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of each town visited by them on the Aire and Calder. Of Skipton they say (page 37):—
"Its sewage and refuse of its dye-works, slaughterhouses, tan-works, paper-mills, and factories, all go into the river." Of Keighley: "That the sewage is the cause of great nuisance, and that the workmen at the water-wheeels have frequently to leave the mills[1]sick." Also "that soap-suds flow into the river, which ferment and give off large volumes of foul gases, and that local disease is imputed to this form of pollution."
And much the same story is told by them of Bingley, all its filth and refuse going into Harden Beck and into the Aire.
Of Bradford, with a population in 1861 of 48,646, they say:—
"The whole of the sewage of Bradford and of the populous district above the town flows into the Beck, producing an indescribable state of pollution. At the time of our inquiry Bradford Beck was the source of supply to the Bradford Canal, the fluid of which became so corrupt in summer that large volumes of inflammable gases were given off." And "though," the Commissioners add, "it has been considered an impossible feat to set the Thames on fire, it was found practicable to set the Bradford Canal on fire, as this at times formed the amusement of boys in the neighbourhood, the flames rising six feet high, and running along the surface of the water for many yards, like a will-o'-the-wisp, and canal boats have been so enveloped in flames as to frighten persons on board."
Proceeding (page 39) to describe the condition of the Aire at Leeds and the streams communicating with it there, the Report says:
"The entire volume of the sewage of Leeds, solids and fluids (from 7,000,000 to 12,000,000 gallons per day), is turned into the Aire, creating a great nuisance."
"The whole of the becks flowing through the town are fouled with waste refuse from dye-works, tanneries, and the various other manufactures, from their sources
- ↑ Of which there are 54.
