The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-07-14
Charlottesville Bathers Brave Disease, Death in
Sugar Greek, Polluted by Acid and Citys Sewage
SuIphuriC Solution From
Wire Mill Found in
Stream.
DANGER SIGNS MISSING
Engineers Report Urging
Disposal Plant Is
Ignored.
Continued From Page One)

Ignored.
Continued From Page One)
SIS 900 and loaned the remainder
over a period of twenty-five years
with an average annual retirement
of the loan at $4,000 plus $500 in
terst at 4 per cent.
The same plant built in normal
times would cost s15O.OOO, with no
grant from the federal government.
Charlottesville residents point
with pride to the new Sl50000 city
hall. Furniture in the offices ranks
with the finest in city halls of In
diana.
Pollution Is Reported
In that city hall is the record Of
the engineers pollution survey, filed
deep among other unfinished bust
ness"
Councilmen, seated in the rich in
terror of the council chamber, can
read these quotes from the survey:
Iron wastes, resulting from the
discharge of picking liquor, that is,
partially spent sulphurie acid, into
the sewer system is indicated. Pic
king liquor in large volumes is de-
structive to fish life, and what is
worse, from the standpoint of the
nuisance created and the hazard
to public health, is inhibitive to the
natural meteorological processes of
self publication" says the survey.
The water of sugar creek, below
Charlottesville, is unmistakably pol
luted by the discharge of sanitary
sewage and industrial wastes of the
city.
Unsafe for Bathing
For at least a distance of six
miles below Charlottesville, Sugar
creek waters are unsafe for drink
ing, bathing and wading purposes,
unsafe for livestock watering, and
decidedly deleterious to fish life"
The report points out that it is
almost impossible to swim without
taking water into the body.
This represents a, hazard which
can not be ignored. There have
been numerous examples of typhoid
fever, para-typhoid, cholera, dysen-
terry, and other intestinal disease,
contract through bathing in con-
taminated waters.
Blood and skin infections, and
throat and nasal disorders originat-
ing in this way are not uncommon.
Fish taken from the stream as well
as milk produced by cattle which
have access to the stream are sub
iect to contamination and are re-
garded as unsafe for human con-
sumption.
Hazard to Health
Sugar creek below Charlottesville
must be regarded as a potential
hazard to the public health. it
is apparent that modern sewage
treatment facilities must be in
stalled within a few years"
Lex Clore, city engineer, differs
with the engineers findings and
similar findings by engineers of the
sanitary division of the state board
of health on the streams ability to
carry its load of pollution.
Sugar creek has high dilution
and aeration with a good rock bot
tom which aids in publication. And
there's the cost. A plant for proper
disposal with intercepting sewers
would cost 100000 or $150.000," says
Mr.. Clore.
When it is pointed out to him
that children swim in the stream
near sewer outlets, and that fisher
men attempt to catch fish at the
same spots, he replies with the Gus
tomary Crawford vile answer:
"They know better. They can swim
safely above the dam"
C. of c. Urges Plant
The Charlottesville Chamber of
Commerce, headed by Forest Ward,
ice cream manufacturer, favors a
disposal plant. The chamber and
Mr.. Ward understand the futility of
attempting to bring tourists to one
of the states most beautiful creeks,
with acids and human wastes pour
ing illness and obnoxious bacteria
into the stream.
The chamber desires that the
signs pointing This Way to Cen
eral Lew Wallace's Home always
be kept we'll painted. But it also
desires to see the time when the
lack of signs below the dam on
Sugar creek will not find:
Boys diving off rocks into a
creek tainted with sulphuric acid
and sewage bacteria.
ellis of dead fish lying on the
sandy creek islands. colored a rust
red by the iron wastes from the wire
mill
Sewage OdorS emanating from the
creek penetrating the towns garden
spot. the Spring Ledge Golf and
Country Club.
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