The Search for the Ultimate Sink: Urban Pollution in Historical Perspective

469 Pages·1996·22.282 MB·English

by  Joel A. Tarr

THE SEARCH
FOR THE
ULTIMATE SINK
T ECH NOLOGY
AND THE
ENV IRON ME N T
JEFFREY K. STINE AND
WILLIAM MCGUCKEN
SERIES EDITORS
J O E L A. TA R R
THE SEARCH
FOR THE
ULTIMATE SINK
U R B A N P O L LU T I O N I N
H I S TO R I C A L P E R S P E C T I V E
THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON PRESS
AKRON, OHIO
Copyright © 1996
The University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-1703
All rights reserved.
Manufactured in the United States of America
05 04 03 02 01 6 5 4 3
library of congress cataloging-in-publication data
Tarr, Joel A. (Joel Arthur), 1934–
mmThe Search for the ultimate sink : urban pollution in historical perspective/ Joel A.
mTarr.—1st ed.
mmmmp.mmcm.—(Technology and the environment)
mmIIncludes bibliographical references and index.
mmIisbn 1-884836-05-4. —isbn 1-884836-06-2(pbk.)
mmI1.Urban pollution—United States—History. i. Title. ii. Series: Technology
mmmand the environment (Akron, Ohio)
mtd180.t37 1996
m363.73'09173'2—dc20 96-38383
—
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed
Library Materials, ansi z39.48–1984.°
Dedicated to my colleagues in the
Departments of Civil and Environmental
Engineering and Engineering and Public
Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, and
to my graduate students in History.
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Illustrations
mList of Photographs ix
mList of Figures x
mList of Tables xi
Series Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Foreword by Martin V. Melosi xxi
Introduction xxix
part i. Crossing Environmental Boundaries 1
i. The Search for the Ultimate Sink: Urban Air, Land, and
Water Pollution in Historical Perspective 7
ii. Land Use and Environmental Change in the Hudson-
Raritan Estuary Region, 1700–1980 36
iii. The Pittsburgh Survey as an Environmental Statement 77
part ii. Water Pollution 103
iv. Decisions about Wastewater Technology, 1800–1932 111
v. The Separate vs. Combined Sewer Problem: A Case Study
in Urban Technology Design Choice 131
vi. Disputes over Water-Quality Policy: Professional Cultures
in Conflict, 1900–1917 159
vii. Water and Wastes: A Retrospective Assessment of
Wastewater Technology in the U.S., 1800–1932 179
part iii. Smoke Pollution 219
viii. Changing Fuel-Use Behavior and Energy Transitions:
The Pittsburgh Smoke-Control Movement, 1940–50 227
ix. Railroad Smoke Control: The Regulation of a Mobile
Pollution Source 262
part iv. Land, Transport, and Environment 285
x. From City to Farm: Urban Wastes and the
American Farmer 293
xi.
From City to Suburb: The Moral Influence of
Transportation Technology 309
xii. The Horse—Polluter of the City 323
part v. Industrial Wastes as Hazards 335
xiii. Historical Perspectives on Hazardous Wastes in the
United States 341
xiv. Industrial Wastes, Water Pollution, and Public Health,
1876–1962 354
xv. Searching for a Sink for an Industrial Waste 385
413
Name Index
417
Place Index
viii Contents
List of Illustrations
Photographs
i.1. “Sowing for Diphtheria” 3
i.2. “Natural Beauty vs. Industrial Odds” 4
i.3. “The Valley of Work” 4
i.4. “Flooding in Pittsburgh, 1907” 5
ii.1. “Pumping Station, Toledo” 105
ii.2. “The Town Pump” 105
ii.3. “Extreme Civic Neglect” 106
ii.4. A Baltimore scavenger, 1911 106
ii.5. “Pan Closet: Pan, Plunger, and Plug” 107
ii.6. “Made in Baltimore” 107
ii.7. An open sewer in Pittsburgh 108
ii.8. Sewer construction, 1910 109
iii.1. Smoke from the “Metals District,” Pittsburgh, 1914 221
iii.2. A railroad marshaling yard in Pittsburgh, 1914 222
iii.3. “Smoke-blighted” trees in Munhall Hollow, above the
Homestead Steel Works of the Carnegie Steel Company 222
iii.4. “Darkness at Noon in Downtown Pittsburgh, 1920” 223
iii.5. Pittsburgh Smoke Control Campaign, 1941. 224
iii.6. The partially cleaned Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, 1990 224
iii.7. “Steam Locomotive Going through Oakland, 1953” 225
ix