96 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. beds such as occurs during low stages of the waters, and, therefore, I would view with disfavor any plan which contemplates permanently lowering the level of any of the ponds while present conditions exist, and unless the deposits in these ponds be immediately removed by dredging them. I do not see that any advantage could result from draining any of them, and such a course I think would be decidedly objectionable unless the deposits were at the same time removed. If the pollution of these ponds be discontinued and their surface maintained at the present level it may be hoped that in time they will purify themselves by natural processes, or, at least, that their condition will become less objectionable than at present. (b) It seems to me not improbable that the discharge of such agents as lime, and salts of alumina and iron, bichromate of potash and other chemicals which are employed in the tanneries, and especially should such contain arsenic, into the streams might interfere somewhat with "the bacterial action of intermittent sand filters" and diminish their efficiency, but recently conducted experiments at the Lawrence experiment station in Massachusetts would seem to indicate that such sewage as tannery wastes may be satisfactorily filtered, and that such difficulties as arise in certain cases are by no means unsurmountable in practice. (e) It would seem to me probable, when the peculiar pollution of these streams is considered, and the present condition of the waters as shown by the analyses, and of the beds of the streams and bottoms of the ponds is also taken into consideration, that the discharge of such chemical agents, and their by-products, as are added to the streams, might, and in fact undoubtedly does at the present time, aid in producing a precipitation of various of the impurities present in the waters. But I am clearly of the opinion that the sewage of Johnstown, and the tannery wastes and chemicals ought not to be added to the streams, but should be separately disposed of, and in such case I think that the chemical agents added would not interfere with the operation of precipitation works, should such be established, but, on the contrary, would prove to be an aid in their operation. Very respectfully, WILLIS G. TUCKER, BARREN ISLAND STATE OF NEW YORK, EXECUTIVE CHAMBER Order directing the abatement of certain public nuisances at Barren Island, Kings county. Whereas, the State Board of Health upon the complaint of various parties residing in the vicinity of Barren Island and acquainted therewith, have examined into certain alleged nuisances existing at said Barren Island, and has taken testimony both upon the part of the complainants, as well as of the individuals, firms and corporations alleged to be conducting offensive business and trades at said island; and Whereas, on or about the twenty-fifth day of October, 1897, the said Board of Health duly made its report, upon which report the approval of the Governor was endorsed the seventh day of January, 1898, and which said report was duly filed in the office of the Secretary of State on the seventh day of January, 1898, by which report, so approved as aforesaid it appears that divers offensive trades and business are carried on upon said Barren Island, in such a manner as to become a public nuisance, to which report reference is hereby made; and Whereas, the said State Board of Health, in and by its said report has recommended that an order and proclamation made by His Excellency, Governor Hill, declaring the business and trades of Peter White's Sons, E. Frank Coe, The Barren Island Oil and Guano Company, and the Barren Island Fertilizing Oil Company to be public nuisances, etc., be amended and modified by declaring to be public nuisances the business, trades and establishments of each of the individuals, corporations and co-partnerships hereinafter specifically mentioned, and ordering the same abated on or before April 1, 1898, unless each of the said firms, individuals, and corporations shall sooner obtain a permit of the New York State Board of Health and the New York city board of health to carry on their said noxious trades in conformity with sanitary rules and regulations prescribed by said boards: Now, therefore, I, Frank S. Black, Governor of the State of New York, in pursuance of the statute in such case made and provided, and by reason of the premises herein before recited, do hereby declare to be public nuisances the business, trades establishments maintained and carried on at Barren Island, in the county of Kings, State of New York, by the following firms, individuals and corporations, to wit: E. Frank Coe Company, a corporation engaged in the manufacture of commercial fertilizer; The Barren Island Fertilizer and Oil Works, a corporation engaged in the manufacture of fish-oil and fish scrap; The New York Sanitary Utilization Company, a corporation engaged in reducing the garbage of New York city and Brooklyn, and manufacturing certain commercial products therefrom; E. J. McKeever & Brother, a co-partnership consisting of Edward J. and Stephen W. McKeever, engaged in rendering dead animals, collected principally from the city of Brooklyn; and P. White & Sons, a co-partnership engaged in rendering dead animals, collected chiefly in the city of New York. And I do hereby order said nuisances to be abated and direct the said individuals, firms and corporations, on or before April 1, 1898, to secure a permit from the New York State Board of Health and the New York city board of health, and to conform their various trades, business and vocations herein before specified, to such sanítary rules and regulations as may be, before that date, prescribed by said boards. Given under my hand and the privy seal of the State at the capitol in the city of Albany, this tenth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight. FRANK S. BLACK By the Governor: GEORGE CURTIS TREADWELL, Acting private secretary |