Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-05-10

JhatcGHi COufts
A CoPPERAs FACTORY AGAINST CEMETERY
MONUMENTS.
The supreme judicial court, Chief Justice
Chapman presiding, was engaged yesterday in
hearing the application, by the proprietors of
Rural cemetery, of this city, for an injunction
to restrain Mr.. K. N. Anderson from tine manu-
tacture of copperas, at the works situated at the
northerly end of the Washburn Moen manu-
featuring c0mpany's works, on Grove street,
and between them and the cemetery.
The building occupied by Mr.. Anderson, is a
small one, and is attached to the works of the
WaShburu & Moen manufacturing company TO
whom great amount of the copperas is fur
nished. Between the works and the cemetery
there is large open lot, which was formerly
GOV red with woods, and known as Salisbury
woods" The land was cleared few years ago,
and since that time the copperas works have
been erected.
Hon. b. +. Thomas and j. Henry Hill, ESQ
appeared for the petitioners, and Hon. W. W.
Rice and +. T. Blackmer, Esq, for the respond
ent, while among the witnesses were several
chemists of acknowledged ability.
The petitioners claim that since the copperas
works have been erected, the marble monuments
in the cemetery at the south end have become
delaced and corroded by the action of the chemi.
Gals that are thrown off in gaseous form from
the works The petitioners claim that particles
of copperas are carried from the chimney of the
works TO the cemetery; that the iron in the cop
peras unites with the calcium in the marble; the
chemical compound formed thereby combining
with atmospheric mOistures, has the effect of
producing iron rust on the monuments.
The opening of the case was brief, and Mr..
John Merrick of Boston testified that on Il visit
to the cemetery on the 14th of March, 1872, he
found many of the monuments and head.stones
dlscolored by peroxide of iron--iron rust; the
discoorations were largest and most noticeable
i'll the portion of the grounds nearest the cop
peras works. and upon the portions of the stones
facing the works. Upon visit to the
works OF Mr.. Anderson, he ascertaned
that solutions from the wire works were
boiled in large watts, and evaporation and
crystalization, The yapors from the tanks and
watts in The works float off, and deposits are
made upon the surface of the marble works in
the cemetery, staining them by their action upon
the exposed materials. The watts in the works
are situated directly below ventilating Stats,
through which vapOrs are constantly issuing,
containing in solution various chemicals capa.
bic of action upon marble; the dis,olorations
were caused by simple deposits, and not by any
action OF acids upon metallic ingredients of the
marble; bits of marble that have been placed
upon the roof Of the copperas works near the
ventilators have been found to undergo the same
action that is noticeable upon the monuments
in the cemetery There is no question but that
sulphate OF iron has been carried from the
works, and by being deposited upon the stones
have caused the stains upon them, though there
are chemical substances used in the wire works
that may contribute, in a slight degree to the
discolorations.
Mr. Rice, in his cross.examination, asked if
the presence Of iron dust in the atmosphere sur
rounding the tablets might not have caused the
oxide Of iron to be deposited upon them. Mr.
Merrick answered, that il might have been in
very small quantities, and further testified that
he visited the wire works and saw large quaint.
ties Of iron, that the works were larger and
overtoppcd the other works, that bituminous
coal was used in making gas, and that if that
coal contained sulphur, acids of that substance
would be thrown into the atmosphere.
Professor Charles o. Thompson of the Tech.
nical school testified that during the month Of