190 American Fisheries Society. 



to reach the sea level. This question came up in Kansas in connection 

 with our oil wells, and in any action that is brought we will be beateji 

 every time because that water has to find its way to the sea level, and the 

 only way you can do that is through the streams. We do not want to 

 make a laughing stock of ourselves by being too severe toward the indus- 

 trial plants which are located along streams. In one of our counties 

 which is about the size of the State of Delaware, the result of the strik- 

 ing of oil was the destruction of one of the finest black bass streams in 

 the United States; there was no way of getting the water out except 

 through that stream. If you bring action in these cases, you are asked: 

 "What are you going to do with this stuff? It has to have an outlet, 

 and even if it is not put directly into the streams it will find its way there 

 through the subterranean sands or strata." We will not get anywhere 

 by simply saying to people, "You must not do this," because the develop- 

 ment of the nation requires that we open our coal mines and drill for oil. 

 The problem of oil pollution is of vital interest to me. I have had some 

 correspondence with the gentleman from Pennsylvania on the subject, 

 and I intend to go down there and see what his methods are of handling 

 the problem. I think this Society ought to hear him on how he is hand- 

 ling the oil situation. 



Mr. Hare: We have a chemist in the room, and I would like to ask 

 him if it would not be possible to use every by-product that results from 

 the operations of these various manufacturing concerns. Have we not 

 a scientist who is competent to work it out on that basis? 



President I.each: I think I could answer that question by saying 

 that all the large manufacturing concerns of this country have their own 

 chemists and that they are utilizing their waste products as far as pos- 

 sible. For instance, the Dupont Company used to make powder only; 

 now they make something like two or three hundred diiferent by products ; 

 these have become the main product of the plant, and powder has become 

 a by-product. Most of the large companies are doing the same thing. 

 It is only a matter of working these things out. Some of the companies 

 feel that they are not able to afford the necessary changes of machinery 

 and equipment involved in the utilization of these by-products, partic- 

 ularly when there would be some doubt as to the possibility of selling 

 them even when they were ready for the market. 



Mr. Hart: I understand that they have a fine Sanitary Board in 

 Rhode Island which is giving attention to these matters. Is there a man 

 from Rhode Island in the room? 



President I^each: I do not think there is a representative from 

 Rhode Island present. This question of pollution is a very important 

 one, but we are depending upon the meeting which will convene after 

 ours to thresh that out. The Bureau of Fisheries is very much interested 

 in it, because it has a large bearing upon our work. We are glad that 

 Pennsylvania and some of the other states are tackling these problems. 



