Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-08-28

A44G WCoO VA 6A4G W0VC4
waShery on North Branch Po- |
tomac to speed construction Of
settlement ponds to lower the
amount Of black coal dust
washingS that has been escap-
ing to the stream for years.
The same agency has also |
indicated it may clamp down
ut its October meeting on q
sand washery which for years
has been selling the main stem
Of the Potomac for miles with
Its bright tan run-offs.
At the same time, the Mary
land Water Pollution Control
Commission has instructed a big
new glass manufacturing plant
near Cumberland TO correct q
faulty waste settlement system
which permits diScoloring sedi-
ment to faint the North Branch
Potomac for q considerable
distance downstream with Q
reddish hue.
Not Only Man Affected
The conglomeration Of tints
and sediments gives the Poto-
mac an aspect not only repul-
sive to the human eye and
nose, but death-dealing to fish
and unusable to other wildlife.
The coal washery - Fairfax
Coal Cleaning Co., at Bayard,
w. Va.-was ordered last
spring to build the necessary
settlement ponds to keep its
wash water out Of North
Branch. The construction work
On these two ponds has Jagged.
partly because Of excessively
rainy weather. But the prof.
ectS now are due to be COM
pleted and in operation within
days, owing to the urging Of
the West Virginia commission.
Under the present orders,
the washery - located Just a
few miles from the source Of
the Potomac near Fairfax
Gtone-muSt install additional
settling ponds should the
others prove inadequate.
The question Of bringing the
Pennsylvania Glass Sand Corp.
of Berkeley, w. Va, into line
will be raised at the october
meeting Of the water commits
sion. This Arm mines q high
Grade silicon rock mountain
and refines the raw product for
use by the manufacturers Of
glass and chemical products.
Into Tributary
It's washingS, after scanty
settlement in various big
tanks, fiow directly into Warm
Spring Run. This is q narrow
stream averaging about 10 feet
In width which enters the Poto-
mao from West Virginia at
Hancock, Md. The nature Of
the washings is such that 1t
creates q tan band that hugs
the West Virginia shore for
miles downstream In the Poto.
mac, which otherwise retains
Q relatively wholesome green.
iSh-brown cast.
Pennsylvania Glass Sand
was requested" last April TO
Ale reports at six months inter-
walls TO keep the water commits
SION posted on efforts TO correct
the sitting situation. The solu-
ton, according to company Of
1icialS, 10 to build additional
settlement ponds. The last re-
port stated, however, that the
company vas having difnculty
getting the necessary land for
this purpose.
Another report is due at the
October meeting, according to
Bern Wright, secretary Of the
water commission. At this time,
Mr.. Wright said, the commits
don may be asked by its staff
10 take stronger action than to
require periodical filing of re-
ports by the big company.
Maryland Acts
Maryland authorities, mean
while, have ordered Pittsburgh
Plate Glass Co., whose new
plant is located Just down.
stream from Cumberland, to
take corrective action to reduce
its outpourings Of abrasive and
jewelers. rouge into the North
Branch Potomac. These mate
rails are used to polish the I'm
ished glass products.
The factory, which went into
operation only last year. spent
large sums building two 4S-acre
ponds to settle out these leav-
ings. Because Of their chemical
properties, however, the settle
ment is.nowhere neaT as rapid
O. was expected, consequently