Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-11
WOULD END POLLUTION
ATLANTIC WATERWAYS
Ssaboard Municipalities to
Back Legislation Now Pend
ing In Congress.

Atlantic City. Aug. li.-Charges
that oil pollution OF navigable waters
has injured the oyster industry OF the |
country to the extent OF millions OF
dollars. exterminatcd sea birds. caused
dock nres. and at some beaches 1t had
been found necessary TO use kerosene |
after bathing TO remove sticky, OIL
soaked surf garb. were made in the
course Of two hours discussion on
the subject OF "oil pollution" at the
opening session last night OF con-
ference called by the League OF At
lan,ic Seabcard Municipalities at the
Hotel Traymore.
There were abcat so present at the
opening session, including many
prominent officials of Atlantic sea-
board cities. and over a sccCe spoke on
the subjoct, each speaker being limit
ed to Ave minutes II was the consen-
sus OF opinion OF the speakers that
something definite must be done Inn
mel.ately 10 abate the nuisance,
which Il was declared Is daily becom-
Ing worse. The rapid increase in the
uee of fuel oil by ships was assigned
AS the chief cause of the trouble, and
the statement was also made that in
land waters suffered considerably from
pollution from coal mines.
The conference was presided over
by David NJ Neubocger. of Deal
Beach. y. j.. secretary of the Inter
etatc Committee on Prevention OF Pol
luton OF Waste Water and Beaches.
Mr.. Neuherger was "A member of the
committee from New York and New
Jersey municipalities which went TO
Washington las, fan. when the House
Committee on Rivers and iIarbors was
dealing with the subject.
Tho League cf Atlantic Seahoard
Muaiclpali,ies Is yet In its formative
stages. hut steps To icing about a
permanent organization may he TAX
en- at the present conference.
During the discussion 70 developed
that there are dozen billie before
Congress at present. all designed 20
end the pollution nuisance. but many
OF those present seemed 20 think that
a measure introduced by Congressman
II. Frank Applcby. of New Jersey, met
the requirements Of the occasion, and
TINT n united stand should he taken
IN support of THE measure, which Is
now in committee. Mr. Applehy also
introduced n resolution requesting the
ference to deaf with the question Of
pollution outside the three mile limit.
This resolution has been adopted and
is now awaiting Presidential action.
Judge Franklin TAYLOR. of Rrooklvn.
president ot the Waterways l.esgue ~
America. sent message 20 the con-
ference. IN the course uf which he
stated that former Governor smith. ~
4 l.. a l..f. -.
day recently after bathing AT Concy
Island ne had found Il necessary 20
use kerosene TO remove his bathing
shirt Judge Taylor said: This pollu-
tlon IL not like oil: it Ia not like tar. IL
H. more like chewing gum that has
been chcwed and sticks 90 everything.
~ Ia more like pitch. and worse than
axle grease. A, present tho scum 81
oil along tho beach is "a hlasphemy
ON the fair shore 81 New Jersey"
W. II. klllian, or Baltimore, repre-
sentlng the oyster Growers and Deal
era Association os North America, ex-
planned how the ol. pollution had in
9urod that industry 20 the extent a.
millions % dollars. The situation. h,
said. rs far as the oyster industry was
concerned, was grave.
An engineer representing the Ma
tional Board Of lfre UNDERWRITERS told
the gathering that many fires ha(
been started from oil on the waters
llerw i-'came coated with a iarry sub
stance. which WIS h.shly iniiammsble
md ne know os several outbreaks
along harhor fronts sa a result.
a message ve~ read from Mayo
John ~ Uylsn. Of New York. regret
ting his inability 60 be present. bti
stating that the project had hls heart,