American Notes MISSISSIPPI

It is a replay of the famous 1987 saga of the garbage scow that couldn't find a home -- only worse. This time the carrier is a 61-car train. On board: 5,000 tons of sewage sludge, most of it treated human waste. It is nothing to sniff at. In fact, nobody wants it.

The sludge, courtesy of the citizens of Baltimore, set out on its vagabondage from Maryland nine weeks ago, and has been plying the rails ever since. After Louisiana declined the tribute, the so-called Poo-Poo Choo-choo chugged into a rail yard near Pascagoula, Miss. But Mississippi's department of environmental quality threatened a fine of $2 million a day, so the train operator gave up, and at week's end was preparing to follow the scent back to Maryland.