1910] FOREST, GAME AND FISH WARDEN. 39 



ELKINS, W. VA.. June 6, 1910. 

 MR. J. A. A^IQUESNEY, 



Warden, 



Belingion. W. Va. 



DEAR SIR: Yours of the 4th inst., received and we note what you say 

 therein. 



We do not know where you procured the two samples of water that flows 

 from our plant, but we have recently made considerable improvement in re- 

 lation to the settling ponds. We might say the old settling poftd was very 

 small, and in the month of April, 1910, we changed the settling ponds, espe- 

 cially as to the two places that flowed from the tannery to the river, in the 

 rear of the tannery, and came into the river about one hundred yards below 

 the plant. We changed that and have made a large settling pond, and have 

 it all flow in the one pond, and the water in the river has been very much im- 

 proved. 



We do not desire to pollute the stream, and are ready and willing to do 

 anything that will improve the conditions of the plant if we know what to do. 

 We have a number of other tanneries outside this State, and we have done more 

 here, and are doing more to keep from polluting the streams, than we are at 

 any of our other tanneries. However, we are ready and willing to do anything 

 within ' reason that will prevent the pollution of the river. If you have any 

 suggestions to make we w r ould be glad to receive them. 



Yours very truly, 



ELKINS TANNING Co., 



By .EUGENE SMITH, Supt. 



June 13th, 1910. 

 ELKINS TANNING COMPANY, 

 ElTcins, W. Va. 



GENTLEMEN: Replying to your letter of the 6th inst, beg to say that the 

 sample taken from your tannery in the month of April, was taken directly 

 from the sewer or sluce-way, which flows from your settling pond, and there 

 can be no question, but what you are allowing to enter the Tygarts Valley river, 

 this water which is so poisonous to fish. 



I appreciate the fact that you are making some effort to better conditions, 

 but it seems to me that there must yet be something materially wrong in your 

 system of taking care of this pollution. I have recently taken samples from 

 the Cherry river, or rather from the tanneries and paper mills at Richwood, 

 and had them tested at Washington, under the same system that your samples 

 were tested, and found nothing In these samples that proved deleterious to fish 

 life. These tanneries have provided very extensive settling pools, and I am of 

 the opinion that, the pollution at your plant can be handled in the same way. 

 I will have my chief deputy, Mr. H. M. Lockridge, call on you within the next 

 few days and talk this matter over, as he has made the investigation of several 

 other tanneries in the State. 



I do not desire to create any trouble with any industries in the State, or to 

 be foolish in enforcing our laws, relative to the protection of fish, but I be- 

 lieve that all these things can be worked out satisfactorily, and am willing to 

 be reasonable, and if tanneries, paper mills and other industries that cause 



