Evening star., 1937-08-24
|MMED|ATEPAR[EY
ASKED BY |CKES ON
SLAUGHTER HOUSE
Answer to Commissioners
Cites MenaCes to New
Sewage Plant.
LETTERS NOTE ACCORD
ON BLOCKING OPERATION
Collins Bill Granting Power to
Regulate Discharge Of Indus.
trial Waste Studied.

Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen pre-
sented at today's board meeting
reply from Secretary 1ckes accepting
their proposal for conference to de-
termine the proper operation of the
Districts new sewage treatment works
should the Adolf Gobel Co. seek to
use the public sewers for disposing of
waste from its Benning slaughter
house.
In view of the extreme Importance
OF this matter to the people of the
District, may l urge that you call a
conference Immediately" 1ckes wrote
The correspondence between 1ckes
and Hazen, made public today, re-
vealed that while they are not in COM
plete accord over the effect that
slaughter house waste would have on
the sewage system. they are in agree
ment that the District should make
every exertion to prevent operation
Of the Gobel plant.
In this connection, Hazen wrote: Il
am thoroughly in accord with your
views thai everything possible should
be done to prevent the installation
of the proposed abattoir and the at
tendant increased activities OF the ex-
listing Union Stockyards, and such
steps to attain this end as appear
feasible will be undertaken by the
Commissioners"
Collins Bill Cited.
In this connection. he invited 1ckes
attention to the bill introduced by
Representative Ross Collins, chairman
of the Appropriations Subcommittee
on the District of Columbia This
bill would empower the Commission
ers to regulate the discharge Of in
dustrial waste into the sewage dis
posal system. A study of the measure
is now being made, Hazen said, to de-
termine what deterrent effect" might
be hoped for under its operation.
Hazen added: The subject under
discussion has been given careful study
by our engineers, and while the con-
clusions reached by them as to the
effects of the slaughter house on the
sewage treatment plant and on the
resultant condition of the Potomac
River are not in complete accord with
those as set forth in the report of the
surgeon general, I would be very glad
to sponsor E conference in an attempt
to arrive a. true picture of condi-
tons to be expected"
The surgeon general had estimated
the amount of slaughter house waste
as equivalent to the domestic sewage
Of a population of 100000 people.
Suggests Conferees.
Secretary Ickes sent his reply to
the Commissioners after leaving Wash
ington on a Western vacation trip.
He suggested that the conference be
held at the District Building between
representatives of the Interior De-
partment, P. w. A. leaders, the Pub
lie Health Service and representatives
designated by the Commissioners.
His letter went on to say:
Study of the plans for the pro-
posed slaughter house filed with the
building department Of the District
Of Columbia discloses that the plant
would be serious nuisance from many
points of view.
The plans show floor connections
which at the discretion of the opera
tors may bypass any quantity or all
Of the blood from slaughtering opera
tions directly into the sewage system
of the District. Likewise the plans
show that the operators can dis
charge any quantity or all of the cas-
ing slime from the proposed casing
department into the public sewers.
The plans also disclose drain connec-
tions which at the discretion of the
operators may allow any or all of
the solids and semi-solids from hog
stomachs, paunch manure and the
like to be discharged into the sewers.
Likewise the plans show all drain
age OF outside areas used for penning
and handling of live stock, especially
during heavy rains, to discharge into
the sewage system or into Piney Run.
Urges Quick Action.
These and many other considera-
tions, which can be discussed in de-
tail by our experts, seem to me con-
vincing evidence that the proposed
slaughter house will constitute a
thorough nuisance to the District, and
certainly menace to its new sewage
disposal system. For this reason
will be glad at the earliest possible
moment determined by you to have
engineers and other representatives
OF the Interior Department and Public
Works Administration confer in your
ONCE with such representatives as YOU
may designate, and with representa-
tives Of the United States Public
Health Service, to reach q final con-
clusion on the question of how this
plant will affect the Districts sewage
disposal system"
Hazen said today the Commissioners
would consider a letter received last
week from D. Edward Clarke, attor.
ney for the Gobel Co.
They had suggested the company
might wish to have hearing on the
question of whether it would become
q menace" in relation. to the sewage
plant, the idea being to thresh out
the issues before application was
YnadA for a HeonSn IN oporo%> 49,