REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. CXXVII 



interest wliicli attaclies to any information bearing- upon this nuicb- 

 disputed subject, it seems important to present a brief review of tbe 

 investigation so far as it lias been carried on. 



At tbe mill in question five large digesters are used for converting 

 tbe wood into pulp, and in each of tbese from 1,000 to 1,200 gallons of 

 sulphurous acid, or a total of 5,000 to 6,000 gallons, are emjiloyed daily. 

 Tbe contents of tbe digesters are subjected to steam beat for a period 

 of twenty-four bours, after wbicb tbe acid passes tbrougb a trougb 

 into tbe river at a point wbere a strong current issues from several 

 turbine wbeels. Tbe direction of this current is sucb tbat it tends to 

 retain tbe acid for some time along tbe rigbt sbore of tbe river — tbat 

 on wbicb tbe mill is located. Tbe volume of water said to pass tbe 

 turbine wbeels amounts to about 1,000,000 gallons per minute, wbicb is 

 estimated to be not ftir from one-fiftb tbe average flow of tbe river at 

 tbis place. Five minutes are consumed in emptying each digester, dur- 

 ing wbicb time 5,000,000 gallons of water would issue at tbe same point, 

 and in tbat case tbe mixture of acid witb water would be in tbe propor- 

 tion of 1 part of tbe former to 5,000 parts of tbe latter; but sliould all tbe 

 digesters be emptied at tbe same time tbe proportion would cbange to 

 1 part of acid to 833 parts of water. This latter occurrence is not 

 probable, however, and, in any event, according to the statement of tbe 

 manager of tbe mill, the entire outflow of acid during any twenty-four 

 bours would not exceed their total capacity of (5,000 gallons. 



On the part of the fishermen it was claimed that whenever schools of 

 fishes approached the locality occupied by the mill they were driven 

 back and (lisai)peared, and, in fact, that they have come to avoid the 

 neighborhood, greatly to tbe detriment of the fishing interests. Unfor- 

 tunately, at the time the examinations were made the season was still 

 too early to observe the direct eflects of the polluted water, and 

 although it was arranged tbat the Commission should be informed as 

 soon as tbe fish began running no notice to tbat effect has been received. 

 Samples of the acid, of the waste liquor as it issues from the mill, and 

 of the river water at tbe time of emptying a digester, at distances of 100 

 and 400 yards and ol" li miles below the outlet, were obtained, however, 

 and sent to Wnsliington. None of the samples of river water showed by 

 color or smell any perceptible trace of acid contamination. The waste 

 liquor as it passes out from tbe digester is a dark-reddish liquor, having 

 a specific gravity of 1.000 at 4°C. and a pungent odor, apparently of 

 sul])burous acid and creosote. Tbe following experiments with this 

 refuse product mixed witb water were made by Dr. E. K. Gurley : 



A shiner, roach, and young sunfish were placed in sucb a mixture, 

 beginning witb the proportion of 1 part of acid to 250 parts of water 

 and gradually increasing the strength to 4 per cent of acid, during a 

 period of four days, but Avitb no deleterious effect upon the fishes. The 

 odor and taste of the acid first became perceptible when the propor- 

 tion of the same reached 1 .2 per cent. A young sun fish remained alive 

 and apparently without suireriiig during twenty-four hours in a mix- 



