Sludge on River Slows Oarsmen

An estimated 1500-2000 gallons of crude oil floated down the Charles River last week, impeding crew practices at Harvard and neighboring colleges.

The Metropolitan District Commission is investigating the source of the oil--a heavy commercial grade used to heat large apartment houses and factories--but has not yet released any of its findings.

At Newell boathouse last week, only half of coach Harry Parker's crews were able to row, since he hesitated to use any but a few very old shells.

The sludge has collected in "floating globs as large as ten feet in diameter," Christopher D. Kirkland '65, manager of the crew said last night. "It sticks to the boats and oars like pitch," he added, "and the only thing that will take it off is gasoline, which is bad for the boats."

The oil appears to have been dumped into the river at a point just below the Watertown dam, Parker said. Much of it has now accumulated on the banks.