The John Riley Tannery (left photograph) was founded in 1910 and operated until the 1990's. At the time the lawsuit was filed, it was owned briefly by Beatrice (Foods) Properties, who sold it back to the employees but maintained liability. Beatrice also owned the 15-acre woodland between the Aberjona River and the Boston & Maine railroad line. The tannery buildings were razed in 1997 and replaced by office buildings and a warehouse. The 15-acre woodland, which is less than 800 feet from wells G & H, is now a nature preserve, albeit one with ongoing contaminant remediation activities. [1987 photo by S. Bair]
The W.R. Grace Company owns the Cryovac Plant on Washington Street (center photograph). The plant operated from 1960 until 1988 and manufactured food processing and packaging equipment. The plant is about 3000 feet northeast of well H. [1987 photo by S. Bair]
Unifirst Properties operates a plant
on Olympia Avenue that dry cleans commercial uniforms (right photograph).
The facility is about 2000 feet north-northeast of well H.
[1996 photo by S. Bair]
Click on the image to view a 243 Kbyte enlargement
showing the locations of the defendants properties, municipal wells G &
H, and the plaintiffs' homes.