Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-09
eastern BRANCH
POLLUTION STUDIED
BY GAS COMPANY
Officials Agree to Eliminate
Nuisance if Found to Be
Due to Plant.
SAMPLES TAKEN IN TEST
SHOW TAR, OIL CONTENT
Woodhead and Russell Confer With
Crosby on Protecting Stream
for Public.

Acting upon a complaint Of Gen.
Herbert B. Crosby, District Commits
sioner, that pollution of the water at
the Washington Gas Light Co.'s plant
on the Southeast Branch causes "a bad
situation that could not go on" officials
Of the Washington Gas Light Co. today
announced that steps are being taken
by the company to remedy the condi-
tions-if it is caused by the gas plant.
Commissioner Crosby had a confer
ence with F. A. Woodhead, vice presi-
dent of the Washington Gas Light Co.,
and Walter Russell, chief engineer of
the company, during which they dis
cussed the situation, following a re-
port by the District of Columbia Health
Department on the extent the water
is polluted.
Various poisons were found in eight
samples of water examined by the
Health Department which were obtained
by the Police Department from pipes
coming from the gas company on the
Southeast Branch and from the Ana
costa River near the plant. The report
shows the pollution to be obnoxious"
Report Made Public.
The official report on the matter.
made by j. B. Reed, chief chemist of
the Health Department, and submitted
to Commissioner Crosby by the depart
ment, was made known, in detail, for
the first time today. 1t shows, in part,
as follows:
Sample No. / "found to contain tar
matter, which includes phenolic bodies.
This eff1uent" the report continues,
would be considered highly polluting,
and sufficient volume poured into river
or stream would undoubtedly produce
obnoxious conditions, but examination
does not show that it would produce
conditions detrimental to the health of
people who might be around or on the
water. Alkaline and acidity tests showed
the sample to be about neutral.
Sample No 2, the report showed,
contained gasoline, oil material and
considerable organic matter, considered
polfuting material.
Sample No. 3 showed presence of tar
and phenolic bodies, along with gaso-
line and oil material and large amounts
of black organic matter. The latter
condition, the report says, would be
considered obnoxious but not neces-
sarily detrimental to health"
Samples Nos. and were found to
contain some organic maLCer, DuC eH-
animation did not show that the mat
ter found in either sample would be
highly polluting.
Tests Being Made.
Sample No. was found to contain
considerable organic matter and gaso-
line and oil material which, in Suffi-
Gent volume, might produce obnoxious
conditions, but not necessarily detri-
mental to health" the report reads.
Sample No. was found to contain
tar and phenolic bodies" and sample
No. 8 to contain considerable organic
matter"
Mr.. Woodhead, vice president Of the
Gas Co., in commenting on the situa-
ton today, said the company is having
analysis made of the water in the vi
entity of the gas plant and said that
If the pollution is coming from the
plant the company will take steps to
remedy it.
"I personally have seen some deposit
on the water" Mr.. Woodhead said. II
we are doing it we are going to stop 1t. =