The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-06-29
Pollution
CONTINUED from Page u

relatively harmless Wnen as
charged into river courses. The
raw waste has a tendency to abb
sorb oxygen from the water, as
phyxiating the fish. These pro-
ducts can be treated by the adj
dition of chemicals which raise
their oxygen content before be-
ing dumped into thetcreeks and
rivers.
DR.. Ellis and his staff made
tests of the Tallahalla creek at
Laurel where the Masonite waste
is dumped, and followed it down
with tests along Leaf river,
Chicksawhay @iver and all the
way down the Pascagoula river
to the gulf.
Four Previous Reports
II was learned that tests of the
pollution of these streams was
begun as long as 1886. Four pre-
vious reports have already been
filed with Mr.. Dearman by the
federal investigator.
Despite this weight of evil
dence, it was 1912 before a law
was passed, under Mr.. Dearman's
sponsorship, making this whole
sale pollution of streams illegal.
And no prosecutions have yet
been inaugurated by Attorney
General Rice to enforce this law.
General Rice said this week
that it was necessary to get evil
dence that would hold up in
court proceedings. When the lat
est report of DR.. Ellis is received.
legal action looking to the en-
forcement of the pollution stat
ute will be taken" He said dis
trict attorneys in counties where
stream pollution had been e.
ported would be urged to bring
the matter before county grand
iuries. He said also that James J
Ford, Pascagoula attorney who
has handled private damage suits
of fishing camps and others along
the river, had been retained by
the game and fish commission tc
prepare legal proceedings to be-
taken by the attorney generals
office.
The counties affected by the
Masonic waste are jackson.
George, Green, Perry, Forrest,
Jones, Hines and Rankin; and
probably Marion county will be
included in the Ellis report.
Mr.. Dearman pointed out that
he had been trying to sponsor
anti-pollution legislation for
years before the legislature pass
ed it. He again stressed the fact
that it was necessary to have
public opinion behind state en-
forcement agencies to bring about
the enforcement Of general poll
cies.
Worse Than Ever
Eve have been studying this
Laurel situation for a long time"
he said. "As a matter of fact,
we were led to believe by the
Masonic people that they were
making progress. But this "trip
when DR.. Ellis looked over what
they had done by way of con-
servation measures, he said to
me: It's terrible; it's worse than
it has ever beenl"
ut is the legal obligation of
these people to take care of this
waste" he said. IF you have
trash in your backyard as a by
product OF some business it is
your responsibility to get rid of
it, not throw it over into your
neighbours yard. 1t is not the
duty of people on the Pascagoula
all the way to the Gulf to take
care of the mess that Masonite
makes in manufacturing its pro-
duct. The people of Laurel get
the benefit of the plant. The peo-
pie Of Pascagoula should not be
required to accept a polluted
river for a plant so far away"
It was apparent Thursday that
DR.. Ellis fifth expert report
would be in the attorney gener-
ais office by the end of the
week, enabling the attorney gen
erals Office and the game and
fish commission to take the long
DELAYED action that both agree is
necessary for the states welfare,
and to enforce the state law
which is their legal responsible
ity.