referred TO, was nj :
lowed by your Honorable Body. and
Hubbell was employed as consult
ing engineer to review the work
and report OF the Interna tionaI Joint
Commission. and report on remedi al
measures necessary and advisable for
Detroit on May 1. 1914. further
this work.
This report has been prepared with
great deal OF care and research. A
laboratory was established in charge
OF competent chemist and bacteri-
ologist; the condition of the river
was carefully observed from April
TO November. 1915. continuously. and
over 1900 samples OF water were
collected TO determine the extent
distribution and seasonal variation
river work was carried on with the
aid of a power launch and extensive
onice studies were made and data
collected, covering the many phases
The conclusions established are OF
Vita interest to every citizen OF
Detroit and especially so to those in
terested In sanitary problems. Some
OF the facts determined are of pc
instance:
First-There are times when the
current In the Detroit river II re-
versed and the water flows toward
second~The polluted shore water
In Its course. hugs the shore on
either side OF the river TO sur
Third-The water of the river puri-
Mes itself considerably as IT fows
1t lis further shown that the site
OF Fort Wayne In admirably adapted
Tor the establishment OF a sewage
purincation plant and that this can
hitting the property FOR park purposes
MIR. Hubbc1l also found Il necessary
IN his Investigations to make q study
ct Detroit water supply. and the
are well worthy OF confederation.
by waters and the dispersal Of sewage wage
is one that nearly all OF the larger
extent. and the writer Il submit unit
ting herewith a brief compilation OF
data a. to what has been accom-
plished or undertaken In other cities
throughout the country. especially
those situated around the Great
Milwaukee. Wisconsin, for many
years recognized the necessity for
proper sewage disposal for the bet